Interlude: Tipping Point
15 Jul 2022Aurora Bael
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TELEPRESENCE V 4.2.0 COMMUNICATIONS LINK
INCOMING CALL: Robert Harkness
Initializing com-link
Com-Link Established
Encrypting...
KEY RECOGNISED! ANSWER? [Y]
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> Hello, Bob! What can I do you for?
:: Ho-hoooo shit! The absolute BALLS on you!
>> Why, I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about.
:: Hahoho man... this is just the absolute best. What a BOMB to drop on the whole damn intelligence community! That was a good bit of work, honestly. I missed that side of you. Gonna be harder for you to keep working now, though.
>> Whatever, I'm still Nobody.
:: Heh... I suppose that's true. But holy shit Rory, you got Feds, A-Holes, and a couple Izzies gunning for you now.
>> I'm not worried about any of that. Least of all the Izzies. If they come after me too loud they'll give themselves away, yeah? I knew what I was doing. And what I done was a righteous bust.
:: Yeah... but someone else out there was holding your strings. What are they going to do with the ones that are left?
>> pffffffffff... Well, try and neutralize the threat, I guess. But you know me, blood, I'll fix 'em. ...Maybe... save some of 'em, you know?
:: Wait a minute. Is this personal now?
>> ...
:: Rory?
>> ... They got Moira.
:: Moira? Who the- Oh shit. THE Moira?
>> Yeah... I don't... I might not be able to get her back. I mean fuck, we don't know they'll send anyone else. They probably don't even know the damn frequencies for all the other implants. But even if she does come... I don't know if it's okay to get her back. She chose to forget me. Forget the whole time Harlan owned her. I never existed to her. But neither did ten years of trauma. What the hell kind of person would make someone go through that again?
:: I mean, I get it but... You seem a little too calm about the whole thing.
>> I've had plenty of time to drink about it. Most of it in... very good company.
:: ...It's not your fault, you know.
>> Shut up. Shut your fucking mouth.
:: It isn't.
>> Don't do this Bob, I swear.
:: You need to fucking hear it.
>> Yeah. Except this time it actually is my fault. They only even picked her up because of me. She only wound up in the program because she knew me. I took my freedom alright, took it right out from under us both, and now she's got hers. Full and complete. Without me...
:: There we go. Now you're feeling it.
>> Fuck. FUCK goddammit Bob, now I'm crying. Are you happy?
:: No, but I'm less worried about you. We've been friends a long time. When you get on pain benders, you can ride them damn near forever. Unless you pop. I know it hurts and it's kinda shitty of me, but I needed to know you were still in there.
>> ...
:: Look, if you're done talking to me right now-
>> Thank you.
:: ...What?
>> I said 'thank you', you deaf bastard. You are right. I have been on one hell of a bender. Hnnnnnn I gotta dry out. I got flying to do.
:: Heh-hey! look at that. Aurora Bael lives!
>> Yeah... Yeah I do... Say Bob, how's business been?
:: ...Tight. Very tight.
>> How many do you have employed right now?
:: We've got forty seven salaried, and another fifteen or so independent contractors we can call on for really big jobs. Why?
>> ...I gotta make a call to square it, but I might have a job for you.
:: I'm listening.
>> This might be crazy... but what if I knew a station where we had a good shot at kicking OmniPol out completely.
:: Are you serious? ...Huh... Well. Now you've got my attention.
>> There's a place in 21 Draco. Chilton Terminal. Practically the whole damn station is run by an Ag Co-op. Classical anarchist non-hierarchical faction that doesn't even call itself a faction. They're already giving the OmniPol precinct there a hard time just by funding research with the money they make selling their designer foods. If you can run a big team there, we can get the gang living well again handling security for CTAC. That's what we are, right? Security contractors? Well let's run security!
:: I don't wanna play pig.
>>You're not playing pig. You're keeping the station secure from the pigs and helping out in whatever other ways you can. That's literally the thing we've always wanted. A righteous reason to do what we do.
:: ...It's tempting, Rory. It's really fucking tempting. What's the pay?
>> I dunno yet. But I do know I can get room and food comped. For 50ish? CTAC could probably manage between 60 and 75k per diem. Salary. I'd be willing to put up additional funds personally for you all, too. 10-20k per job for responders?
:: Ha! Damn. Well, if you're the one signing the check...
>> Is that a yes?
:: It was already a yes.
>> Awesome. I'll be in touch. You won't regret this, Bob.
:: Whatever you say... Cap!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TELEPRESENCE V 4.2.0 COMMUNICATIONS LINK
Com-link terminated.
Would you like to make another call?
Call: quit
Thank you, goodbye!
PROGRAM TERMINATED
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------