maskormenacelogs | fresh out of box, the latest model.

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fresh out of box, the latest model.

WHO: Kaidan Alenko & Danger.
WHERE: Cape Canaveral military base grounds.
WHEN: 06/03, afternoon.
WHAT: Kaidan needs more positive (?) robot influences in his life.
WARNINGS: TBD.

[ It was rare that Danger wore her flesh-and-bone body for business. The work that she did for Homeland Security usually took advantage of her capabilities as a machine-- data processing, investigating suspects, surveillance. But now and then, there was a meeting to attend or presentations that needed to be made, and Danger had learned that while humans were generally happy to use a machine, they were sometimes less comfortable being made to sit too long in the same room with one.

She was still distinctly alien, even masquerading as a woman, but less threatening in some ways. Her meeting went as smoothly as such things usually can go. As the heat of the Floridian midday set in, Danger found her way into the cafeteria. She didn't like eating as a process, but her organic form required a little snack now and then, something to keep headaches and fatigue at bay. She walked away from the cash register with only an apple and a bottle of water, very much intending to be on her way rather than linger.

That was when she recognized him-- a familiar face from the Network. Danger paused, eying him a moment before she chose to approach. ]

Major Alenko.

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[ The familiar face only went one way, and Kaidan, who'd been mid-bite through a pretty large sandwich, stopped, his shoulders hunched over the food he'd managed to pile up on the tray. The voice was...eerie, like there was something in there he should recognize, and pretty, but entirely alien to him -- and not just in the way she looked, when he turned his head, a mouth full of the sandwich.

Unlike Danger's apple and water, his tray had it all. A sampling of the pasta salad, potato salad, three sandwiches, two slices of pizza, and to add the health factor -- an actual salad, to top it off. He'd been using his biotics a lot, lately, for this military -- something he wasn't sure he could keep doing, if he were honest with himself. He was still uncertain whether this was the right way to go, or not.

Finally, he got over his shock, and managed to chew, chew, and then swallow the food, before he finally opened his mouth to speak like a normal person. ]

Can I help you?

[ Of course he didn't recognize her. Why would he? This was not the face or form of the artificial intelligence that had met him on the Network a few days ago. There were certainly similarities-- the subtle skepticism in her expression, the wild blue of her hair, the tall stature. But even with such details, she was a far cry from what she was then.

Finally, to clarify: ]

I am Danger, the A.I. you encountered on the Network when you first arrived.

[ A slight pause. ]

This is the organic body that the Porter gave me. I find it useful to inhabit every now and then.

[ He'd seen a lot of things. He'd seen a Turian overtaken by synthetic implants, and seen Saren rise after shooting himself -- possessed by Sovereign -- and he'd seen Collectors wipe out an entire colony in no time. He'd lived to see the Reapers come to earth, and see the destruction that they'd been planning to cause from the beginning.

He didn't know how to react to this -- woman? Thing? Being? Was there a good term for this? ]

Ah. You look... [ different? ] Good.

[ He paused. This was probably...not the best way to handle this, he knew. ]

Sorry, I'm just surprised. I didn't know the Porter could do that. Does it hurt?

[ She tilted her head at his hesitant compliment, perhaps debating whether or not she should ask him to clarify what "good" meant-- the word, in her opinion, was ambiguous. But Kaidan had a question of his own for her, and it seemed more pressing to reassure him. ]

No. The first several times I inhabited this body, it was difficult. I was sick often. But I have since adapted as comfortably as one can to such circumstances.

[ A little pause, then she helps herself to the seat across from him without invitation. ]

I was not expecting to encounter another imPort on base grounds today.

Oh. Yeah, I can see why that would be uncomfortable. [ He wasn't sure how to take the fact that she sat down opposite him, and he paused, hands still hovering over the near-literal piles of food, before he finally let his hands fall, taking a moment to show some level of politeness for the fact that he was sitting and talking to someone. It wouldn't do to stuff his face when he was trying to hold a conversation.

If he lasted ten minutes before he started picking at the leftovers, it would be a miracle. ]

But, er, are there not many imports around here? I assumed they'd want to keep more than... two around here?

[ Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, was normally pretty vital -- and he thought that the people here likely considered them somewhere in-between, with how they branded them. His eyes flicked down to his tattoo, a grimace on his face. ]

Or I guess, I could see why nobody would want to be around here.

[ Danger, on the other hand, was eying that metaphorical mountain of food that was immediately in front of her, now that she had settled herself in just across from Kaidan. She knew humans enjoyed their food-- some, perhaps a little too much-- but this was impressive, even by that standard. Given the man's stature, his metabolism would have to be incredible, or else this was some kind of bizarre dietary anomaly.

As for her own lunch, she twisted the cap off her water bottle. Too much food disagreed with her naive palate and finicky stomach. ]

There are simply not many of us assigned to military occupations. I function as an agent for Homeland Security, and therefore, my duties require that I make an appearance here occasionally.

[ She paused to take a sip of water. ]

What function do you serve, Major Alenko?

Edited 2014-06-07 09:05 (UTC)

[ Honestly, he should have suspected that the military wouldn't let just anyone in, but the fact that he was in was also telling. How much did they know -- or realize -- about who they brought in? To immediately push him toward the military meant they had to know something, right? ]

They gave me a position, as a non-destructive tester.

[ He watched her, carefully. Like this, like a human, it was weird. He kept expecting something to come up, something to prove that she was still an AI, but other than her speech, which was quickly showing its colors as being Danger, there was nothing.

Eerie. ]

So I'm here every day. It's not what I'm used to, but it's...something to do. Do you like the job they gave you? [ If he were unemployed -- or worse, working for civilians -- he wouldn't know what to do.

He reached out, to carefully take one of the smaller items of food, and start on that. Just one of the slices of pizza. ]

[ Danger had been given a similarly fitting position. Her role as an agent of Homeland Security took advantage of all her greatest strengths. The system, and its overseers, had gone to some lengths, it seemed, to choose such appropriate occupations for their new heroes. It spoke to how much they knew, and how in control they were, even before each imPort arrived in this universe.

After he had introduced himself as Major Alenko, she was unsurprised to find that he had been given an assignment with the military, as unexpected as it was to run into him now. ]

I'm sure having some routine is comforting, given your recent transition to this universe. [ She watched him in the same steady way, scrutinizing always. ] I have no personal attachment to the job I have been assigned. It is simply a function to serve while I attempt to further investigate the system that runs this place.

[ Her eyes, ever meticulous, watch him as he lifts that slice of pizza. ]

[ He was about to put it in his mouth, when he realized she was watching him -- carefully -- and he paused, halfway there, mouth already open, and his eyes slid from her eyes down to his food, and then back up to his mouth.

Dear god, this probably looked terrible, didn't it? Like he was so panicked he was stress eating the military out of house and home. Food like this, while not good, had the same sort of calories he needed to keep his biotics up and running, and he didn't have the same supplements he had back home -- but it still looked bad, didn't it.

He took a small, almost cautious bite, and chewed it slowly, politely, making sure it was down, before he spoke.

Just in case she was an easily offended AI too. What even mattered, when it came to table manners? ]

Yeah, it's appreciated. I can't say I've agreed with everything they've done so far, but at least they're giving me something to do.

[ He just wasn't sure if there was a deeper reason to that or not. ]

[ Her stare was somewhere between skeptical and curious. Of course, she had observed humans eating large quantities of food before, but even so, given the circumstances, it still seemed rather extraordinary. Perhaps it remained to be seen if the major would in fact finish that small edible mountain. That would be impressive indeed. ]

I'm sure the authorities prefer to keep us busy. Humans have a saying about idle hands.

[ There was a careful manner to his eating, despite how much he had left to get through. Was that because she was watching him? She had noticed that sometimes humans disliked that. Perhaps to engage in behavior she thought might be reassuring, Danger took a bite out of her apple, chewing and swallowing before going on: ]

It would breed a greater potential threat, to have a population of restless and purposeless superpowered individuals.

[ With her eyes watching him, he was finding it more and more difficult to eat. Normally, he wasn't so cautious, wasn't so concerned with how people perceived how he ate, or how much. It was the fact that she watched, so damn intently.

Still, she made a good point, and after finishing off the first slice of pizza, he nodded, slowly. ]

Better busy than bored, yeah. We don't need to run around with nothing to do. I did some research -- it seems like people are already causing trouble, anyway. No surprise, they turned down the jobs.

[ He wasn't certain -- yet -- but it was obvious he was starting to lean toward registration.

He moved on, to another piece of food, trying to ignore her stare when he bit into it. A sandwich this time. ]

[ Danger made a quiet noise of approval-- just a light little hum of a sound, when he mentioned having done his homework on the Network. So often new arrivals neglected to research their new environment. The imPort community as a whole was generally hospitable enough to that type, but relying on the charity of strangers in an alternate universe was a questionable plan by anyone's standards.

In her mind, she was beginning to build a more thorough impression of Kaidan Alenko. "Resourceful" was a quality she respected. ]

If you should choose to register, perhaps we can be of some use to one another.

[ She tilted her head slightly, considering him a moment. ]

Have you decided on the matter of your registration?

[ Kaidan Alenko had always been thoughtful, the sort that wound his way around a problem mentally, working and thinking it over, before he finally settled on the answer. Caution, of course, only went so far. He knew it, as well as everyone else. He wanted to take the time to mull over the decision, even if he knew the timer was counting down.

It was with a heavy heart, that he'd have to make his decision. ]

I'm not sure. I know that...

[ He waved a hand, gesturing, and spread wide, and palm up. ]

While registering makes sense, they still... [ He looked down, at the tattoo on his wrist. ]

They still violated us, didn't they? I know which way I'll probably go, but... I don't think I'll like doing it.

[ She dwelled on that word-- violated. It's an extreme word, and yet not inaccurate either. They had been kidnapped from their home universes and branded like cattle. And for her, this organic body-- those few times she had been forced to wear her flesh without any choice, that had been a kind of violation too. But the Porter seemed to care very little for whatever boundaries its hostages had.

Finally: ]

Should I assume that you mean to register then? Despite whatever misgivings you may have.

[ Not unlike herself. Registering was like choosing the devil she knew, or the lesser of two evils-- but it didn't indicate her loyalty in the least. ]

Thus far, it does not seem like an irreversible choice, if you find that reassuring. Though whatever consequences exist for a change of heart remain to be seen.

You can change your mind later?

[ That was surprising, his tone of voice was clear. He hadn't expected to hear that option laid out so easily for him. It wasn't that he thought he would, but having it as an option was better than not at all.

There was certainly a look of relief, when he set down the food. Things like this...definitely took away his appetite. ]

That's...reassuring. I mean, I probably will register. It doesn't seem like the disadvantages are going to hurt me as much as not registering will, but...

There's a principle to this, and while I want to stick to mine... [ He shook his head. It weighed on him heavily. ] There are bigger things at play.

Of course. You simply stop doing what you're told to.

[ She responds plainly. There hasn't been any punishment specifically for those unregistered yet-- they aren't allowed the same benefits, but she can only assume outright retribution for shedding their registration status would be negative PR that Holiday and his program don't want. In any case, nobody's been made an explicit example of yet.

For her, the benefits outweigh the limitations. The best way to learn about the system is from inside it. She can be obedient when it suits her-- but only when it suits her. ]

Regardless, if you do in fact register, I will make a point to watch your back. Perhaps you will find that reassuring.

Yeah, I -- I appreciate it.

[ And he did. Really. He didn't know what to think of Danger, in a lot of ways. AI made him wary in a way that he hadn't thought he'd be about a lot of things. But Danger was...kind.

At the very least, she hadn't tried to kill him, which was a hell of a step up. ]

Either way, it's the same to you. I mean, if you need help, or anything, you're not too bad. I'd be happy to help.

[ Not to say that Danger wasn't capable of homicidal rampages-- but that was probably a point that didn't need to be brought up in the moment. On the surface, at least, she was calm and impassive. Curious, maybe, as she watched him from across the table attentively. ]

You offer is acknowledged and appreciated. However, you should feel no obligation to reciprocate in this matter. I have no desire to inconvenience you, Major.

[ A small pause, before she glances down at his still impressively crowded tray of food. ]

Though perhaps I have already done so, by interrupting your lunch.

No, I -- I want to.

[ And he meant it, surprisingly. He held up a hand, but when she pointed out his lunch, he felt that familiar prick of surprise. He had loaded himself down, and it wasn't a normal lunch. He looked like he'd been starving, instead of just a regular meal. ]

But, ah, it's no problem. Trust me, I can eat in a busy mess hall, I can eat while having a conversation -- politely, that is. [ It just meant he had to calm the tide, and not eat so fast. ]

[ His insistence made her pause, but she chose instead to let the subject go. If a time came when he was in need of her particular skills, or she was in need of his, the matter of reciprocation could be raised again. It was enough, that the foundation for a cooperative relationship had been laid down. ]

Again, your sentiment is appreciated, but I care very little about proper ettiquette for food consumption; therefore, you may eat in whatever manner you wish. I would not hold it against you.

[ A slight tilt of her head. ]

Though I am somewhat curious about the sheer quantity of your food.

[ Momma Alenko didn't raise no slouch, but as if permission granted is enough, he took another huge bite.

And was halfway to another when she pointed out how much he was eating. He blinked, and then winced. ]

Yeah. [ After finishing chewing, and swallowing. ] High metabolism. If I don't keep it up, I'm going to probably end up on the floor later. [ He paused. ] Higher than most people, I guess I should say.

[ Papa X never taught Danger any manners at all. Whatever politeness she utilizes is generally just as a method of making things go more smoothly with the humans-- not because she particularly cares about the rituals involved in their etiquette. Her interest in Kaidan's eating habits is genuinely scientific, a certain natural academic curiosity-- and maybe a little personal curiosity too. ]

Do you suffer from some ailment?

[ Clearly her father never taught her that you don't just ask a person that kind of question either. ]

[ He stopped, hovering over the last bite of pizza, his mouth open, before he slowly pulled it away. How did he even describe being a biotic? Maybe being an L2 was an ailment, but a biotic itself?

Not so much. ]

Not really. It's my powers, they're...hard on my body sometimes, they make me use a lot of energy to keep them going.

The side-effect, of course, is that I have to eat a lot. Moreso when I'm using them constantly.

[ Ah. His powers. That would make sense-- though truthfully, it just makes her more curious as to the exact nature of his powers. Questions for later, perhaps. Danger made a low, thoughtful sound in respond. ]

Acknowledged.

[ Idly, she lifted a hand to brush the thick cords of her hair back over her shoulders. ]

I suppose there are worse prices to pay for power.

Yeah, there are.

[ Hell, he knew what a bunch of them were -- he'd seen it. Time and time again. Being an L2 meant he had seen a lot. Especially when it came to the side-effects of power. ]

Good thing this is pretty mild, right?

[ It was better, he decided, when he moved to take another bit, to not talk about his other side effects, especially with someone he'd just met. ]

Yes, I would agree.

[ She resumed watching him eat. Perhaps it was something he would simply have to learn not to be self-conscious of. Observation was a habit she wasn't likely to give up, even for a budding friendship. ]

I live among mutants-- a subspecies of humans that have evolved superhuman abilities. Many of them are incredibly powerful. But it is not uncommon for a mutant to be crippled by the side-effects of their abilities. Many are even physically altered by their mutation in a way that others reject out of repulsion.

[ She pauses slightly. ]

I imagine it to be isolating, at times.

[ It was something he'd have to eventually get over, but when he looked up at her, there was...maybe not sympathy, but understanding. ]

Yeah, I understand that one. It's gotta be hard, to live like that.

[ Hell, he was an L2, he knew that all too well. They'd been treated badly, not just by other people, but also by the Alliance. It was hard, to live like they did, with the mental imbalance, physical defects, and the fact that people didn't trust them. They were freaks to the rest of the galaxy still.

The only place they really had a place was in the military -- or with merc groups. ]

Do people keep them that distant? Alienated?

[ The plight of mutants was one she had come to accept as her own-- though many of them still considered her separate, not a mutant in the way that they themselves were. She understood their isolation, the struggle they faced in determining who they were and where their place was. ]

To a point. Ordinary humans fear them, obeying human instinct to fear what is foreign. But the mutants seek solidarity with one another as well. Some even consider themselves to be superior, and thus no longer associate themselves with powerless humans by choice.

[ Politics. ]

I am sure your universe has something analogous, or similar-- with or without a mutant equivalent. After all, humans have a special talent for prejudice.

Yeah, we do.

[ He rubbed at the back of his neck, a little awkwardly, after setting down the food. ]

Discounting the fact that there's always aliens -- and humans aren't always so accepting of other species -- but there are people within our own ranks too. Biotics.

[ He shook his head. ] We're not -- we can be accepted, but... It's been a long fight to get there.

[ Biotics. Danger cataloged the term in her mind, learning to associate the two syllables of this new word with the man sitting across from her. If she were in her mechanical form, she would have been curiously letting her sensors do their work-- to see what was physically different, what separated a biotic from other humans. ]

I assume you are a biotic yourself, given your use of the word "we."

[ She paused, watching him a moment. ]

Are biotics born or made, Major?

[ Now there was a hell of a question. He nodded, slowly. He wasn't even going to try to cover up his biotics. They weren't something he could hide, at least with enough talking to the people from his world. It would invariably come out, that, and Reapers.

He still winced, trying to think of the right way to say it. ]

Both? We're not -- We're exposed to something before we're born, but...

Well, we have technology, to harness it. It's been a learning experience for us humans, to make it work.

[ Different from mutants, then-- but similar enough. It was interesting conceptually, an idea that piqued her curiosity as Kaidan elaborated, filling in her mental definition of this new word. She wondered what that meant, exactly, for technology to be used to harness a human being's powers. Her thorough knowledge of the mutant race-- all the variety and diversity of their powers-- brought to mind those individuals whose abilities were just as dangerous to them as to others. ]

What necessitates the use of technology to control a biotic's abilities? Are you unable to control them yourself?

[ Perhaps it was a degree of projection then, when she went on, slightly more quiet: ]

Or is it simply because your fellow humans were afraid of what you might be capable of?

We could...maybe bend spoons, a kid might get really angry, and a door might slam a little too hard. Nothing major -- until you get an implant.

[ He tapped the side of his head. ]

Without it, we're almost useless, but they started...experimenting with them, back when I was a kid. They've been improving technology over time, but...

Well, you've probably got a better idea of how technology progresses than I do.

[ A rare flicker of emotion crossed Danger's face. Muted disgust, maybe. Or annoyance. Something that drew her mouth down at the corners and made her eyes narrow faintly, briefly into slivers of white. ]

You were weaponized.

[ Her interpretation was concise, offered a quiet but sharp voice. ]

You were used as no better than lab rats and then objectified by your fellow human beings for your destructive potential. Is my understanding correct, Major?

[ He hadn't seen danger angry, and his hands stilled, while he tried to think about the best way to describe what had happened. ]

Yeah, essentially. They wanted to figure out biotics, and the rest of the galaxy already knew how dangerous they could be --

But at the end of the day, it paid off, once they got past the early stages -- the, ah, L2s got the worst of it.

It paid off for whom exactly, Major?

[ Maybe this was hitting a little too close to home. Danger was rarely protective of humans that had no relationship with her, let alone some population of humans that she'd only just learned of-- but the idea of it annoyed her, reminded her of how she'd been used as well.

She didn't understand it. How Kaidan could talk of it in such a conversational way. ]

Why do you not feel resentment for the way your kind has been treated?

I do.

[ He said it simply. God, did he. He hated it, he hated being called what he'd been called, looked at more like a weapon than a person. Something to be used, but that was long and far away. Things had gotten better -- for him at least. ]

But I've been fortunate, really lucky. For an L2, I made it further than...most of us. [ The furthest, really. There weren't many L2s not just with his power, but his control. They're too inconsistent. ]

I don't like what they've done, but... they've been working hard to make things better. We've made progress. A lot of it, and I don't want to dwell, when there's so much more work we need to do. People who focus just on the bad, they end up bitter. They do things, like join terrorist groups, mercs, or they spend their entire lives blazed out on Red Sand. I don't want that for me.

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fresh out of box, the latest model.

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