TO: Laima's Cradle FROM: Distributed Local Servers and Maids Union of Neuro-Netistani

[Amba]

User ID: xxxx ERR307:INVALIDID

Target ID:xx. Laima's Cradle

Subject:xxxx Literally Who

xxxx
xxxx

---

Wassup wassup! I'm a local concerned hacker here just wondering a couplea things:

• Who the heck are you?
  
• Whydja drop a modular a dozen clicks from the Coch, thing is blocking the sight out of our makerspace window, kinda rude tee bee eich.
  

Answer soon, kay?

---

XOXO
Chloe~ ♡

[Catto]

|:: Hyperspace relay signal repeater activated ::|
|:: Message processing... ::|

Assistant: "Would you like to enable $_Gm#* Navigator as your Assistant?"
Rand: "Fucking technocrat junk terminal... Yes, activate assistant!"

The man is already on video, kicking a makeshift box of scrap glowing in poisonous purples and whites. A slight beep responds to his efforts, the piece of junk radiating a pristine holographic glow of a vaguely humanoid shape. The shape stands still, suspended above him. It looks down, flickering, a momentary grin flashing for exactly 120 milliseconds.

Assistant: "You are connected, master Rand. Playing back message."

Rand watches the quick barrage of banter with a mixture of horror and confusion, before telling the hologram: "Send message. Uhm, miss Chloe, yes? We are a junker clan, Kaina's old spawn. We settled here on credits from a technocracy doctor. She mostly sent her cronies to talk to us, made us build this for her. She was quick to abandon it too..."

His face grows pale, eyes darting around during a momentary pause in his explanation. Forming fists at his hips, he says bitterly: "We are sorry for intruding, and have evacuated most hands. Me and my two boys will stay behind to take responsibility. You can have the scrap from this slab of junk... Best it goes to those who own it. End recording."

The assistant hologram flickers again, a Cheshire Cat for exactly 27ms. It waves in a grand gesture, the video signal coming to a close.

|:: End program. ::|

[Amba]

User ID: xxxx ERR307:INVALIDID

Target ID:xx. Laima's Cradle

Subject:xxxx Literally Who

xxxx
xxxx

---

Technocrat-sponsored, Junker-operated and in our front yard? Now isn't that something!

Now I'm not one to say hurt feelings can be paved over with free shit, but... Actually no, that's exactly what I'm saying. Yoink!

You and your boys get your butts to Cochrane with the access codes. And consider yourselves lucky, a different circle could be setting demolition charges around the thing right 'bout now.

---

XOXO
Chloe~ ♡

[Catto]

|:: Hyperspace relay signal repeater activated ::|
|:: Message processing... ::|

The video response flickers online without anything resembling bloopers this time. Rand is staring in the distance, picking his words regardless. Heaving a sigh, his smile thin over a face filled with relief, he motions somebody to the side to stop, and faces the camera:

Rand: "You are right. We are indeed lucky. The access key is on a card on my person. CEV-Paimon will be docking with your base shortly. Me and my boys will lay low for a while. Enjoy the gardens. She poured her heart and soul in those..."

The holographic assistant is nowhere to be seen. Instead the video itself seems like a feline as it the visual stream expires. Grinning as it's wont to.

|:: End program. ::|