001 // voice;

[decryptify]

[ The recording starts playing and there's dead silence, for a moment or two, some fidgeting in the background. A pause, sound that seems like someone thoughtfully tapping against the phone, once, twice, a voice; ]

Well, let's see here -- [ A flicker of static, back into silence. And a few moments later there's just noise, static and dead air, though it does sound like there might be a voice somewhere underneath it -- it's too distorted, far too lost in the noise to really make out. Unless, of course, one is familiar with one of the old encryption protocols that this very guy may have taught you, once upon a time.

ENCRYPTED;

[ A seperate recording, encoded within the noise; ]

-- Mayday, mayday. This is Agent York of Project Freelancer, designation Foxtrot-12. Mayday, requesting assistance. Location unknown, missing key equipment, and not all that happy about it, to be be honest. Mayday, mayday, anyone out there? [ A pause, stretching for a few seconds, and a brief sigh. ] Bit of a longshot, huh, D.

[ Another few moments of silence, and something that might be a soft chuckle. ]

Good to know you still remember what I taught you, rookie.

For everyone else, that lasts for a good ten seconds or so before the static flickers into some laughter. ] -- Uh oh. Testing, testing. We clear?

Sorry about that earful of static, folks. [ A sharp, sheepish laugh. ] This tech isn't what I'm used to. Hadriel, that's what I call you, right? Don't think we've been properly introduced?

The name's York. My likes include walks on the beach, an adequate supply of ammunition, and not bein' kidnapped against my will. I think I'm pretty good on walks on the beach, for now. Anyone out there got anything for me on the rest?

Comments

private; text

[mainiac]

WHERE IS IT

private; text

[decryptify]

Where's what?

private; text

[mainiac]

YOU KNOW WHAT

YOUR AI

private; text shhh that didnt happen

[decryptify]

My ammo?

You know, funny story about that.

anonymous; text

[blameful]

[ wow, york. why don't you take a hike down the beach straight into the fiery pits of hell because there ain't no way wash is falling for that basic shit. please.

he planned on contacting york on his own terms on his own time, preferably after he worked out how to deal with the meta. if it'd only been him and maine, that would have been simple, too easy, all cozy and warm and miserably familiar just like home. york's presence in hadriel complicates everything, means that wash has to work twice as hard and three times as fast to put a cap on shit before it inevitably explodes in his face.

his avoidance of him has absolutely nothing to do with him being a fucking coward. this isn't because he doesn't want to look york in the face and recount in explicit detail what he's done since leaving freelancer. none of this is personal; it's smart, better for everyone if he has a plan in mind before he sets the ball rolling in unstoppable motion.

( or that's what he tells himself over and over and over and over and over and overoverover )

but nope, can't have that, apparently, can't have order or sense or any semblance of control. in the span of a three minute message, york casually tosses a wrench in his haphazard plans, and wash reads him loud and clear: your move, rookie. make it a good one.

well, fuck that, and fuck you. ]

Technical difficulties? You should try turning it off and on again. Always works for me.

text

[decryptify]

[ Oh, rookie. If he knew this was you, he'd have a few things to say, but as familiar as this is, an echo of something that he used to say to you -- well, he does wonder. But there's no reason to jump to conclusions.

And really, he wouldn't be surprised if Wash never replied to his transmission at all, so. ]

Wow. We got a damn expert here, people.

Your talents are probably wasted on tech support.

perma anonymous; text

[blameful]

[ well, that's the last time he ever offers totally legitimate, 100% serious anonymous help! SOME PEOPLE are so rude. ]

I'm sensing some sarcasm.

perma not-anonymous because he's not a paranoid ike you; text

[decryptify]

No.

Really?

text i am so sorry

[fleshing]

wh Y DOES th eangrY SO NG
h A TE
ME ?????

???
??

??????????

[He doesn't know what the screaming static wants but he's already decided he hates it.]

text oh god

[decryptify]

Uh.

You alright there, buddy?

text

[fleshing]

its bU RNING up mY PI NK LOBES

text

[decryptify]

Oh, right, yeah, sorry about that. My bad.

It should've stopped by now though.

[voice]

[synthedick]

If you're looking for ammunition, there's the armory. I'm sure someone will let you know the second they find a way to handle the 'being kidnapped' part.

[voice]

[decryptify]

I've heard about this armory, I'll be headin' down.

Funny, I had a feeling no one would be able to help me out on that? It's kind of the more pressing issue, though.

[voice]

[synthedick]

The goddess Rage runs the place. You might see what she's willing to trade bullets for. Last I heard, she was trading clips for killing monsters, hopefully to keep the population in the caves under control. Don't bother asking her about the kidnapping part, though. It's Fear you'll want to talk to for that.

[voice]

[decryptify]

And I somehow doubt the guy named Fear is the the kind-hearted reasonable sort.

Just a feeling.

[pellameno]

Is something wrong with your device?

If the armory doesn't have what you need, there's a deal with Rage... one clip for each monster you lay on her altar. There are hunting parties where some of us take the meat so nothing is wasted.

How are you for walks along a river?

[decryptify]

How do you take the meat if you have to leave 'em on the altar for her? Does she only need a skeleton? A hide? A single toenail?

I'd thought gods would be pretty picky about that stuff.

[ Hm, a pause. ]

Is there a romantic sunset along the river? [ FULLY AWARE THAT THEY ARE UNDERGROUND ]

[pellameno]

I suspect she just wants the proof that we've killed a creature. She's been accepting the carcasses.

[ There's a soft exhale of a laugh, and maybe York can hear the smile in his voice. ]

A romantic fading of the light? I do miss sunsets.

voice

[64th]

Oh, I'm so sorry. We just ran out of not being kidnapped.

voice

[decryptify]

D'you guys do backorders?

voice

[64th]

Mmm, no.

But I can offer you being kidnapped by some questionable gods who will manipulate you for their own benefit!

[video]

[dogsanddaughters]

[Have a wave]

I mean, on the bright-side, they really do have a beach.

[voice]

[decryptify]

[ He'll stick to voice for now, sorry, but he smiles a little to himself at that wave. ]

Half the fun of walks on the beach are walks on the beach at sunset or sunrise, though.

[ THAT SEEMS TO BE LACKING ]

[video]

[dogsanddaughters]

[Miriam considers this]

They've got fish, though? The fish are cool. They come right up to the bank, an' you can tickle them!