mental link: day 34

[erbier]

[ It is actually quite late when Ilde's soft voice moves through the hosts, her scent of smoke and earth. She is at a club somewhere deep in the city, dazzled by noise and light, something you are free to establish if you look for it. ]

( It has been suggested to me by a hacker named Y that I throw a concert to lure our bombers out again. )

[ This part is forthright, a statement of fact with no value attachment to it. ]

( I believe she is questioning who I really am. If I refuse this idea, I may encourage that. )

[ This may not be strictly true, but it is how Ilde has perceived their conversation. ]

( She seems to know something, but is it worth losing my guise? If not, how am I to refuse this suggestion and maintain it. I do not know if she is a part of the group who contacted us before. She may already know I am false and this is all a game. )


OOC: link & all threadjacking here very much encouraged!

Comments

[deployed]

( She could just be using you to stage another bombing. There's no guarantee we'd be able to prevent something like what happened at the parlor. )

[erbier]

( Correct, but if she is staging another bombing she will do it regardless of me. )

[deployed]

( If she does, your name won't be attached to it. )

[ though that being said— ]

( They could be targeting you. )

[erbier]

( They can target any of us to find the others, yes. )

[ Well, that's where her mind goes with it anyway. If one cover story is compromised it is not hard to simply follow one of them back to the Bearings and find the others. ]

[deployed]

( So maybe we don't make it easy for them. )

[ It's not really the hackers Bellamy's worried about, but what they could bring down onto them. ]

[erbier]

( Yes. That is my hope. I worry with so much attention on me if I should not be staying at the Bearings at all. )

[deployed]

( There are people who've stayed elsewhere, ) [ Subspace, away from the clutch of the brood. Bellamy understands the need for privacy, but it still makes him antsy. He's about as fond of this idea as he had of knowing Bucky was isolated from the rest of them. ] ( We could protect you better here. When are you speaking to her next? )

[erbier]

( She has set a date. )

[ pretend like we know what it is... ]

[deployed]

[ this seems like Bad News ]

( You can't go alone. Can you bring someone? Ren? )

[ because who can diffuse a tense situation better than kylo ren ]

[erbier]

[ HER ANGER FLARES HOT LIKE THE BURNING OF A THOUSAND SUNS. NO SHE WILL NOT BE TAKING KYLO FUCKING REN WITH HER. ]

( Mara will be accompanying me. )

[deployed]

[ jesus christ ren what did you do now ]

( From the new hatch? They won't question it? )

[erbier]

( She is experienced in this kind of work. I trust her to manage herself. )

[deployed]

( I'm not questioning Mara. )

[ except that he is ]

( Will your contact be skeptical about bringing her along? )

[erbier]

( We will manage that. )

[narcissithstic]

(You're making a mistake.)

[erbier]

( It's mine to make. )

[narcissithstic]

(Suit yourself.)

[It's punctuated by a petty surge of anger; here's hoping you later regret this decision, Ilde.]

[erbier]

[ I wasn't asking your permission (¯ω¯) ノ ゙ ⌒ ☆ ミ (o _ _) o ]

[snaphiss]

( Are you really sure he's... cut out for this line of work? )

[Really now.]

[deployed]

( They'd been seen together before. It would be less suspicious. )

[ delicately avoids saying "not even a little" ]

( We could send in a third team to keep an eye on things from a distance. )

[snaphiss]

( It won't be necessary. I'm more than capable of handling anything this 'Y' woman dishes out. )

[...Wait.]

( Or are you volunteering? )

[erbier]

( Nirad has volunteered, but we could use more members with skills to remain unseen. )

[snaphiss]

( Tell me about Nirad, and this man as well. )

[deployed]

( Y might not be alone either. )

[ oh boy ]

( Yes. )

[snaphiss]

( I can handle that as well, but your concern is charming. )

[How To Make Friends And Influence People, by Mara Jade.]

( What would you do? )