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[closed-ish]

CHARACTERS: Lexa, Sam Alexander (+mental connections) + Adetkunbo, Sheena Frey
WHERE: Concordia; Beta Block Lounge
WHEN: DAY :33, Midday
SUMMARY: A nice chat over brunch.
WARNINGS: Will update as necessary.

There's nothing about the Beta Block high rise to distinguish it from its neighbors. Like most of Beta Block, it shares a commercial lower half and residential upper floors. Floran, cheerful enough about her escort duty, leads Lexa and Sam up the powerlift through the commercial levels to the midway lobby - the last floor the commercial lift has accessibility to.

"There's a private lift, but it requires a bunch of security. This is much easier," she explains between bouts of small talk. Crossing the gleaming lobby, she waves to a young woman at the secutiry desk and then buzzes them into the residential elevator with her ID. From there, Floran, Lexa and Sam ride the lift all the up to the high rise's top floor where it opens out into a small rooftop restaurant. There's an artifice of simplicity here, a casual air to the outdoor furniture and how the waitstaff are dressed that might be easy and comfortable if it weren't a special-guests-only brunch joint.

It's a little late for brunch and the place is either winding down or just curiously empty. Floran leads them out onto the terrace where only one out of a handful of tables has anyone at it: the now-familiar Adetkunbo and a woman beside him who matches the public appearance files of Mind Life's Sheena Frey.

"Good luck," Floran whispers. She gives Lexa and Sam a thumbs up, waves cheerfully to the two at the table, and then disappears back into the restaurant.

((OOC Notes: This is the IC meeting between Lexa, Sam Alexander, Adetkunbo and Sheena Frey. Remember that while only two hosts can be present physically, it's completely possible to threadjack via mental connection. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ping them in our direction via the usual means.))

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[Her hope is that this is a meeting that can be a bridge to more meetings and more access to assistance that they otherwise lack. Lexa doesn't know how the conversations went among the other members of the Nest with the eye-people, but she does know that she doesn't trust them to be useful. While she believes in directing others to act on her behalf (and delegating such duties is naturally required of a commander like herself), she also believes in action. No matter how much of this world is reliant upon technology, the bombings did not take place in a digitized place. They were very real.

Of course, there is the other matter: the Flame. It's not yet ready as there is still much to gather about it, but creating that bridge is important. As she explained to Bruce upon his arrival, she wants their efforts here to be nothing short of lasting. The thought that they would reverse the effects of their opposition and then leave feels sloppy, to say the least. But in order to offer over technology like that, they need to create those ties and perhaps be a little more candid. It's worth the attempt, at least, though she knows that she and Sam are likely to be careful.

Her expression is placid and clearly observing along the way, and there's a twitch of her eyebrows in acknowledgement over how empty the location is—though she wonders if the waiters are to be trusted. Still, she's set plans in motion with the Darkling to separate her mission from his, ensuring that their workplace associations would not necessarily mean they were dabbling in the same arena. To ask about their trustworthy nature would be to give too much away, so she has to withhold that for now.

Before they reach the table, she opens her link to Sam:]

( Introduce yourself first. I'll follow. ) [Someone genuine and more warmly inclined would set things up well, even if she has a feeling that the memo has likely been passed about her callous way of carrying herself.]

[ Sam has a hard time keeping from looking around too much as they make their way inside; go figure that landing on alien planets has gotten pretty routine to him, but residential places nice enough to have security ID checks and rooftop restaurants are definitely above his social grade.

Pretty empty, though? Which means either they missed the brunch crowd (perfectly possible) or strings have been pulled to keep them from having eavesdroppers around (...also perfectly possible).

Well, no learning anything without talking. ]

Hi.

[ He slides into his chair with the relaxed poise of someone who has zero concerns about whether he ought to remain standing for introductions, because look, he knows to say please and thank you and he's a lot better than certain members of the Nest at socializing without sounding like a total dick, but there's only so far teenage etiquette goes. ]

Thanks for making time for us! You've gotta be pretty busy. [ Assumption on his part, but famous people usually are. ] I'm Sam.

[It's difficult as it is to act as if they know every single social preference in this world, given that they aren't from it. Lexa has actually done some research on the matter, but it doesn't make her any more comfortable with it. Besides, if she acted as if she had better skills with acting less intimidating, she wouldn't be the same person Kun-Kun had met before.]

I'm Anya. [Her delivery is warm enough, though she wonders if she will need to keep up this charade for much longer. If there's anything she took away from that sudden conversation with anonymous internet strangers, it's that their covers will be blown soon enough.

(It occurs to her that none of them should have taken on roles that would draw attention so readily, but Lexa will just have to remind them that they should not make that mistake another time.)]

We're both grateful. I wish requesting this had happened under better circumstances. [Minus a bombing, for instance. It would have been less awkward without the bombing.]

[Don't worry, Sam - teenage brand etiquette doesn't seem to bother either Kun or Sheena. In fact, once he's settled Kun-Kun fetches up the pitcher of water on the table and fills his glass.] Sure, I promised I would.

[He does the same for ~~Lexa~~ Anya, ice clinking from the pitcher to the glass before he resets the pitcher there at the table's center.] If it makes you feel any better, I probably wouldn't have helped you without those circumstances.

[Beside him, Sheena makes a low noise. It's not really amusement, but it isn't really anything else either. Kun shrugs, dismissive of it because it's true. If it wasn't for the explosion, he'd have no real reason to have ever made note of Sam and Anya.]

Anyway, Sam - Sheena. Sheena - Anya.

[Sheena tips her head slightly, first two fingers of her right hand tapping her rounded chin lightly before she settles back into the same position as before - her arms crossed, expression serious and cold. It sits unnaturally on her round face, one that seems far more suited to the kind of broad smile she used to flash after every victory, even if the furrow between her brow suggests it's not a new expression. She doesn't make the slightest attempt to disguise the fact she's sizing the two of them up: staring straight at them in turn, looking at their faces mostly, except when she looks to their hands, their knuckles. She might be retired, but old habits apparently die hard.

Which means it's Kun's turn to snort as he unfolds the brunch menu in front of him.]

Don't mind her. You two hungry?

I'm always hungry.

[ Hey, he's still growing. (He's absolutely still growing, don't even suggest he's going to be this short forever.)

He flips open his own menu and reads it over, seemingly ignoring the fact that he's being sized up. Maybe he should be a little more worried about what Sheena thinks of them, but - he's the one who's here to make this look natural, right?

Whatever else one might say about Sam Alexander, he rarely has a problem acting natural. ]

[Far be it from Lexa to meet someone's gaze completely and hold it for as long as necessary. If someone is going to size her up, she's going to do the same in return. Her eyes hold Sheena's for as long as necessary, lips in a straight line and expression unreadable. Though she has a resting expression that is harsher than most, she doesn't appear angry, merely focused.

There's no need to act casual. And besides: she had rejected the offer of someone like Ren being there, so she can't drop the ball now.

It's only when Sheena's gaze slips (assuming it does) that hers will, too, hands grabbing the menu before her to peruse for what will be the most delicious-sounding meat-filled dish.]

It's never wise to turn down food. [Survival 101. But a belief she can deliver without having to falsify any information.]

[Kun makes a low, amused noise and turns his attention to the menu in front of him as well. Sure. Fair enough. Not so long ago if he'd been invited up to some fancy rooftop joint like this he probably would've said something similar.]

Great. Order whatever you want. [He says it easy enough and even though he seems considerably more relaxed compared to the last time they'd crossed paths, there's clearly a kind of artifice to this: starkly obvious in Sheena's sharper lines, her hawkish attentiveness as she does nothing more than take a sip from her own glass of water. This might be a kind of necessary pleasantry, but it's obvious that both of them are here to talk business.

Speaking of-- Kun clears his throat and turns the menu over, speaking without raising his eyes from it.] So, you had something you wanted to talk to Sheena about?

[ That's Lexa's wheelhouse, so Sam continues looking the menu over and lets her take point on answering.

Ooh, pancakes! ]

I have two proposals. [One has been discussed with the Nest: the matter of the Flame. The other is in relation to a certain hacking group contacting them. Lexa feels like it's wise to try to make Mind Life useful if they are hesitant to do that.]

The first is that our group has been working to try to help matters here, and we've been dismayed by the recent violence and anti-synthetic ... emphasis. We saw a future where there would be no need to fear this, but we're worried that that future may not come to pass because of the circumstances now. Even if things relent, people may come to fear progress because of what they associate with it. [She speaks knowledgeably, even if her own experiences with this vary. More than that, she speaks as someone who doesn't work in security, but there's no use in pretending otherwise.]

But our group is very new, and we lack the foundation to try to help matters. We hoped that we could work with you to try to stymie some of what's recently erupted. [Lexa chooses not to go into the matter of the second proposal just yet, as that would be a lot at once.]

[Kun turns his attention from the menu to her - attentive, thoughtful.

Sheena makes no such effort. Lexa's words, as careful as they are, are met with an open scoff this time. Sheena is capable of being charming- charismatic and generous, but she doesn't seem to be making the slightest effort, here and now.]

Recent- [The word is clearly the beginning of a much longer exclamation, sharp and slightly too loud. But she bites her tongue, seeming to reconsider before continuing. She leans forward, arms still crossed.] Your group has been trying to help matters? That's news to me. I've never seen you speaking on the streets. You aren't volunteering at the local branches. I don't know a thing about 'your group', whoever they are. You just showed up in the right place at the right time, and honestly? Not that I don't appreciate you helping Kun out - that's why I'm here - but it all seems pretty convenient to me.

[The words come out all at once, hot on each other's tails. Clearly something she's been thinking about- worried about, perhaps.]

It's all just words, isn't it? What does your help mean to us?

[ Should he jump in? He's not sure he has a good answer aside from "be really earnest at her," and it's probably gonna take more than that, but Lexa's manner can be...off-putting.

Ugh.

But maybe this is where she drops her cool plan about the technology and the dead people in her head (?) or something and nips this in the bud.

He'll wait for her, first. ]

It should be seen as convenient, but not for the reasons you think. My people entered that competition because we hoped to speak to Kun-Kun—and you. We know where we falter. [There's no reason cutting out the middle information. They were not behind the bombing, but they were there for a reason. Lexa's willingness to reach out and help Kun-Kun and his people looked like kindness, but it was too directed to be seen as anything else. She knows that people savor truths. In that, she intends to give just enough to make things continue as they are.]

Perhaps it was too complicated, but direct means haven't served us. We have the skills, talent, and drive to help the synthetics of this world prosper, but we don't have the insider connections that a budding organization like ours requires. [There is a hint in the link between her and Sam that she is struggling here: the terminology is something she is far from confident in. She overall feels good about her approach, but that aspect is difficult.]

There are too many who claim they want to change what is happening here, but messages online and protests aren't enough. Many of us are willing and able to move to secure things as they are meant to be. Before you doubt us, I want to be clear: we want to stop the anti-synthetic movement, and we require help. Someone more powerful than us. [There is a card that she hasn't wielded yet: the one where Exxtra said that Mind Life couldn't act. It would be petty to play it now, to throw it out there and taunt her with it, but she does intend to use it if pushed. Challenging them to be effective may be a direction they have no choice but to take.]

[Sheena's guard doesn't drop. She's all sharp angles and square shoulders, tense down to the tips of her fingers.]

Do you realize how you sound?

[Her tone is lower, at least, but not quite hushed, and no more friendly.]

Mind Life has fought- and fought hard- for the position we hold. For the good name our organization has. For the respectability no one was willing to simply give us. We don't hold much sway, but we hold more than any other pro-synthetic organization. I will not put that at risk, and we will not compromise our morals. We are a peaceful group. That is our protection.

There are those among us who agree with your sentiments. [Yes, that means she doesn't consider herself one of them—but she has considered them just the same. Balancing the ideals of many is something that she learned to do long ago as commander. She knows some of them won't agree with her being as forthright as she is here, but they need an in, and a threatening, juvenile group of hackers is not it.]

And because they think that way, we're inclined to follow their lead. We don't want to harm anyone, but we do want to use subterfuge to put an end to the escalation of violence and sentiments in this world. If we don't, we have good reason to believe that things will get worse. You have to be worried about that, as well.

[Subterfuge isn't the same as killing people, though she knows that her people are willing to come to that conclusion. Still, to form this connection, she may need to make promises and do her best to hold to them. If not, they will have to be subtle about their methods moving forward to ensure that this connection doesn't shatter.]

[ Sam leans forward, elbows on the table and chin resting in his hands, casual posture a complete contrast to the very serious look on his face. ]

It's awesome that you're peaceful. I'm not trying to sound sarcastic or anything, I mean that. And we don't want to ruin that for you, especially since the other side...isn't, anymore. It makes how you're doing things even more important.

[ He has no idea if he's barking up the right tree or not, but that's never been his purpose here, anyway. Lexa's the one who has arguments and a knack for speechifying; Sam is just sincere and good at coming across that way. ]

We don't want to see another bombing.

[There's a flicker of something like impatience in Sheena's expression. Her brow furrows momentarily, the corner of her mouth pulls and then she smooths both away like it's a habit to do it. Honestly? It probably is. She's spent a lot of time in front of cameras.

Beside her, Adetkunbo clears his throat. He's clearly on the verge of interjecting--]

Look. [Sheena's tone is clipped.] If you want to help out Mind Life, you can volunteer with a local chapter. Do a fund raiser. Petition the block council for reformation. You don't want to see another bombing? That's really noble of you. Neither does most of the city. The difference is Mind Life is pursuing peaceful avenues to legitimize android life in the city in the eyes of the organic population so instead of thinking 'I don't want to stand too close to an android because it might get blown up', they think 'I need to protect this android from violence because it's a person too.'

I appreciate that you want to help. We could always use volunteers. But I'm not sure why you felt you had to talk to me to do it unless you actually had some kind of insight or plan and so far I haven't heard either.

[It occurs to Lexa that this is precisely why the hackers had seen Mind Life as a noble cause, but without much progress. The hackers are useless in their own way, too afraid of saving their own skins to act on what is happening in this world. But this is another side of righteous nobility that she doesn't like. That doesn't mean that she doesn't understand it. Let it be clear that she knows—in the link between her and Sam, even if she says nothing, the face of a woman surfaces in her mind. The name that comes with it is Luna.

A true leader can see that some callousness is to be expected. A true leader understands what might come of it. And otherwise, someone has to be dedicated to their cause. She had saved Luna's life because she understood that she bowed down knowing that she could not be their people's commander, but she also shunned their ways.

Lexa's lips twist downward.]

This is not a matter of volunteering. You are blind if you think something hasn't changed here. We are working to get to the bottom of it, but it will be much easier with your knowledge and support. Who are you seeking to convince? People are too afraid to see beyond their survival at this moment, and putting a stop to the violence is the first step to what you want.

[As for a plan, she hates revealing all of her hand, but she understands the (rather frustrating) necessity of it.]

Our officers are currently looking into Ven and Saffit, and possibly more. Without violent intentions. [These are public figures.] We want to ask questions.

As for my other proposal, it is something that will show humanity that people can evolve even as technology. I'm the first Host of it. But we haven't yet replicated it so that all the people of this world can see its value. By bringing people and androids together as one thing in the end, I believe we can further your cause. But right now, this technology that my people are working on will only feed into the present fears. We need to work on diminishing them. If you think I'm lying, we can find a scanner to see the implant in my body. It fuses with my central nervous system. [Becca is present near the forefront of her mind, helping her with the terms, and has been since before this meeting.

They just need to remake the Flame first.]

[ This is an arena beyond Sam's experience, a kind of responsibility he's never had to take on. His responsibility for people's lives begins and ends with the crisis or attack of the day, and while he sees plenty of things wrong in the world when he looks around, knowing how to change them is something that feels far bigger than him.

But he'd started watching a lot more news once he got into the superheroing business, because suddenly it all felt much more relevant. There were things he could do something about, and the ones he couldn't - well, he started hearing a lot more of them while looking for the rest. He's gotten used to seeing so many movements and people spinning their wheels and failing to get out of the ditch they were stuck in. So he's inclined to agree with Lexa's conviction that something has to be done, even if it's something difficult.

(And he's curious about that woman, but this isn't the time. He's not sure there is a time; there are plenty of surface thoughts he knows the rest of the nest has seen, but that he hopes fervently that nobody ever asks about.)

He doesn't interject, this time; Lexa's the one with the solid plans, and there isn't really much for him to add to that. ]

[A quizzical look flashes across Sheena's face, but before she can say anything, Adetkunbo pointedly clears his throat and manages to successfully jump in. Officers, he thinks. That's a strange word.

Maybe they're undercover public security. Wouldn't that be funny?]

I think what Sheena wants to know is what information you think she or Mind Life has. I'm not going to say I know everything she does [beside him, Sheena sniffs] but I'm not sure she really has anything you don't. Yeah, there's someone who has a bigger vendetta against androids but that's nothing new - it's just someone with a longer reach then the usual suspects, right Sheena?

[She nods, frown settling.] That's right. We've been doing triage, not investigation. We've got our usual stable of political enemies, but I doubt any of them are blowing up gaming parlors. No offense, Kun.

[Kun-Kun shrugs, unfazed, and closes the menu he's been using as a makeshift shield to distract himself from the conversation being bandied back and forth across the table.] I don't know anything about tech like that though. Sounds like an Ahtaliah Ven thing, honestly. [A beat. He glances to Sam who is, after all, very very young.] --You're not security, are you?

[It feels like a silly question to ask, doesn't it? 'Hey are you cops?']

[ He's pretty sure that between everything, they're suspect enough anyway that trying to keep up a cover story is kind of pointless. ]

No, we're not.

[ Well. He's kind of a cop, for a defunct peacekeeping force that probably doesn't exist in this universe anyway, but that's not exactly the point here. ]

We're not working for anybody. [ It perhaps depends on how one defines working, but Sam's never thought that was the right word for the nest. It's not like they're getting paid, after all - or even compelled to be particularly helpful. More like they're in agreement to work with the nest. ] And we're trying to watch everybody.

[ Because the problem could start anywhere. He'd be the first - was the first - to say that they had a very big problem with Public Safety, after all. ]

I don't mean to put down what you guys are doing, I think that's important too. But it's like - it's not gonna get better if all anyone can do is keep putting band-aids on it. We're trying to get to the bottom of the rabbit hole. It'd help you guys get the message across a lot better if you don't have so many roadblocks, right?

And what we're developing is something that I would rather not trust to Ven. The parlor wasn't the first bombing. [It occurs to her (and this is a thought that relays to Sam) that they might be able to look into what caused the bombing in both locations. Has a link been found? That will have to be looked into later.] I believe that you're the only people with the foundation and integrity to take what we have and show that people are no different from androids. [If they do it peacefully.

The problem, and this relays back to what Sam said, is they need to pave the way. There is no path, only the potential for fear.]

Right now, we find it difficult to rule out any suspects. If you're so certain, we'd appreciate the ability to cross some names off our list.

[Sheena's mouth narrows to a thin slash before she busies herself with taking a drink from her water glass. Not for the first time today, she wishes she still drank.]

[From Kun-Kun:] Ven's a good guy. Or you know, good enough I think. He's about the company, but he's got his head screwed on pretty straight as far as I know. But if you're really so uneasy... I don't know - Sheena, do you have tech people who could look at this thing?

[She shrugs, attention still pinned to Lexa and Sam.] Sure, maybe. But I'm not sure we have any connections for implementation. [That's officially out of her wheelhouse, thanks.] But-- [And that's crisp, a little grudging and a lot uneasy but she's saying it anyway:] I might be able to get you some information about the people we know to narrow your list down a little bit. I can do that much for you.

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