The two inmates jumped apart at his barked order, clearly startled, and very satisfyingly compliant. His grip on the railing eased, the other remaining on the hilt of his baton, conveying a subtle sense of security. It appeared he would not be vaulting onto the work floor today. Which, as fantastic a maneuver as he pictured that would be, he was relieved anyway.
Hamish’s eyes narrowed as he watched the hybrid’s swishy dance-like movements, returning to her bench and her task. Was there such a thing as too compliant? The utter disregard they offered him in their acquiescence was, well he couldn’t decide if it was disrespectful or if he was grateful to let that whole thing just slide down the drain. It wasn’t a moment he would want on his “best of" reel.
Drawing in an uneven breath and nodding to himself, he turned to look at the chronometer in the guard station. He had an urge to head on in there and get out of this room for a while. His lips screwed up for a moment as he chewed on his cheek thoughtfully. Turning back to the room he surveyed the inmates again. None of them were looking at him. In fact, some of them were very carefully not looking at him. Leaving this self appointed post now would be a sign of weakness. He set is jaw, causing his lips to pout a bit, nostrils flaring again but this time in resolution. Nope, he wasn’t doing that. Not today.
My domain, he thought as he took his hand from the baton and put it on the railing as well. He adjusted his feet so his stance was comfortable to settle in for a while and quietly watch as the crowd worked.
Part 1: Arrested!
Re: Part 1: Arrested!
Though XJ had spoken out of anger and embarrassment, she was serious about wanting to get the hell out of this place. It was day one, essentially, and XJ already hated its guts. And also the guts of everyone guarding this place. How could they do that? When Anya spoke, XJ couldn't help but glance back at the guard looming over the balcony, acting like he was king of the world. And, by all accounts, he was. For now. XJ liked the thought of knocking him from his pedestal.
XJ nodded when Anya mentioned Dolly, and an excitement began to build in her stomach. Something about Anya agreeing to the thought started to make it more real. And, sure, maybe Anya was all talk, but XJ thought, when the moment came, Anya wouldn't pass up the opportunity.
--
The rest of the shift passed in something of a blur. A panel in the workbench opened to distribute a meager faux-granola bar with synthetic dried cherries and a portion of water for lunch, and then it was back to the pickaxe for XJ. Granted, at least the alarms went off on her less, which was impressive given how much the gears in her mind were turning. She couldn't help surveying the work room, the tools, the cameras, the guards, committing it all to memory.
It would take her a few days and a lot more observation to come up with a plan that might actually work, but XJ was determined again. She wanted out of these dingy work clothes, at the very least.
--
When the shift finally ended and her crew travelled back up the elevator to be deposited back in the corridor that led to the cafeteria, XJ was bone tired. It really had been one trial after the next these last few weeks, and XJ's brain was fried. She wasn't even sure she could pull off another trick from the food dispenser and went ahead and accepted the standard portions almost gratefully. She was used to eating a lot more than this--her metabolism demanded it. That's what was in for her, then? Being partially starved and worked to death? Whatever regrets she might have felt about hitting those megacorp banks dissolved in an instant. If those bastards were capable of treating human beings like this, then they absolutely deserved it. Ten times over.
XJ hoped that Dolly and Anya would want her to sit with them again, and she wasn't sure what she would do if they didn't. Probably just eat alone, she guessed. It's not like she was going to be lively company.
But her ears perked up as she heard a couple other prisoners talking.
"...got stuck on cleaning duty for one of the solitary confinement cells. Did ya know there was high-security prisoner here?"
"A glom, right?"
"Yeah, and a technopath. You wouldn't believe the security in there to keep her from getting out. They even made me power down my translator chip before I even went near the place."
"A technopath? Damn. Sure could use those abilities. Maybe get more food out the vending machine." The inmates laughed--XJ imagined mostly out of a need to remind themselves that they could, but she couldn't stop thinking about the high-profile prisoner. Those other prisoners were thinking too small. With a technopath on their team, they could hack iObey no problem. But how to deal with the guards...
XJ looked toward Dolly and Anya, deciding not to wait for an invitation as she excitedly slid onto an empty seat.
"So," XJ said in a whisper to Dolly, "are you in on it?" XJ put her fingers to her lips to indicate that they should talk in code. Or at least be quiet about it.
XJ nodded when Anya mentioned Dolly, and an excitement began to build in her stomach. Something about Anya agreeing to the thought started to make it more real. And, sure, maybe Anya was all talk, but XJ thought, when the moment came, Anya wouldn't pass up the opportunity.
--
The rest of the shift passed in something of a blur. A panel in the workbench opened to distribute a meager faux-granola bar with synthetic dried cherries and a portion of water for lunch, and then it was back to the pickaxe for XJ. Granted, at least the alarms went off on her less, which was impressive given how much the gears in her mind were turning. She couldn't help surveying the work room, the tools, the cameras, the guards, committing it all to memory.
It would take her a few days and a lot more observation to come up with a plan that might actually work, but XJ was determined again. She wanted out of these dingy work clothes, at the very least.
--
When the shift finally ended and her crew travelled back up the elevator to be deposited back in the corridor that led to the cafeteria, XJ was bone tired. It really had been one trial after the next these last few weeks, and XJ's brain was fried. She wasn't even sure she could pull off another trick from the food dispenser and went ahead and accepted the standard portions almost gratefully. She was used to eating a lot more than this--her metabolism demanded it. That's what was in for her, then? Being partially starved and worked to death? Whatever regrets she might have felt about hitting those megacorp banks dissolved in an instant. If those bastards were capable of treating human beings like this, then they absolutely deserved it. Ten times over.
XJ hoped that Dolly and Anya would want her to sit with them again, and she wasn't sure what she would do if they didn't. Probably just eat alone, she guessed. It's not like she was going to be lively company.
But her ears perked up as she heard a couple other prisoners talking.
"...got stuck on cleaning duty for one of the solitary confinement cells. Did ya know there was high-security prisoner here?"
"A glom, right?"
"Yeah, and a technopath. You wouldn't believe the security in there to keep her from getting out. They even made me power down my translator chip before I even went near the place."
"A technopath? Damn. Sure could use those abilities. Maybe get more food out the vending machine." The inmates laughed--XJ imagined mostly out of a need to remind themselves that they could, but she couldn't stop thinking about the high-profile prisoner. Those other prisoners were thinking too small. With a technopath on their team, they could hack iObey no problem. But how to deal with the guards...
XJ looked toward Dolly and Anya, deciding not to wait for an invitation as she excitedly slid onto an empty seat.
"So," XJ said in a whisper to Dolly, "are you in on it?" XJ put her fingers to her lips to indicate that they should talk in code. Or at least be quiet about it.
Re: Part 1: Arrested!
Dolly's eyes grew wide with anxiety. She shifted her gaze left, then right, then up at the cameras. Nervously, slowly, her eyes shifted in XJ's direction, once, twice...then the third time finally meeting XJ's gaze. Anya offered a smile to XJ as a welcoming gesture, but left space for Dolly to respond herself. All that came was "Mmmmm" and a nod almost too subtle to make out, before Dolly focused back on dinner. A hopeful smile couldn't help but creep onto Dolly's face as she thought of the possibility of freedom.
Anya picked up where Dolly left off. "It seems the question is how, not if...uh...regarding the getting the job done for extra food credits. I've only been here a short while longer than you, so I really don't know much more than you at this point. Also, clearly you're pretty resourceful!" Anya gave XJ a big grin as she flashed her teeth in a big grin. "I got extra rehydrated potato mash today with your...extra credits method. And I think this extra roll is yours if you want it, considering I only have it because of you. So I guess all that's left is...what other tricks do you have up your sleeve for getting extra labor done?"
Anya picked up where Dolly left off. "It seems the question is how, not if...uh...regarding the getting the job done for extra food credits. I've only been here a short while longer than you, so I really don't know much more than you at this point. Also, clearly you're pretty resourceful!" Anya gave XJ a big grin as she flashed her teeth in a big grin. "I got extra rehydrated potato mash today with your...extra credits method. And I think this extra roll is yours if you want it, considering I only have it because of you. So I guess all that's left is...what other tricks do you have up your sleeve for getting extra labor done?"
Re: Part 1: Arrested!
XJ looked to Dolly, who looked concerned. XJ wasn't sure how much Dolly knew, and she was worried about how much they could say out loud. XJ wished she had something to write on. Her handwriting was terrible because there wasn't much need for it anymore, at least, not until she got to prison, but it still would have helped.
It took Dolly a long time to fully look at XJ, and even then, it was with some degree of uncertainty. XJ's eyebrows pulled up in sympathy. Gods, this place must be wearing on her. If they were going to get out, XJ wanted to bring everyone. But would that really be possible?
XJ saw a smile slide slowly across Dolly's face, though, as she turned back to her plate.
"It seems the question is how, not if...uh... regarding the getting the job done for extra food credits." XJ wrinkled her nose in confusion before it dawned on her that Anya was talking about getting out. Oh, right. Clever.
"I've only been here a short while longer than you, so I really don't know much more than you at this point," Anya continued, and XJ tilted up her head in thought, chewing on her tongue inside her mouth. "Also, clearly you're pretty resourceful!" Anya's toothy, excited grin was big, bright, and beautiful. XJ forced back a groan as the spark of a crush threatened to catch fire. She supposed it was inevitable in close quarters like this, but it sounded like... a bad idea.
Anya kept talking, but a searing pain entered XJ's head. She yelped and held her hands to her temples as a red light flashed through her mind. A side effect from her brainwashing session earlier. Was that going to happen all the time now?
XJ only caught the last of what Anya said, "...other tricks do you have up your sleeve for getting extra labor done?"
The humiliation of their previous work session came back full force, and XJ wanted to slump into her chair, but of course, it didn't have a back. XJ tentatively opened her eyes since the pain from the flash of light was subsiding.
Tears flooded XJ's eyes. "I can't go back there. I can't!" She hugged her arms around herself and took some deep breaths, trying not to think about the days spent in the spaceship darkness. Gods, why was this all coming up now? She did her best to scrape at least a half-smile back on and look at Anya.
"Gods, sorry, I... I guess I need some time to... to think. I'm sure I'll come up with something. We've got... we've got friends in waiting here, though, I'm sure of it. Know anything about the... sweet blue drink they keep off the menu?"
It took Dolly a long time to fully look at XJ, and even then, it was with some degree of uncertainty. XJ's eyebrows pulled up in sympathy. Gods, this place must be wearing on her. If they were going to get out, XJ wanted to bring everyone. But would that really be possible?
XJ saw a smile slide slowly across Dolly's face, though, as she turned back to her plate.
"It seems the question is how, not if...uh... regarding the getting the job done for extra food credits." XJ wrinkled her nose in confusion before it dawned on her that Anya was talking about getting out. Oh, right. Clever.
"I've only been here a short while longer than you, so I really don't know much more than you at this point," Anya continued, and XJ tilted up her head in thought, chewing on her tongue inside her mouth. "Also, clearly you're pretty resourceful!" Anya's toothy, excited grin was big, bright, and beautiful. XJ forced back a groan as the spark of a crush threatened to catch fire. She supposed it was inevitable in close quarters like this, but it sounded like... a bad idea.
Anya kept talking, but a searing pain entered XJ's head. She yelped and held her hands to her temples as a red light flashed through her mind. A side effect from her brainwashing session earlier. Was that going to happen all the time now?
XJ only caught the last of what Anya said, "...other tricks do you have up your sleeve for getting extra labor done?"
The humiliation of their previous work session came back full force, and XJ wanted to slump into her chair, but of course, it didn't have a back. XJ tentatively opened her eyes since the pain from the flash of light was subsiding.
Tears flooded XJ's eyes. "I can't go back there. I can't!" She hugged her arms around herself and took some deep breaths, trying not to think about the days spent in the spaceship darkness. Gods, why was this all coming up now? She did her best to scrape at least a half-smile back on and look at Anya.
"Gods, sorry, I... I guess I need some time to... to think. I'm sure I'll come up with something. We've got... we've got friends in waiting here, though, I'm sure of it. Know anything about the... sweet blue drink they keep off the menu?"
Re: Part 1: Arrested!
Anya's ears crept downward to lay flat against her head. She could tell something was wrong, even before XJ exclaimed that she couldn't go back while self soothing. Anya wanted to reach out, wanted to help; but she knew there likely wasn't anything she could do. She opened her mouth to speak, but she didn't know what to say.
Dolly spoke instead. "Sometimes... sometimes it's best to just focus on now. Going back somewhere in the future...or what happened in the past...it doesn't exist now. That's how...that's how I get by, anyway. At least when I remember to do it... S...sorry, that's dumb."
Anya didn't skip a beat, her ears perking up--excited to try and help XJ feel better: "No, Dolly, you're absolutely right! I mean...sometime it would be good to deal with what happened...but...but when it's overwhelming, that's a good insight! Thank you!"
Dolly smiled softly, reassured in having her input welcome.
"Dolly's right, XJ, maybe try to ground yourself in the now, tomorrow doesn't exist yet! We have food and rest...and...and there's a blue drink? What!? That sounds amazing, right, Dolly? I bet it's blue raspberry flavored. Or Blueberry! Or maybe it's just that blue flavor that doesn't taste like anything specific, but all the Corpos agreed that blue just tastes that way, you know? That sounds exciting! How do we trick Oh-Bee into dispensing it for us?"
Dolly spoke instead. "Sometimes... sometimes it's best to just focus on now. Going back somewhere in the future...or what happened in the past...it doesn't exist now. That's how...that's how I get by, anyway. At least when I remember to do it... S...sorry, that's dumb."
Anya didn't skip a beat, her ears perking up--excited to try and help XJ feel better: "No, Dolly, you're absolutely right! I mean...sometime it would be good to deal with what happened...but...but when it's overwhelming, that's a good insight! Thank you!"
Dolly smiled softly, reassured in having her input welcome.
"Dolly's right, XJ, maybe try to ground yourself in the now, tomorrow doesn't exist yet! We have food and rest...and...and there's a blue drink? What!? That sounds amazing, right, Dolly? I bet it's blue raspberry flavored. Or Blueberry! Or maybe it's just that blue flavor that doesn't taste like anything specific, but all the Corpos agreed that blue just tastes that way, you know? That sounds exciting! How do we trick Oh-Bee into dispensing it for us?"
Re: Part 1: Arrested!
XJ was a little embarrassed that Dolly and Anya were focusing on trying to help XJ, but she was also grateful. And, honestly, it was really good to hear Dolly speak up. She seemed sweet, if a little intimidatingly strong. XJ gave them both a little smile. Grounding in the present was good advice. Even if XJ could rarely focus on anything for long.
"We have food and rest...and...and there's a blue drink? What!? That sounds amazing, right, Dolly? I bet it's blue raspberry flavored. Or Blueberry! Or maybe it's just that blue flavor that doesn't taste like anything specific, but all the Corpos agreed that blue just tastes that way, you know? That sounds exciting! How do we trick Oh-Bee into dispensing it for us?"
XJ raised her eyebrows, wondering if they were still talking in code and Anya was making it even more elaborate or if she really had no idea. XJ chuckled and shook her head.
"I have some reconnaissance to do before I can answer that."
((OOC: I'm happy to go back to the workroom or something from here unless more conversation wants to be had. I guess, XJ's next plan of action would be to try to hack into a panel on the station, but I think she would need to be alone for that to be not noticeable. It's possible that she could use her work terminal to get access to something, but she would need someone to cause a distraction for that to work, I think. Maybe she and Anya could talk about it back in their cell together)).
"We have food and rest...and...and there's a blue drink? What!? That sounds amazing, right, Dolly? I bet it's blue raspberry flavored. Or Blueberry! Or maybe it's just that blue flavor that doesn't taste like anything specific, but all the Corpos agreed that blue just tastes that way, you know? That sounds exciting! How do we trick Oh-Bee into dispensing it for us?"
XJ raised her eyebrows, wondering if they were still talking in code and Anya was making it even more elaborate or if she really had no idea. XJ chuckled and shook her head.
"I have some reconnaissance to do before I can answer that."
((OOC: I'm happy to go back to the workroom or something from here unless more conversation wants to be had. I guess, XJ's next plan of action would be to try to hack into a panel on the station, but I think she would need to be alone for that to be not noticeable. It's possible that she could use her work terminal to get access to something, but she would need someone to cause a distraction for that to work, I think. Maybe she and Anya could talk about it back in their cell together)).
Re: Part 1: Arrested!
"What if the blue drink doesn't taste like blue drink at all?" Anya mused, "What if it's like citrus or apple. That'd be weird." It was later in the day, and all the prisoners in the block had been closed into their cells. Lights out was yet to come, the time between available for rest, musing, boredom, or whatever else two cellmates could figure out for passing the time. Anya laid on the bed stomach down, her tail swooshing through the air rhythmically.
There wasn't a whole lot to do back in the cell. Anya had tended to spend the time napping or day dreaming when she was alone. Tasty things made for easy distraction, and Anya had gotten stuck on the idea of a new drink she hadn't been able to try back in the cafeteria. She laughed at herself internally, noting her own failure to follow Dolly's advice to stay grounded in the here and now; so focused on a drink that to date was naught but fantasy. "Do you think Hamish is hoarding all of the blue drink for himself? Sounds like something he'd do. 'No touching. Keep the uniform on. No fun allowed. No enjoying blue drink.' He'd take away smiling if he could." Anya giggled, "At least he can't make us shower in our prison clothes. That would be extra uncomfortable!"
Anya rolled onto her back, curling her tail flat against the back of her thighs instinctively. She dragged her fingers across the wall of the cell next to her bed. Passing time was difficult to do alone and she had already traced the different cracks and divots in the wall many times. The tactile sensation was at least some kind of stimulus, and she enjoyed the feeling of her sharp nails catching on the various differentiations on the wall. She was grateful that someone to talk to had joined her in this awful room where time tended to drag on endlessly. She hoped that she wasn't annoying XJ with excessive conversation, but also couldn't help herself--her cravings for social contact finally having an outlet. Still, she began making a game out of how hard she could pick at the wall in silence so as to not make annoying noises.
"XJ? You said something about reconnaissance. I don't know computers that well, I was brought up in a forest. We had tech, sure, but I'm used to a lot more nature than all of this. And I'm certainly not a hacker or a mechanic. If there's something I can do, though, I'd really like to help."
There wasn't a whole lot to do back in the cell. Anya had tended to spend the time napping or day dreaming when she was alone. Tasty things made for easy distraction, and Anya had gotten stuck on the idea of a new drink she hadn't been able to try back in the cafeteria. She laughed at herself internally, noting her own failure to follow Dolly's advice to stay grounded in the here and now; so focused on a drink that to date was naught but fantasy. "Do you think Hamish is hoarding all of the blue drink for himself? Sounds like something he'd do. 'No touching. Keep the uniform on. No fun allowed. No enjoying blue drink.' He'd take away smiling if he could." Anya giggled, "At least he can't make us shower in our prison clothes. That would be extra uncomfortable!"
Anya rolled onto her back, curling her tail flat against the back of her thighs instinctively. She dragged her fingers across the wall of the cell next to her bed. Passing time was difficult to do alone and she had already traced the different cracks and divots in the wall many times. The tactile sensation was at least some kind of stimulus, and she enjoyed the feeling of her sharp nails catching on the various differentiations on the wall. She was grateful that someone to talk to had joined her in this awful room where time tended to drag on endlessly. She hoped that she wasn't annoying XJ with excessive conversation, but also couldn't help herself--her cravings for social contact finally having an outlet. Still, she began making a game out of how hard she could pick at the wall in silence so as to not make annoying noises.
"XJ? You said something about reconnaissance. I don't know computers that well, I was brought up in a forest. We had tech, sure, but I'm used to a lot more nature than all of this. And I'm certainly not a hacker or a mechanic. If there's something I can do, though, I'd really like to help."
Re: Part 1: Arrested!
The inane and mind-numbing idea of sitting and doing essentially nothing in a cell began to come crashing down at the end of an already completely mind-numbing day of mental and physical labor. Not to mention not enough of even the terrible food they were giving them. Soul crushing. And they were supposed to do all this again tomorrow? Gods, no wonder they hadn't let them wear any belts in the prison. Easy to believe that death was the only way out.
As XJ lay on her cot thinking, she closed her eyes and tried to decide which was worse: the brainwashing session or the work itself. Images of the session came back every time XJ closed her eyes, so she couldn't even meditate.
"...what if it's, like, citrus or apple? That'd be weird. Do you think Hamish is hoarding all of the blue drink for himself? Sounds like something he'd do. 'No touching. Keep the uniform on. No fun allowed. No enjoying the blue drink.' " XJ listened to Anya's antics and rolled her eyes with a smile. At least there was someone here willing to talk even more than XJ did. Maybe passing the time wouldn't be so bad after all.
"He'd take away smiling if he could." Anya giggled, and XJ held onto that sound like it was food. They weren't going to get much happiness out here, so best to take it where she could find it.
"At least he can't make us shower in our prison clothes. That would be extra uncomfortable!" XJ tried not to think about the cameras assuredly in the prison bathrooms and wondered if she actually would prefer to stay clothed. How many of the guards got off on watching the women wash themselves? Gah, ew. Gross.
XJ wanted to interject, add something to the conversation, correct Anya's understanding of the blue drink for starters, but her mind and mouth were operating much more slowly than usual. She was glad when Anya directly called her in.
"XJ, you said something about reconnaissance. I don't know computers that well--I was brought up in a forest. We had tech, sure, but I'm sued to a lot more nature than all of this. And I'm certainly not a hacker or mechanic. If there's something I can do, though, I'd really like to help."
XJ turned to look at Anya, laying on her back with her tail neatly tucked, and was grateful that she had Anya for a cellmate. There were a lot of unfriendly types about who hadn't bothered a second glance at XJ, and being cellmates with them? Well...
"Rumor has it, there's a technopath on the station. Like, open access to all tech with her mind kind of thing. 'Blue drink,' " XJ said, risking a bit given the surveillance. Surely saying that much wouldn't trigger any suspicion. "I'm a good hacker, but every hacker needs an angle, and a place of operation, and somehow I don't think there'll be enough access on my sorting screen to make due."
"We need to get her out. They've got to have her in isolation with some military-grade material to keep her locked up. She's probably being held here before transport to a higher security situation. I don't know how long we have. But we gotta keep it on the DL, ya know?"
Anya's talkative nature was cute as hell, but XJ didn't want her giving anything away to, say, Hamish or someone on accident.
As XJ lay on her cot thinking, she closed her eyes and tried to decide which was worse: the brainwashing session or the work itself. Images of the session came back every time XJ closed her eyes, so she couldn't even meditate.
"...what if it's, like, citrus or apple? That'd be weird. Do you think Hamish is hoarding all of the blue drink for himself? Sounds like something he'd do. 'No touching. Keep the uniform on. No fun allowed. No enjoying the blue drink.' " XJ listened to Anya's antics and rolled her eyes with a smile. At least there was someone here willing to talk even more than XJ did. Maybe passing the time wouldn't be so bad after all.
"He'd take away smiling if he could." Anya giggled, and XJ held onto that sound like it was food. They weren't going to get much happiness out here, so best to take it where she could find it.
"At least he can't make us shower in our prison clothes. That would be extra uncomfortable!" XJ tried not to think about the cameras assuredly in the prison bathrooms and wondered if she actually would prefer to stay clothed. How many of the guards got off on watching the women wash themselves? Gah, ew. Gross.
XJ wanted to interject, add something to the conversation, correct Anya's understanding of the blue drink for starters, but her mind and mouth were operating much more slowly than usual. She was glad when Anya directly called her in.
"XJ, you said something about reconnaissance. I don't know computers that well--I was brought up in a forest. We had tech, sure, but I'm sued to a lot more nature than all of this. And I'm certainly not a hacker or mechanic. If there's something I can do, though, I'd really like to help."
XJ turned to look at Anya, laying on her back with her tail neatly tucked, and was grateful that she had Anya for a cellmate. There were a lot of unfriendly types about who hadn't bothered a second glance at XJ, and being cellmates with them? Well...
"Rumor has it, there's a technopath on the station. Like, open access to all tech with her mind kind of thing. 'Blue drink,' " XJ said, risking a bit given the surveillance. Surely saying that much wouldn't trigger any suspicion. "I'm a good hacker, but every hacker needs an angle, and a place of operation, and somehow I don't think there'll be enough access on my sorting screen to make due."
"We need to get her out. They've got to have her in isolation with some military-grade material to keep her locked up. She's probably being held here before transport to a higher security situation. I don't know how long we have. But we gotta keep it on the DL, ya know?"
Anya's talkative nature was cute as hell, but XJ didn't want her giving anything away to, say, Hamish or someone on accident.
Re: Part 1: Arrested!
Anya stopped clawing at the wall. She could tell that what XJ said was important, and wanted to listen intently. As XJ mentioned getting someone out she cocked her head upside down off the edge of the bed. She considered that this was more goofy looking then she intended, but she had just rolled onto her back and wanted to still face XJ with her full attention.
"Oh, I've heard of those folks. I didn't know you got that ability from some kind of special drink! I guess that's why it's not on the menu...but yeah! DL, DL."
Anya paused and made a zipped lip and throw away the key motion. She continued in a hushed tone. "Doing it with your mind would certainly make everything easier, but there's gotta be maintenance terminals behind the walls and stuff, right? Stuff with access, not like the screens they let us interact with. Do you think there's a map or something on those that would at least let us find out where the blue-drinker is? Outside of something like that, I don't know that a guard's tablet is...do-able. Maybe if they got careless at some point."
Anya looked to XJ, waiting to see if this brainstorming was helping.
"Oh, I've heard of those folks. I didn't know you got that ability from some kind of special drink! I guess that's why it's not on the menu...but yeah! DL, DL."
Anya paused and made a zipped lip and throw away the key motion. She continued in a hushed tone. "Doing it with your mind would certainly make everything easier, but there's gotta be maintenance terminals behind the walls and stuff, right? Stuff with access, not like the screens they let us interact with. Do you think there's a map or something on those that would at least let us find out where the blue-drinker is? Outside of something like that, I don't know that a guard's tablet is...do-able. Maybe if they got careless at some point."
Anya looked to XJ, waiting to see if this brainstorming was helping.
Re: Part 1: Arrested!
XJ was really trying to not be in the mood for it, but it didn't matter when Anya tilted her head off the bed and cocked it curiously. Gah, what was this adorable girl doing here? In XJ's cell, no less? She pushed away the temptation to fantasize about Anya's tail and tried to direct her attention back to the conversation.
"Oh, I've heard of these folks," Anya said and zipped her lips. "Doing it with your mind would certainly make everything easier, but there's gotta be maintenance terminals behind the walls and stuff, right? Stuff with access, not like the screens they let us interact with. Do you think there's a map or something on those that would at least let us find out where the blue-drinker is? Outside of something like that, I don't know that a guard's tablet is... do-able..."
A spark lit into XJ's eyes. Maybe the guards were exactly where security here was weakest.
With a sly look, XJ asked, "Are the guards... uh... temptable? I know they said no touching, but like...?" It wasn't a great idea. It could get them into a lot of trouble. But, if Anya knew of a guard with a soft spot for the women here, maybe they could distract them long enough to get some information.
"Oh, I've heard of these folks," Anya said and zipped her lips. "Doing it with your mind would certainly make everything easier, but there's gotta be maintenance terminals behind the walls and stuff, right? Stuff with access, not like the screens they let us interact with. Do you think there's a map or something on those that would at least let us find out where the blue-drinker is? Outside of something like that, I don't know that a guard's tablet is... do-able..."
A spark lit into XJ's eyes. Maybe the guards were exactly where security here was weakest.
With a sly look, XJ asked, "Are the guards... uh... temptable? I know they said no touching, but like...?" It wasn't a great idea. It could get them into a lot of trouble. But, if Anya knew of a guard with a soft spot for the women here, maybe they could distract them long enough to get some information.