network | text | backdated mid-late april

[edalyn]

Who: Edalyn Clawthorne + you
Username: badgirlcoven
Warnings: possible mistreatment/neglect of labour workers, will add anything else that comes up

Has anyone else kept in touch with folks from Wolf Pen?

Sounds like things are getting weird again. I don't know if it's our brand of weird or your normal human brand of weird

The miners who got caught up in all that business sound like they could use some more help than they're getting–even the ones that got jobs with that copernicus company. I know that's probably your average human issue. [Which isn't to say she's happy about it.]

But it sounds like the ones with those new jobs are also talking a big game about seeing into an incomprehensible future in a way that sounds kinda like our brand of weird. sounds like some of the stuff they’ve built is moving around more than it sounds like it’s supposed to, too.

Like I say, might be nothing. I mean, I know we work with the guy who runs that place.

[Given this is in text, it's hard to tell whether she's implying the ADI would have noticed if Zyrian Steel were up to anything shady… or that the ADI might know he's up to something shady. It's possible she's leaving it intentionally ambiguous to feel out the response she gets.]

I don't think it'd be a bad idea to have someone check in there, just make sure everything's going alright.

Comments

[failedpromise]

Dammit! Last time I checked in Ethan Boss wasn't doing too well after getting injured during the fight with Watts, so I pestered ADI about it... they got him a job there.

(After he accidentally led Cortana to discover the missing bombs and later got attacked and severely burned right in front of her, she feels responsible for him.)

[edalyn]

you heard anything from him since?

[failedpromise]

I haven't actually talked to him. I just wanted to make sure I hadn't done more harm than good.

(So... no.)

[edalyn]

well, I can't answer that. Maybe you oughta give him a call

un: mercyme; text

[graveyounglady]

That is most concerning. Copernicus is the company that supplies much of the medical equipment in the infirmary.

[edalyn]

yeah, that's part of what I meant about working with 'em.

everything good down there?

[graveyounglady]

As near as I can tell, but I am not trained on all of the machines. I can begin taking inventory and testing things, if you think that would help?

[edalyn]

I think it couldn't hurt.

but we might as well chat in person next time you're home

[You know, because it's convenient they both live at Bonnie's and not because she'd rather keep things off the network.]

>action

[graveyounglady]

I will be home in an hour or so. We shall speak anon!

[Some anon later, Mercy gets back to Bonnie's from one of her shifts and will head up to Eda's room to knock. Luckily, it's very close to her own room.]

Ms. Eda? It's Mercy.

[edalyn]

[There's some rustling from the other side of the door before it opens.]

Hey, Mercy.

[Behind her, Eda's room looks much the same as it has for a while—cluttered but not quite messy, full of little lights and trinkets and a few too many books for the shelves—with the one recent change that there are no beds aside from the giant bird nest.]

[graveyounglady]

[Mercy's brows rise at the sight of the nest.]

Hey, Ms. Eda. I looked at some of the machines like we talked about. I didn't see nothing wrong with them, but... well, I ain't got Ms. Cortana's eye for hardware.

[edalyn]

[And she's just... not going to explain that unless Mercy asks directly. If then.]

Thanks, still figure it couldn't hurt. Maybe... we should ask her to take a look. Then again I think the same guy worked on her new—uh, everything.

[Eda's not sure if that's more concerning for Cortana or about whether to fully trust her.]

[graveyounglady]

[It looks cozy, at least...]

Oh... oh, Brother. You think that's gonna be a problem? I wouldn't know the first think about finding problems on her. Wish Mr. Stark was still here. He was clever with all them things.

[edalyn]

No idea, robots ain't my department either. [Something occurs to her and she snorts.]

Almost wish Al— uh, an old friend was here. He was clever at that stuff too.

[She sighs, because that really doesn't help at the moment.]

There have to be a few people left here who could take a look, though, right? [She's not entirely sure how rare a skillset it is, to be honest.]

[graveyounglady]

[Mercy thinks about that for a long moment.]

Well, Ms. Cortana, herself. And that turtle fellow. I think he's been helping her out?

[But he's not someone she knows especially well. Maybe that ought to change.]

[edalyn]

Well, yeah. I don't... know if she'd notice anything she hasn't already.

[She genuinely just doesn't know. It's possible Cortana would notice something once she was looking, or it's possible she was somehow made so she wouldn't. Eda really doesn't know enough about being a robot.]

Or if she can look at all of herself. [Maybe she can take her head off to do that? Eda can after all. It would make sense. But she's not sure, so she just shrugs.]

But I think Rue's mentioned those turtle kids are pretty clever.

[graveyounglady]

Oughta acquaint myself with them better.

[Mercy scuffs a foot along the ground.]

I know I been... less cheery since Aelwyn left. Oughta change that. I just miss her. [She takes a bracing breath.] But seasons turn. Hoping I'll see her in the next one. She ain't the only gone, and at least I know she's on some mission, not just disappeared like some is.

You seem like nothing much fazes you, Ms. Eda. Wish I had your sense sometimes.

[edalyn]

[She's a little surprised by the change in subject, but she can't say she hasn't noticed the change. Or that she doesn't understand it, all things considered.

There's a beat of hesitation before Eda responds, her ears folding down a little. On the one hand, it's nice to know she's been convincing when it comes to that attitude. Almost funny, even, given how she actually feels most of the time. On the other, she's coming to understand that her attempts to keep people from worrying don't always make them feel better, especially when it comes to how well they're handling things themselves.

She lets out a little sigh.]

Well... I'll let you in on a little secret. I've had a lot more years than you to practice seeming like that. Doesn't mean this place isn't rough on all of us. You're allowed to miss people.

cw: mention of character deaths

[graveyounglady]

I know. Just feels like missing folks what I do more and more these days. So many've disappeared or gone since I first got here. Think it's only a handful of us is been here all together for a long time. Not that I don't think kindly on folk like you who come along later!

[To be clear.]

Just... feels like when I was younger, a little bit. Folk vanishing... turning up dead later. Some part of me keeps expecting to see folk coming back as need to be put in the ground proper.

[musicdied]

If Copernicus as a company is involved with the Entities, they're much subtler than FYRE was.

But one of Steel's old projects has turned up a few times in the case files. And was of interest to our Lullaby Girl before she took her nightmares on the road.

[edalyn]

I know they were behind the eye masks we got. But... she was interested in an earlier thing, yeah?

[musicdied]

Yes. Something he developed before building Copernicus. It was called the Quicksilver, a sort of radio device that was supposed to help with sleep disorders.

[edalyn]

well that's definitely a coincidence.

So how much do you know about the radio thing?

[musicdied]

It played lullabies, which is also a very interesting coincidence.

It's been defunct for several years, so getting our hands on one to take a closer look will be difficult.

[edalyn]

damn.

Let me know if you have any luck, couldn't hurt to try