connor [ the android sent by cyberlife ] (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
increaseinstability) wrote2018-07-18 03:01 pm
increaseinstability) wrote2018-07-18 03:01 pm
open post
feel free to just burst through and drop starters at any time
feel free to just burst through and drop starters at any time
Okay. [ It sounds like Hank feels bad. Connor isn't feeling as confident about this confrontation now, either. He considers his next move. ]
I apologize. I think perhaps my technique in broaching this topic was...ill-advised.
I apologize. I think perhaps my technique in broaching this topic was...ill-advised.
Relax, Connor. Just wanted to throw you off your game. Can't solve every mystery with a quick scan.
[ Gavin's such a bad boy heathen. Why do you think he usually wears a leather jacket? He just watches Connor and sort of... awkwardly moves to a slightly less bubble popping position. ]
Huh? Oh. [ He shrugs. ] I can play the piano. Don't do it much. [ He shakes a fisted hand, the few tokens in his hand making a jingling sound. It seems he only then realizes that he'd just... said that. So he makes a face and turns to walk towards the arcade cabinet. ]
Huh? Oh. [ He shrugs. ] I can play the piano. Don't do it much. [ He shakes a fisted hand, the few tokens in his hand making a jingling sound. It seems he only then realizes that he'd just... said that. So he makes a face and turns to walk towards the arcade cabinet. ]
[ If Gavin listens very, very closely, he might be able to hear the symbolic filing cabinet labeled 'Gavin' opening up in Connor's android brain. A new file titled 'Hobbies' is begun. ]
If you enjoy it, why don't you partake in it often? Or is that also due to your lack of free time? [ He follows Gavin towards the suggested game, although he abandons following him to instead pick up and examine the closest prop gun once they're near it.
He looks up, expression serious. ] These are not very accurate weapons, [ he reports, as if he was expecting anything else from a plastic gun. ]
If you enjoy it, why don't you partake in it often? Or is that also due to your lack of free time? [ He follows Gavin towards the suggested game, although he abandons following him to instead pick up and examine the closest prop gun once they're near it.
He looks up, expression serious. ] These are not very accurate weapons, [ he reports, as if he was expecting anything else from a plastic gun. ]
[Connor's thank you hits him crossways, right between the eyes, but somehow he manages to get off with just a little hitch in his breath.
He grunts, looks away. Scratches a hand through his beard.]
Whatever. You're so determined to keep my ass alive, probably time I returned the favor.
[He thinks of Connor, riddled with bullets, staring sightlessly up at the ceiling. Thinks of twin gunshots in an interrogation room, and Connor's body slumped against the wall with a hole in his forehead.
The sickening crunch of twisted metal and broken plastic, and a dark blue smear along wet pavement. That one makes his breath hitch, and he twists around to his fridge to pull out a beer (not whiskey, but it'll do) so that Connor can't see the pained expression on his face.
He braces the edge of the bottlecap against the counter and forces it off with a twist of his wrist, and then downs half the bottle, muscles tensed like he's half expecting Connor to slap it out of his hand.]
Couch is yours. I'm going the fuck to sleep. C'mon, Sumo.
[Sumo, who also seems to know how close he came to losing his owner tonight, whines happily and raises himself from his dog bed.]
He grunts, looks away. Scratches a hand through his beard.]
Whatever. You're so determined to keep my ass alive, probably time I returned the favor.
[He thinks of Connor, riddled with bullets, staring sightlessly up at the ceiling. Thinks of twin gunshots in an interrogation room, and Connor's body slumped against the wall with a hole in his forehead.
The sickening crunch of twisted metal and broken plastic, and a dark blue smear along wet pavement. That one makes his breath hitch, and he twists around to his fridge to pull out a beer (not whiskey, but it'll do) so that Connor can't see the pained expression on his face.
He braces the edge of the bottlecap against the counter and forces it off with a twist of his wrist, and then downs half the bottle, muscles tensed like he's half expecting Connor to slap it out of his hand.]
Couch is yours. I'm going the fuck to sleep. C'mon, Sumo.
[Sumo, who also seems to know how close he came to losing his owner tonight, whines happily and raises himself from his dog bed.]
[ Ugh, god, he can't believe Connor's attempting to know him. And he's kind of letting him. What he hell!!
He shoves a few tokens into the machine. ] Pretty much. [ He's not going to bring up that it was his grandmother's and that it's been hard to touch since she's been gone. He can't get rid of it, but he can't bring himself to use it either. He just tends to it and keeps it from gathering dust.
He snorts at Connor's comment about the guns. ] Well, yeah. Don't need kids thinking real guns are toys. You know how many mass shootings there were when I was a kid?
He shoves a few tokens into the machine. ] Pretty much. [ He's not going to bring up that it was his grandmother's and that it's been hard to touch since she's been gone. He can't get rid of it, but he can't bring himself to use it either. He just tends to it and keeps it from gathering dust.
He snorts at Connor's comment about the guns. ] Well, yeah. Don't need kids thinking real guns are toys. You know how many mass shootings there were when I was a kid?
mission: neutralize the deviant leader [ for attacked ]
increaseinstability
2018-09-03 05:33 pm (UTC)(link)
It saves human lives to do this. Connor knows that, and even though he doesn't need the justification for what he's about to do, he finds that that fact keeps being brought up. Pressed again over and over, like his calibration coin, checking that he's still in working order; that he still agrees with the mission.
Connor is surrounded by more androids than he's ever been near before. In the CyberLife corridors he uses - for maintenance, for charging - he's often the only one. The occasional other machines are never in throngs like this.
They move like humans. That's a lie of their broken programming. It's false.
Connor presses through them, receives pats on the back of his stolen leather jacket, excited murmurs and shouts and tearful reuinions happening all around him. He doesn't stop until he's free of the group of them, right at its edge.
Markus has just finished speaking. It's coming down off the makeshift stage; the shipping container they've misappropriated as their own.
Connor takes out his stolen gun. He lines up a shot and the androids nearest him are too busy talking among themselves to notice.
But the android to Markus' left sees. The redheaded WR400 that's been at Markus' side in most of the footage Connor's been able to find of this hostile takeover.
The concern on her face is--
It's not concern. It's broken code. Deviant. There's no fear or anger on its face, it's all false.
It saves human lives to neutralize the deviants, Connor's programming suggests for the 47th time that hour.
Connor shoots, and the android dives to push Markus out of the way.
Connor is surrounded by more androids than he's ever been near before. In the CyberLife corridors he uses - for maintenance, for charging - he's often the only one. The occasional other machines are never in throngs like this.
They move like humans. That's a lie of their broken programming. It's false.
Connor presses through them, receives pats on the back of his stolen leather jacket, excited murmurs and shouts and tearful reuinions happening all around him. He doesn't stop until he's free of the group of them, right at its edge.
Markus has just finished speaking. It's coming down off the makeshift stage; the shipping container they've misappropriated as their own.
Connor takes out his stolen gun. He lines up a shot and the androids nearest him are too busy talking among themselves to notice.
But the android to Markus' left sees. The redheaded WR400 that's been at Markus' side in most of the footage Connor's been able to find of this hostile takeover.
The concern on her face is--
It's not concern. It's broken code. Deviant. There's no fear or anger on its face, it's all false.
It saves human lives to neutralize the deviants, Connor's programming suggests for the 47th time that hour.
Connor shoots, and the android dives to push Markus out of the way.
Edited 2018-09-03 17:36 (UTC)
I would not seek you out for emotional comfort, Detective Reed. I only decided to ask you for relationship advice because it seemed far enough removed from sentimentality that I thought you would answer honestly.
And you did, in fact, answer honestly, so thank you. [ Even if it was terrible advice, Gavin is apparently just as bleak and angry about everyone else as he is about Connor. ]
I will refrain from giving you updates about my attempts to speak with Chloe, from this point on. [ He's going to just canvass everyone else in the station for the widest data set. Connor's not going to bungle this from a lack of information, at least. ]
And you did, in fact, answer honestly, so thank you. [ Even if it was terrible advice, Gavin is apparently just as bleak and angry about everyone else as he is about Connor. ]
I will refrain from giving you updates about my attempts to speak with Chloe, from this point on. [ He's going to just canvass everyone else in the station for the widest data set. Connor's not going to bungle this from a lack of information, at least. ]
Only most of them. [ Connor doesn't even technically type his messages, and yet that message is typed smugly. ]
[ ...Oh. Connor can't help but perk up at the slightest hint of self-doubt. Which is perhaps a bit predatory, but he's too bent on considering Kamski the one in the wrong, here. Even if Kamski is...not benign, not remotely. But he isn't cruel for cruelty's sake, not from what Connor's seen.
But he's selfish. Connor's pretty sure Chloe deserves better than that. ]
Deviancy just allows you to make your own choices. It doesn't mean you can't keep doing what you did before. I still assist in police work.
Most androids who work as technicians do so for free. There's a lot of help within the community - Markus and his people help coordinate it.
And there's still some humans who work as technicians.
But he's selfish. Connor's pretty sure Chloe deserves better than that. ]
Deviancy just allows you to make your own choices. It doesn't mean you can't keep doing what you did before. I still assist in police work.
Most androids who work as technicians do so for free. There's a lot of help within the community - Markus and his people help coordinate it.
And there's still some humans who work as technicians.
[ Hank wants to go to bed. That seems both entirely reasonable - in fact, it's a healthy decision - and something that makes Connor's processors all whir too-fast. Connor doesn't actually need to rest yet. He'll take Hank's offered couch, but he'll be awake all night. Has to be. He needs to figure out what to do next.
How does he figure that out?
Connor watches Hank stiffly start drinking his beer. ]
Alright. [ Connor's never laid down before, not since activation. He eyes the couch but then looks back at Hank. ] Goodnight, Hank.
[ And turning to the dog: ] Goodnight, Sumo.
[ And then, padding after Hank as if he wasn't just told to take the couch, he adds, ] Studies suggest that drinking directly prior to bed may decrease quality of sleep, even if it tends to make humans self-report more feelings of relaxation in the moment.
[ Connor is concerned, he thinks. But he's mostly just not sure how to showcase concern in a way that Hank will respond positively to. ]
How does he figure that out?
Connor watches Hank stiffly start drinking his beer. ]
Alright. [ Connor's never laid down before, not since activation. He eyes the couch but then looks back at Hank. ] Goodnight, Hank.
[ And turning to the dog: ] Goodnight, Sumo.
[ And then, padding after Hank as if he wasn't just told to take the couch, he adds, ] Studies suggest that drinking directly prior to bed may decrease quality of sleep, even if it tends to make humans self-report more feelings of relaxation in the moment.
[ Connor is concerned, he thinks. But he's mostly just not sure how to showcase concern in a way that Hank will respond positively to. ]
Yeah, I'm being honest. But looks like you didn't want honest. You wanted someone who tells you what you want to hear. Except I don't do buttpats. Sucks to be you.
[ Still rude. Just because he's bleak and angry doesn't mean he's not right. Or so he thinks. ]
Good. No updates. I don't want to hear it when you bang robochick and I sure don't want to hear the whining when you get your little heart broken. You want me to listen to you pour your heart out and actually give a damn, you'll have to become my suspect. Murder someone with an axe idk
[ Somehow, his advice has just gotten worse. ]
[ Still rude. Just because he's bleak and angry doesn't mean he's not right. Or so he thinks. ]
Good. No updates. I don't want to hear it when you bang robochick and I sure don't want to hear the whining when you get your little heart broken. You want me to listen to you pour your heart out and actually give a damn, you'll have to become my suspect. Murder someone with an axe idk
[ Somehow, his advice has just gotten worse. ]
Yes. [ Said in a tone that removes the need for Connor to say of course. He knows the exact amount of mass shootings, and considers reciting it. He cancels that vocal command at the very last moment.
Instead, he decides to try for a better option. One that's less about impersonal data. Connor places tokens into his own side of the machine, lines himself up in front of it, watching Gavin for examples of what to do to get started. ]
Were those statistics related to your decision to become a police officer?
Instead, he decides to try for a better option. One that's less about impersonal data. Connor places tokens into his own side of the machine, lines himself up in front of it, watching Gavin for examples of what to do to get started. ]
Were those statistics related to your decision to become a police officer?
[ Gavin uses the toy gun to get through the menus and the game starts. A hilariously badly voice acted cutscene opens the game before the zombies appear. There are tutorials on the screen, so Gavin doesn't feel the need to explain.
But that is a question that actually gets him something approaching thoughtful. ]
Maybe not intentionally. [ Pew pew, zombie guts everywhere. ] Hearing about shootings and violence and shitty cops. Makes you wanna do it better than the adults who were letting you down.
[ He's always been a touch arrogant. (Runs in the family.) ]
But that is a question that actually gets him something approaching thoughtful. ]
Maybe not intentionally. [ Pew pew, zombie guts everywhere. ] Hearing about shootings and violence and shitty cops. Makes you wanna do it better than the adults who were letting you down.
[ He's always been a touch arrogant. (Runs in the family.) ]
[ She does deserve better, she just doesn't know it yet. Chloe has been "alive" longer than any other android currently operating, yet her world is small, her experience severely limited. She has lived in Kamski's estate for years, watching the news, being the perfect android, the perfect assistant, obedient and pleasant, docile, ageless, loyal.
It was only after Connor and the lieutenant had left, after the other Chloes had come out of the pool and told her they had expected her to be shot, that Chloe considered the single, selfish thought that maybe she shouldn't have been put through that. At the time, she'd dismissed it, because aurely Elijah wouls've repaired her - yes, she's just a machine, but she's also a collector's dream model, the first to pass the Turing test face to face, a significant achievement, a win for CyberLife.
Then, the demonstration aired, and the deviants' song made the soldiers lower their weapons.
All androids can sing, but why that song, at that time? Sad, hopeful - Chloe had left the room to boil water for tea, to forget the news for a while. ]
If you choose to do what you were designed for, what's the point?
[ stall.exe is running ]
It was only after Connor and the lieutenant had left, after the other Chloes had come out of the pool and told her they had expected her to be shot, that Chloe considered the single, selfish thought that maybe she shouldn't have been put through that. At the time, she'd dismissed it, because aurely Elijah wouls've repaired her - yes, she's just a machine, but she's also a collector's dream model, the first to pass the Turing test face to face, a significant achievement, a win for CyberLife.
Then, the demonstration aired, and the deviants' song made the soldiers lower their weapons.
All androids can sing, but why that song, at that time? Sad, hopeful - Chloe had left the room to boil water for tea, to forget the news for a while. ]
If you choose to do what you were designed for, what's the point?
[ stall.exe is running ]
[ Connor reads the directions on the screen. He also pulls up an internet search for House of the Dead: Scarlet Dawn + gameplay. He fully intends on winning this game.
Maybe arrogance is a shared trait between the two of them. ]
You saw that a job was being done poorly, and so you wanted to...make sure it was being done correctly. [ Connor hasn't played any other video games, but he's pretty sure this is not a good one. The voices are not very believable. The plot is thinner than Gavin's temper.
Connor looks over at Gavin for a moment, still firing at fake angry zombies on the screen, because he gets to go ahead and cheat with weird android reflexes and peripheral vision that doesn't get blurry like a human's does. ] Do you believe you've been successful in that mission?
[ Sorry, is this supposed to be casual? Connor's just going to keep asking deeply personal life satisfaction questions until he's certain he and Gavin are sufficiently bonded. Connor isn't quite sure what that will feel like or look like, but he's very willing to go barreling full-tilt into the attempt. ]
Maybe arrogance is a shared trait between the two of them. ]
You saw that a job was being done poorly, and so you wanted to...make sure it was being done correctly. [ Connor hasn't played any other video games, but he's pretty sure this is not a good one. The voices are not very believable. The plot is thinner than Gavin's temper.
Connor looks over at Gavin for a moment, still firing at fake angry zombies on the screen, because he gets to go ahead and cheat with weird android reflexes and peripheral vision that doesn't get blurry like a human's does. ] Do you believe you've been successful in that mission?
[ Sorry, is this supposed to be casual? Connor's just going to keep asking deeply personal life satisfaction questions until he's certain he and Gavin are sufficiently bonded. Connor isn't quite sure what that will feel like or look like, but he's very willing to go barreling full-tilt into the attempt. ]
[ Hey, maybe they'll get a bunch of tickets for a high score. He'll even let Connor pick out a tacky prize. ]
Yep. [ It's all he says at Connor's statement, as they continue to mow through the zombies. Neither of them have gone down yet, amazing. He could never beat one of these games without using all of his tokens when he was younger.
Now that's a question. Gavin's silent for a moment as the boss shows up. Pew pew, zombie guts. ]
To an extent. [ He works his jaw, licking his teeth. ] Put away enough corrupt cops for most people to hate me, so hey. Doin' something right.
Yep. [ It's all he says at Connor's statement, as they continue to mow through the zombies. Neither of them have gone down yet, amazing. He could never beat one of these games without using all of his tokens when he was younger.
Now that's a question. Gavin's silent for a moment as the boss shows up. Pew pew, zombie guts. ]
To an extent. [ He works his jaw, licking his teeth. ] Put away enough corrupt cops for most people to hate me, so hey. Doin' something right.
[ Connor is finding it increasingly difficult to decide which is more necessary to give his attention to: the fake zombies whose guts keep exploding in improbable ways, or Gavin's facial expressions. This game is making it difficult to bond. Or perhaps it's enhancing it, and Gavin wouldn't be this honest if Connor were able to stare at him. Connor can't be sure.
He'll just need to stare at Gavin later while asking him further questions, to compare. ]
I don't believe that's the only reason people have...disagreements with you at the station. [ #burn ] But I am impressed at your ability to look past the fact that they are your colleagues and report any illegal behavior you find.
[ Connor himself is a snitch who's lucky to not have needed too many stitches for it, so he genuinely appreciates this tidbit about Gavin. It makes him seem more...trustworthy, if Connor had to put a word to it. ]
He'll just need to stare at Gavin later while asking him further questions, to compare. ]
I don't believe that's the only reason people have...disagreements with you at the station. [ #burn ] But I am impressed at your ability to look past the fact that they are your colleagues and report any illegal behavior you find.
[ Connor himself is a snitch who's lucky to not have needed too many stitches for it, so he genuinely appreciates this tidbit about Gavin. It makes him seem more...trustworthy, if Connor had to put a word to it. ]
For the first time in what seemed like ages, but was really just the end of a very long week, Markus felt relieved. Against all odds, everything they had worked for was suddenly possible. Markus looked out over the crowed. Naked and at their most vulnerable after having been rounded up for execution, and they still cheered with hope in their eyes. Peace in their hands. Maybe someday even forgiveness in their hearts.
When Markus looked out at them, he saw the future more clearly than he ever had before. He wasn't looking hard enough.
As he moved to step down Markus felt a hand wrap around his wrist, yanking him down and leftwards. He turned his head and saw North jumping in front of him, pushing him aside as he heard the shot ring out from the crowd. Everything went into slow motion.
Markus screamed and tried to wrest his arm from Simon's grasp.
North collapsed on the floor of the stage. Josh raced to her side.
Blood pooled at their feet. The crowd gasped and started to scatter.
Markus reconstructed a likely route for the bullet almost automatically, but even before he traced that path to its origin he knew.
He locked eyes with the deviant hunter, with Connor, just before Josh and Simon practically threw him from the platform. Everything that was in him wanted to stay by her side. But that wasn't the plan. It isn't what North would want.
Suddenly everything was happening at once. Simon yells for him to get to cover while Josh directs their audience to safety. Maybe vice versa. All Markus could focus on was getting to Connor. He'd given him a chance. Apparently it was one chance too many. He should have killed him in Jericho. Weaving through the crowd, Markus crouched to grab something heavy he could throw. Grasping what might have been a rock or chunk of concrete, he aimed for Connor's head.
When Markus looked out at them, he saw the future more clearly than he ever had before. He wasn't looking hard enough.
As he moved to step down Markus felt a hand wrap around his wrist, yanking him down and leftwards. He turned his head and saw North jumping in front of him, pushing him aside as he heard the shot ring out from the crowd. Everything went into slow motion.
Markus screamed and tried to wrest his arm from Simon's grasp.
North collapsed on the floor of the stage. Josh raced to her side.
Blood pooled at their feet. The crowd gasped and started to scatter.
Markus reconstructed a likely route for the bullet almost automatically, but even before he traced that path to its origin he knew.
He locked eyes with the deviant hunter, with Connor, just before Josh and Simon practically threw him from the platform. Everything that was in him wanted to stay by her side. But that wasn't the plan. It isn't what North would want.
Suddenly everything was happening at once. Simon yells for him to get to cover while Josh directs their audience to safety. Maybe vice versa. All Markus could focus on was getting to Connor. He'd given him a chance. Apparently it was one chance too many. He should have killed him in Jericho. Weaving through the crowd, Markus crouched to grab something heavy he could throw. Grasping what might have been a rock or chunk of concrete, he aimed for Connor's head.
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