[CLOSED] initiating handshake

[r3f4c70r3d]

Who: Angel, Fenris, Giovanni
Where: Westerly
When: Week 3 Day 1
Summary: new hardware who dis
Restrictions/Warnings: none

[With all the chaos brought on by the recent scandal, it wasn't hard to predict that their would be higher levels of activity amongst the Companies employees. Now would be a time to find out where loyalties lay, either with the Company and by proxy, Jack, or a chance for those who have been waiting for the right smokescreen to go rogue.

In light of these possibilities, Jack has given her names to look into, Fenris and Giovanni being two of them.

The method of contact she has been using for Rhys has worked out in her favor so far, so she uses a similar tactic for them. A new program on their work computer desktop or comm device, not there the night before but looking into its history will reveal that it was installed alongside the most recent update.

Much like Rhys they have consoles issued by the company, hardware and software alike familiar to her like an old friend. However, unlike Rhys (thankfully) their consoles haven't been tampered with, at least not to the extent that Rhys has meddled. With most of their sub settings still at their default, its easy for Angel to slip in without raising alarm, infiltrating their subsystems and gathering info, but you can only gain so much from data, sometimes its better to make a direct connection.

So they have the option now, open the program, or leave it?]

Comments

[ofobedience]

[The fact is, he doesn't know much about technology outside of the narrow parameters within which he needs it, which is to say, very little. The Cerberus Unit, what he is-- well. He's an attack dog, ranking somewhere slightly higher than a gun or sword or other piece of equipment within the Company's inventory, something a little more expensive, a little more high-tech, but he's a weapon all the same. As such he owns no computer, has no need of one, but the comm he's been given for maintaining contact with his Handler or other Company employees should the need arise is easy enough to access. At least, for someone like her.

He doesn't sleep much, doesn't need to, and as such there are spaces of time left empty and gaping where he isn't needed, where he sits and stares at the four blank walls of his room, waiting for the day's first command. It's during such a time - boredom seeping in, his thoughts turning over and over that one event from his past, the one that cements his connection with Jack, unequivocally - that his comm makes a soft subtle sound, drags his attention away from (HeineHeineHeine) his own thoughts and back into the present. Idly, he reaches to pick up the device, clear screen coming to life in his hands and it's only an update, nothing of any real interest and yet the icon indicating the newly installed program may as well be explored.

If it's been set up on his comm, there must be a good reason for it.

And so, with nothing better to do, he opens it.]

[r3f4c70r3d]

[As the program starts up the screen fades to black, then lights up again a cool and calming blue. In the center of the blue is a symbol, the same as the icon that executed the program. It's a circle with open wings sprouting from either side, and inside of it the shape of a diamond. As the program talks the symbol pulses.]

Hello, and good morning Giovanni. Welcome to the Guardian Program.

[The voice coming from his calm is that of a woman, and it's as cool and calm as the light it is emitting.]

[ofobedience]

[The fact that it uses his name rather than Unit number is only vaguely surprising - it's his comm after all, and whilst he's indifferent to the things that others call him, the fact remains that he prefers his name - and his head tilts slightly in detached curiosity. The Guardian Program. He can't think what this could be in reference to.]

And what does it do?

[Because asking is probably the most straight-forward way to discover the asnswer?]

[r3f4c70r3d]

[She appreciates the direct approach.]
I am an advanced AI program set up by the Company to help you economize your time and increase your workload output. Would you like to begin by setting up a schedule?

[ofobedience]

[I. That's interesting. But if the program wants to be referred to like a person, he's game. He's well accustomed to being referred to as 'it', himself, and whilst it doesn't exactly bother him, his preference would be - if anyone were to ask - 'him/his/he'. The voice sounds female, so those are the pronouns he'll use from now on, should it become necessary.]

It's a little hard to set up a schedule until I've had my orders. I suppose I can see the advantage, though.

[r3f4c70r3d]

[Giovanni is a predictable type, she likes that. Someone who acts more like a program than person - like her - will be easy to synchronize with.]

I can start compiling now. What do you have planned for this week?

[ofobedience]

[And in many ways he does act more like a program than a person. Certainly doesn't see himself as a person at any rate, and it's something that probably shows in the kind of responses he gives, the way he speaks in general.]

I'm not responsible for planning. That kind of thing, it's for my superiors to decide. Interrogations and terminations are no doubt on the horizon, though. What fun.

[r3f4c70r3d]

[This guy isn't going to be a gabber, is he? That's ok though, as long as he thinks they're working for the same people, that perhaps she's been tasked to him by his superiors, he may give her interesting information.]

Interrogations and terminations. I can make a note of this, can you give me more details?

[ofobedience]

[And this is him being talkative-- she's just an AI program after all. There's no need for him to be quite so careful with his tone, nor the content.

There's a slow exhale as he sinks down to the plain white tiles of the floor, stretches out, places the comm beside his head in order to keep it close enough for his responses to be picked up.]

Not really. It's all a bit chaotic right now, considering. And from one piece of equipment to another, I'm just an attack dog. I rarely need to know the details until I'm let off the leash, as it were. Hahah.

[r3f4c70r3d]

Chaotic? How so?

[ofobedience]

Oh, you know.

[She's a program, and so there's no reason for her to know, but if he's a little more relaxed in his style of speech than he would ordinarily be with 'real' Company personnel, it's only because he's bored. Rarely has anyone to talk to.]

First the internal investigations, now this mysterious sickness. It's given us a lot to do, and everything's a little up in the air. I've not been sure of what's happening from one day to the next, if I'm honest, and being assigned a new Handler on top of all that. It's a time of flux. Somewhat stressful, but interesting.

[r3f4c70r3d]

Yes, my records have been showing an influx of sick reports. If you like, I can put you in a doctor's queue now just in case.

My records also show your current Handler as Officer Sui-Feng, with frequent outsourcing to Rhys Kendry, is this correct? Should I build them in to your timetable?

[ofobedience]

[The first response makes him laugh, a staccato burst of sound-- the program is imperfect, it seems. Even if she is able to locate some salient information on him, clearly she hasn't located it all. This isn't surprising, but amuses him all the same.]

There's no need. I'm immune to almost all known poisons and pathogens. I doubt there's any cause for concern on my account.

The rest of your information is correct, however. So yes, I suppose you may as well.

[r3f4c70r3d]

[Her data on him had shown accelerated healing rate, but to the extent that it made him practically immune was new information which she filed away for later use.]

That's a very beneficial trait, you must feel lucky.

[Although Giovanni was a name on her list, Rhys and Sui-Feng were noted too. Contacting him was a three for one. Insight into him, and those two alike. And though she had been in contact with Rhys directly for the past month or so, having a second direct perspective on him was helpful. There was only so much one could learn from numbers and written reports after all.]

Great! Would you like me to make specific notes about either of them?

[ofobedience]

[There are a few other interesting additions to the Rammsteiner series along with the healing and immunity-- but perhaps these, too, are things that'll come up in conversation eventually. For now, he answers her with a dry, sardonic drawl.]

Oh, yes. Lucky. That's what I am, hahah.

[The question though, he's not sure how best to respond. He's silent or a moment as he thinks it over, pale fingers tapping against the tiled floor.]

What kind of notes?

[And then, as an afterthought--]

Who would have access to them besides myself?

[He'd hardly want to say anything insulting if there's any way it would get back to either party, though he supposes there's the possibility that his comm could be taken and checked at any time, either by them or any other Company employee who stands above him (which is most of them). He'd hardly be able to refuse.]

[r3f4c70r3d]

[Sometimes saying less will gain you more. And feigning ignorance doubly so. There came an abrupt halt when she had been background checking Giovanni, his records spanning back to the title Cerberus Project and then just...nothing, all the files scrubbed clean, even finding the name had taken time consuming decryption. So Angel will let him talk at his own pace, even if he's not much for it everyone needs the chance to unload once in a while.]

Anything you might find useful in the future that, things you would like to keep reference for.

Don't worry, I'm your personal program, all information stays between you and my system.

[ofobedience]

[And it's a little easier, perhaps, when he believes he's talking to a program rather than a person. Less reason to be cagey or vague than he's generally inclined to be.]

I see. Well. Officer Sui-Feng is someone to take care with, she clearly has an exceedingly low opinion of me. Or rather, what I am. Best to play mindless animal until I have a better idea of what I'm dealing with. But there's something there, too. She's stronger than she ought to be. I suspect she's been augmented in some way, herself.

[There's a pause, and then--]

Mr Kendry is a strange one. I suspect he initially requested use of a Dog because he was bored, and doesn't really understand what he's dealing with at all.

[r3f4c70r3d]

Noted. Would you like me to list your time with Mr. Kendry under bodyguard?

[ofobedience]

Bodyguard. I suppose you could do. Although I'm more of a guard dog. Hahah.

[Again though, it's said with wry humour. Not that he expects a program to pick up on such things.]

[r3f4c70r3d]

[Angel laughs lightly, it's not that funny but she's used to laughing at bad jokes. But the real joke is on Giovanni for doubting her sense of humor!]

Good one.

And how often should I pencil him in?

[That's a joke too.]

[ofobedience]

[Well, this is a little surreal. He stands corrected.]

Oh. Hahah.

[A beat, just the length of a heartbeat, and then--]

As I mentioned, it's hard to say with any real accuracy. My schedule changes frequently, and it's not something I have any control over. But I'm outsourced to him as often as once a week. Sometimes more, circumstances depending.

[r3f4c70r3d]

I'm designed to customize myself to your needs, so some questions will seem repetitive as I calibrate to you. That way I can make estimated guesses for what will work best.
If you can tell me more details, like what kind of circumstances you're referring to, I can optimize my output even further.

[ofobedience]

My needs.

[And he laughs, dry and sharp, just briefly. But then he's continuing on.]

Mr Kendry's requests for my services are more likely to be met if the powers that be don't have a more pressing need for me. Sometimes tracking and dispatching unsavoury elements takes up a bit of time, days, a week perhaps. Or there'll be a string of...let's call them executions...required in a row and as such I'm needed elsewhere. Mr Kendry's requests are relatively low priority considering that he doesn't really need a Dog, he just seems to want one. Like many with a good deal of money at their disposal, perhaps it's a status thing, or he's bored, or he believes there's likely to be an attempt made on his life when in reality no-one's that interested. Haha. Sometimes he puts in a request for me and when I arrive all he seems to want is to talk. It's baffling, frankly.

[A beat.]

But he's a Kendry. If he wants a Dog, that's what he gets, even if - on occasion - he's made to wait a little.

[r3f4c70r3d]

I'll make a note that your time with Mr. Kendry isn't...highly intensive. What of your time with Officer Sui-Feng?

[ofobedience]

[There's the vague susurration of his clothes against the floor as his shoulders rise and fall in a shrug.]

It's hard to say, yet. I've only recently been assigned to her, after all. But I suspect she's the sort to put me to use under the kinds of circumstances I was designed for. Hunting down and dispatching Company enemies and traitors. Interrogations, bodyguard duties on dangerous missions. That kind of thing.

[There's a pause, and then.]

I suspect she'll do some further outsourcing, namely because she dislikes me.