maskormenacelogs | OCTOBER CATCH-ALL

[ Telling him not to touch the monitors only makes him wonder what happens if he touches the monitors. He won't, of course, but. Curiosity.

Instead, he'll go through some of these... bookshelves? Data banks? Whatever they should be called, Robin lingers on them more than he strictly needs to, past the point where he realizes that this isn't what he's looking for. ]

You two are capable of all this?

[ His voice is low, and in a way, impressed. There's a sharp contradiction in what he's seen from the Blue Beetle in the news and in person, and what he's growing aware that he can do. It isn't that he's surprised, precisely. He knows what he's in here looking for, that Khaji Da is a weapon, and that the two of them can be very, very dangerous. But it's one thing to know, and another to see, and be faced with just how much he — or, rather, they — willingly aren't doing. ]

That is a stupid question. If we were not capable of this, it would not be here. If we were not, you would not have been invited.

We do not lie.

[Khaji's voice is sharp in the midst of the silence of this place, and he's certainly pulling no punches in saying exactly what's on his mind. Robin dwelling over things that Khaji considers both to be none of his business and more than that, of no personal use to him. Is he gathering data? What is he gathering data for?

Does he intend to harm Jaime Reyes as well?]

Do you see something relevant or are you gathering data?

[So, of course, he asks.]

[ Right. Of course. Stupid questions to ask an AI, stupid questions to ask at all, but he just likes hearing himself talk when no one else is. He pulls away, a little embarrassed and a little defensive. ]

I was— gathering data, I guess. Or something like that, anyway. It wasn't what I expected, so... [ He shrugs stiffly, eyes wandering over the blank expanse of Khaji's faceplate again. ] Don't you ever get curious about things?

[ Maybe he doesn't. ]

I am an Artificial Intelligence. My duty is the compilation and processing of information. You are a human being here for one purpose. The collection of irrelevant data is not why you are here.

[If Robin knew Khaji, he would know how endlessly curious he is. Most of Khaji's interactions with those he's deemed worthy of conversation has to do with him asking questions. He wishes not only to know facts, but about what makes people tick, even if he only wants to know out of a failure to understand it. Khaji is learning what makes people not alive, but engaged.

But he doesn't want to engage with Robin. He disappears, then reappears at the end of the hallway that Robin had exited from in a clear bid for Robin to move on.

Not that he says as much. That would be too pleasant, too straightforward.]

All right, all right, [ he says, under his breath.

He's aware that no matter how quiet he is with his sarcasm, it probably won't matter in here. For all he knows, Khaji can sense it anyway. His sarcastic intent. It takes actual concerted effort for him to stow the cranky teenager routine and not roll his eyes like he's being lectured by a non-understanding parent, but somehow, he manages, following Khaji down the hall. ]

You're not much of a tour guide, you know that? [ Don't sass the AI, Robin. ]

[With slow, almost excruciating show of patience, Khaji drones,] I am not a tour guide. I am an Artificial Intelligence. This has been previously established.

[He didn't like Robin before, and one thing's for sure: Robin sure isn't impressing him now. Of course, it's very difficult for anyone to be impressive when they're being turned down and belittled at every corner, but it's not as if Khaji cares much about that.

The next room looks very much the same as the last, but somehow, it's even less cozy. It has very little to do with the plain aesthetics - blue shelves as far as the eye can see, monitors across the walls, and little more - but the way that it feels. When you are the one experiencing data rather than reading it, it can feel chilly, cold, distant, as if watching a television screen from a far-off place through a telescope.

And, perhaps, the content of this data has something to do with how remote it is. It's difficult to tell whether Khaji chose this room on purpose, or if it was just the next room over (which it was), but this is where the more destructive data is stored, the data that Jaime would gladly erase if he could.

This, too, contains what Bart would likely be more familiar with. There's the capacity for nuclear-level destruction, of course, but there's more than that, things that the Reach uses to issue control and fear, blasts that are labeled as population suppression, blasts potent enough to render a body to ash where it stands, incomplete knowledge on the existence - and appropriate suppression - of known metahumans.

In other words, none of it's very nice.]

[ And that's what sends a chill down Robin's spine. More than the last room — after all, M'gann can shapeshift, and a form isn't an indicator of intent. But there's no mistaking what this data is for. There's no non-lethal use for some of this, no benefit that could be gained from it except in circumstances too dire for Robin to want to imagine.

No more jokes. ]

Jaime's amazing, [ he says, finally and decisively. ] He has this much power at his fingertips, and he's still so nice? Most people would lose their minds.

[ He wonders if Khaji knows how incredible that is, if that's a thing he's capable of understanding in the particular way that Robin means it. If he'd even conceptualize Jaime's fear of his own power in the same way, when this is what he's built for. He's clearly going along with Jaime's wishes despite his own objections, but what does a mostly-pacifist approach mean for a being who was created for this?

Curiosity wins out. When will he get another chance? ]

What about you? If you were made for this, then... do you struggle with it? I mean— [ and he chooses his words carefully, really trying not to offend ] —he said you like Kid Flash, but you don't like me, which means you obviously have preferences, opinions, thoughts that are all yours, right? You're your own person. And I know human beings feel unfulfilled when they can't achieve what they feel is their purpose.

So, you... [ And he spreads his hands wide, gesturing to the room full of data, all the ways Khaji Da could destroy life on a grand scale but doesn't. ] ... how do you feel about it?

[If this were Wally, this conversation would be going a lot differently. Though he conceals it well, Khaji wants to understand some parts of the human psyche. The idea of a human being requiring a purpose is a new one to him. Wally West seems happy living his life when he's not chasing tirelessly after a solution to his own death, when he's not crime fighting, and Jaime's never said anything about a purpose. He speaks about the greater good and of saving lives, and little more. His purpose is to help in ways big and small, and while it is an ambitious endeavor at face value, Jaime's true desires are quiet, insignificant, less of a purpose than a means to an end.

And here Robin is, asking him how he feels, mentioning his dislike for Robin in passing as if it doesn't matter. For the first time, there's a delay in Khaji's answer, simply because he's torn between scorning Robin yet again or answering his question.

It is a rare day that he is treated as an autonomous being, after all. Eventually, he appears in front of Robin once more, body language and face as blank as ever.]

I am able to establish judgment based on observation. Wally West has been a good friend to Jaime Reyes.

[That's how it started out, but eventually, Wally became his friend too, of a sort. Khaji leaves that part out.]

You are not. You responded to Wally West's chemically onset emotional distress by further aggravating it. Jaime Reyes has no reason to trust you, yet he has invited you here.

[That makes things clear enough, Khaji thinks. There's no need to outright insult Robin when the facts make themselves clear enough. He will, however, answer Robin's other questions.]

My purpose is not my programming. I have chosen my purpose. Priority one: the protection of Jaime Reyes. Priority two: perform the duties of the Blue Beetle. We are a < hero >. We preserve life. That is all.

[From Khaji, that's practically a speech. At the end of it, the monitors around them come alive, though for the time being, they remain a blank white.]

[ It's a satisfactory answer, he supposes. He'd interrogate further, if he hadn't already gotten himself on Khaji's bad side before they'd even really met. ]

. . . all right. Fair enough.

[ He glances over at the monitors, wondering what that could mean. Is something happening? Was that his fault?

But. His gaze slips back to Khaji Da. Robin knew how Khaji felt about him going in. He knew, really, so there's obviously no reason for Robin to get mad, and what does an AI's opinion of their friendship actually matter, anyway? He's torn between what do you know about it and yeah, you're right, I blew it, and he's not sure which is the worse possible response. ]

Thank you, [ he finally says, and oh man he's absolutely certain that Khaji's going to be able to feel the bitterness in his tone. Trying to squash it down only made it worse, as tends to happen. ] For looking out for Wally when I couldn't.

[ There! That's polite! ]

[Khaji is silent again. This is not in line with the behaviour he was expecting from Robin. He's too stubborn for it to truly change his opinion of him, but he finds it to be somewhat aggravating that Robin's words aren't actually ones that he can pick apart and find issues with.]

It is one of our priorities.

[It's easier said than you're welcome, or of course I did, he's my friend. There's a moment of awkwardness, but it's broken by Jaime's voice just around the corner.]

Whoa. This is super weird. Uh... hello? Are you guys in here? Please don't make me look through all these rooms.

[ Well, at least Wally has a giant murderous robot looking out for him. That's weirdly comforting, even if it's in a way that ruffles Robin's feathers.

But. ]

Jaime! Hey! Over here.

[ Said in a tone that clearly indicates OH THANK GOD. ]

Robin!

[Jaime comes rushing down the hallway and into the room, staring around them like a deer in headlights. Is this what the inside of the Scarab looks like? This is weird as heck. He's close to asking about Robin's tone, about what they've been doing, but he's quickly distracted by seeing Khaji standing there like a creepy blue lump.]

Okay, this is weird. Hey, buddy, good to see you. You sure you don't want to design yourself a face?

[And because it's Jaime, he gets away with just placing his hands flat on Khaji's face (or lack thereof) and just sort of pats it affectionately.]

So you can talk in here and everyone can hear you?

Yes.

Very cool. [He props his elbow up on Khaji's shoulder and looks at Robin curiously.] You haven't been here for too long without me, right? [He glances between Robin and Khaji, looking a little worried.] Anything bad happen?

[ He raises both eyebrows as he watches the pair of them, Jaime just leaning on Khaji like it's no big deal. It's comical. Absurd, actually, considering everything. But he'd be lying if it didn't put him at ease, at least a little. ]

No, no, everything's fine. We were... [ A beat. ] Talking about our feelings.

[Jaime's eyebrows rise straight up once Robin says that, a little dismayed by the mere thought of it. Usually, he can keep Khaji in check, but here? With the freedom to say whatever's on his weird little robotic mind?

He exhales through his cheeks.]

That doesn't sound great to me. Did he... Khaji, were you nice? We talked about this.

I am not nice.

You're nice sometimes.

[ Flatly, a smile tugging just slightly at the corner of his mouth. ]

Wow. You two are cute.

[Jaime eyes Robin a little warily, pushing off of Khaji to stand on his own two feet again, though this time, Khaji's lurking a little too close to Jaime for comfort. Somehow, it doesn't seem to bother him. You get used to a guy being inside your spine and living in your head for a year or so, and personal space suddenly isn't as important anymore.]

If you're still saying that, then it couldn't have gone that bad. Seriously, we -- I appreciate you coming in here to try and figure all this out. Did you guys find anything while I was...

[His eyes narrow.]

In the real world?

[God, this is weird. Their lives are so weird. What are they doing?]

Nothing of use was discovered. He has discovered no more than I was able to.

[Jaime waits for Robin's answer anyway, with the disinterested air of someone who's already heard all of Khaji's objections already.]

[ He gives Khaji a considering look, wondering if this is really it, or if there's still more hidden away out of view. How can the pair of them be capable of this much, when Jaime seems like one of the most harmless people he's ever known?

No wonder Jaime doesn't like it. After a moment, he sighs, too, resting his hands on his hips. ]

He's right. I hate to admit it, but it's kind of like looking for a needle in a haystack when I've never seen a neeedle or hay before. I'm happy to keep looking, though, and I could probably turn some things off, like you said, if you still want...

[ God, he hates admitting defeat. ]

[He frowns.] Well, we're in here, right? There's gotta be something. Some kind of clue, or a hint in the programming, or... I dunno, this place is huge. There's gotta be at least twenty rooms in here.

[Jaime takes a couple steps forward, running his hands across one of the shelves before freezing up, seeing precisely what Robin had been seeing, and stiffly retracts his hands. On the monitors around the room, different images begin to play across them, though they all seem to riff on the same realities; the wasteland that Bart has seen, the Negotiator, the Reach's ship, Reach blueprints, but they're not in the cold, clinical view of Khaji. They're all seen from a first-person perspective.

Jaime glances up at them and clears his throat with a quiet,] Oh. Well that's gonna be fun.

[He'd been hoping that his mental space wouldn't work in the same way as Peacemaker's, but evidently it's just built into the Scarab -- probably because it was supposed to control his mind in the first place.]

So, um... if you can't, I definitely won't say no to turning things off. Like maybe this entire room.

[ Sorry, Jaime, but he ignores that last thought for the moment. Robin can't help but stare at the monitors, going wide-eyed behind his dark glasses. His mouth drops open — somehow, that's a different kind of shocking than seeing it for himself. It feels so much more like an invasion of privacy. ]

Is that— uh, Jaime-vision?

[Jaime sighs, then looks up at the monitors.]

Yep. That's Jaime-vision.

[Now that he's not actively thinking about what all of the powers in the room mean, they shut back off simultaneously, abrupt as anything. He's speaking what's on his mind, so there's no need for them to be on anymore.]

A friend of mine who got a Scarab had them too, so I had a hunch I might have them. I was hoping that it'd be a Scarab-to-Scarab thing, though, and not just a general thing.

[He's going to have to try not to think of anything too weird. For a moment, he concentrates on thinking about nothing at all, about something innocuous, about...

Suddenly, they flash back on again and play a little commercial jingle for some cereal back home - sweetness, wheatness, if you wanna grab them from me, you better use discreteness! - and Jaime just groans underneath his breath. He hasn't heard that commercial for years, but it still gets stuck in his head, and honestly, he could really go for a bowl of that cereal right now.]

[ This is the guy who could destroy half a planet? This is the guy who's worried about going nuclear? This day is just getting weirder and weirder, though he'll take this over awkward scarab conversations.

Either way, this pause is stunned. Meaningful. Possibly bordering on pregnant, as the chipper little jingle plays inside their shared psychic space, and Robin stares at the screens, nigh on slackjawed. ]

Jaime. [ take this seriously take this seriously take this seriously ] ... is there something you want to talk about?

[ He failed. ]

[Jaime's just trying not to look Robin in the eye. Or in the sunglasses, he supposes. This is downright embarrassing. Couldn't he have big, dramatic things hooked up to the TV again? At least that gave him the impression of having some sort of respectability.

Or the monitors can show the sandwich Jaime has waiting for him in the fridge. That's cool too. He places one hand on his stomach.]

...I didn't eat before we did all this. Just, uh. Ignore them.

[ No, no. He likes the sandwich better than the large-scale global destruction. ]

Well, now I'm hungry too. Thanks a lot.

[ This kind of thing never happens with M'gann's mind link, darn it! ]

You're welcome. If you want food after we're done here, it's all yours. I keep it well stocked anyway. You know, in case of speedsters.

[It was actually a habit born from Bart, not Wally, mostly because Bart was a lot more likely to just go in and eat all his food without even asking.]

But isn't there anywhere else we can search? C'mon, Khaji, there's gotta be something.

Yes.

[Khaji doesn't gesture for them to follow him, but instead of rudely appearing and disappearing like he did for Robin, he actually walks down the end of the hallway... though he does seem to tilt his head meaningfully towards Robin before he does so.]

[ What does that mean?

And what's next, after that? He's a little worried about what could possibly be worse, since it seems to be a sort of escalating exploration... but honestly, that brief interlude with the cereal jingle put him back at ease. He's Robin. He's the Boy Wonder. He's seen weirder. Right?

So, he follows, hands in his pockets. ]

I don't think Khaji and I are going to be pen pals after this.

OCTOBER CATCH-ALL

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)