♤ Network - [Video]

[deal_me_in]

[It's around dusk, the faint glow of a lantern casting a wavering light about that reveals the Exo so he's more than just glowing eyes. He seems to give a dry look at the communicator before turning his head and then the feed itself outward towards the city and its few lit up buildings. ]

So. That direction would be where the tower is. Just trust me on this since there's no blinking light.

But if we look out this way-

[The feed shifts again, passing over sparse furnishings and old, rusted gears of the clock tower before looking out another gaping hole where there's fewer buildings grouped and lit, but the most noticeable thing is a light winking on and off in the darkened distance.]

I think someone's funnin' with us.

Comments

[beholding_archivist]

[ Well, this takes a moment because Jon first has to stare, then mutter his curses where they aren’t public. ]

....and I believe we can well guess who.

[ A pause, then.... Ah, screw it. ]

Fuck.

[deal_me_in]

My sentiments exactly. Makes me regret not blowing up the other one while it mattered.

[beholding_archivist]

Right.

.... right.



So.
What now. What do we- Can we get there?

[deal_me_in]

Sundance can't get an estimate on a distance. And from what I'm getting from Speedy, it doesn't look like it wants to be got. Er. Gotten to? -whatever, point is, if he can't reach it after running for half an hour, I doubt we're going to have better luck, especially when whatever existing forces-that-be don't play fair.

[beholding_archivist]

...damn.

[ This is not good. ]

You think... This is because of... us? Because of what we did?

[ Because of them messing with the first light? ]

[deal_me_in]

Jon, if it wasn't us, it'd eventually have been someone else by whatever means and even then who knows how it'd pan out?

[Actually he's not sure. The tower and the light had been sitting there for a while so far as he could tell and none of the current residents had seemed remotely curious about it. But eventually someone as curious as they were would've come along or taken notice of the thing. That much he's convinced.]

Anyway, you don't place a blinking light out in the middle of nowhere and not have questions around here. They were probably waiting for a response. And since they got one, what happened was like a slap on the wrist to say 'that's what you get' - and this here new light's both a taunt and a question of whether or not we've learned our lesson the first time around.

[beholding_archivist]

You’re right, but-

If that thing is responsible for those storms and the storms are what destroys this planet and makes it uninhabitable to the Agrii, then we have to get rid of it somehow!

[deal_me_in]

If it is. The defense system sure pulled some similar stunts to it- I'm not denying that. But the thing is, it's not going to be as simple as strolling over there and packing it with a few grenades, as much as I'd love to.

We try getting in touch with the Agrii yet? We should ask how long that tower's been there. And since nothing's shutting us out, maybe we can try digging into that stuff to see how it worked.

-wait why am I trying to talk sense into you? Destroying things should be my first option on the table!

[beholding_archivist]

[ Jon listens thoughtfully, but then chuckles lightly. ]

Maybe you have rubbed off on me, Cayde. Or, given Gertrude's preferred methods of dealing with issues, maybe it's just a tendency an Archivist is bound to develop naturally. You would have liked her. I keep hearing she was a lot more competent than me.

But jokes aside, Maybe we... Should. Try ask the Agrii about it.

Audio

[doubled_speed]

You want funning?

[Forgive Tommy if his audio sounds a bit windy. He's running.]

I've been running toward this thing for thirty minutes. It's THE SAME DISTANCE AWAY!

[deal_me_in]

...so at your top speeds and depending on how much land mass this place has, wouldn't that just mean you've run around the planet several dozen times over?

[doubled_speed]

Nah, haven't been running top speed. Like, I'd probably pass out. Don't get nearly enough calories here to try that.

[Sorry, Cayde. He stops and pants. Nope, not getting closer.]

I should start back I think.

[deal_me_in]

Doubt you're gonna get anywhere else by continuing, kid. Anything interesting out there at least? Other abandoned establishments?

[doubled_speed]

Nothing that I've noticed. It's pretty boring. A lot of the areas outside of the city are boring.

Coffee when I get back?

[deal_me_in]

What a crappy planet!

-be a fresh pot waiting.

[doubled_speed]

Yeah, I hate it. A lot. But when spring comes, I'm gonna take a break from the bullshit and go to the island and chillax. Maybe make a boat for people.

[Tommy chuckles at the promise as the air rushes again.]

I'll be half an hour.

[deal_me_in]

I think everyone needs a break. A boat would be useful. I'm not much for swimming, obviously.

All right kid. See you then.

[demjiin]

It seems like some sort of automated signal.

[ Kaz looks thoughtful for a moment. ]

The question is what is it signaling to.

[deal_me_in]

The million glimmer question for sure. Not that it seems we'll have any chance of checking that one out.

[demjiin]

[ Kaz raises an eyebrow. ]

If it's in visual range, it wouldn't be that hard to send someone out to take a look at it and see what they can find out.

[deal_me_in]

In a world where physics behave the way they should, yeah, I'd say you're absolutely right. Except we're dealing with some unknown fellows who happen to ignore things like that in favor of making things interesting.

Anyway, we got a kid who can run that supposed distance in an eyeblink and he's already given it a shot- except that even after over half an hour he's not gotten any closer to the thing.

[demjiin]

[ Kaz is leaving the subject of Tommy alone for now. Besides this guy doesn't even know Kaz's name so it's doubtful he's lying to Kaz now. ]

If the laws of physics don't apply here, then it becomes more complicated. Does the light blink steadily or is there any kind of pattern to it?

[deal_me_in]

Kid, this whole situation is complicated by default.

Pretty steady so far as I can tell. Just like the old one before.

[demjiin]

Old one?

[deal_me_in]

Can't see it now that it's not lit up, but there's like, a radio tower out on the northwestern fringe of the city. Had a blue light blinking up top for the longest and I'd always see it from here.