...neural.uplink detected...
...starting encryption...
...establishing connection...
identified: Lazurith transmission point of origin: Heisenberg Research Station currently connected to: rh48_bb7relay ⚠ New AUG-O-LE00 connection registered.
Transmitting visual data to implant.
...TRANSLATING DATA...
Sure. Just give me a time. I'm sorry I've been keeping to myself a little by not being super talkative, I'm trying to slowly digest the shitshow that was yesterday.
On another note, I didn't expect either of them to be so lighthearted, and maybe even chaotic. But you know what? I'm glad I got to meet them in person. They're fun gals. Somehow even more chaotic than Aspen, and that's a very high bar to vault over.
...transmission complete
...terminating stream
Parameter scripting and basic encryption keys provided by Ames Tech Center®. For more information, please visit us at (err.location:invalid)
...neural.uplink detected...
...starting encryption...
...establishing connection...
identified: Lazurith transmission point of origin: N/A currently connected to: disconnectedrelay ⚠ New AUG-O-LE00 connection registered.
Transmitting visual data to implant.
...TRANSLATING DATA...
Hey.
I am alive and well. Kind of, my chest got a little bit of a glow-up since last time. No, I'm not talking about boobs, I only have a few more tubes crammed inside me now. Because my ticker apparently kind of went wild for a little bit due to "incomprehensible forces from outer spheres", so now I have to take these assimilation pills to make my body accept said tubes so that there's no internal augmentation bodily rejection, which in turn forces me to pop painkillers like they are candy. Go figure.
...Witty remarks aside, I don't even know what the fuck happened the other night. I remember waking up in a very, very dark clinic, and now I'm being told I went a little psycho. But hey, that's just another brush with death for me. You know... I should probably seriously consider not doing anything crazy anymore. Next time something stupid happens to me might just be the time I'll draw my last breath.
As for you... I've been told some very strange things about you. Did you really try to kill me while I was knocked out? I can't believe I'm asking this, please tell me it's just another paranoid, schizophrenic lie.
...transmission complete
...terminating stream
Parameter scripting and basic encryption keys provided by Ames Tech Center®. For more information, please visit us at (err.location:invalid)
Rebecca and I discussed it, but neither of us tried. Are you surprised, though? Like, seriously?
I let Relevant win. I broke up with you. That is what she wanted, so there is nobody left that gives you a reality check. Nobody gives you a second opinion. Nobody left to make you doubt something that could not be more obvious. You are fully hers now, and fully Harbinger's.
Do you not see anything off about something called Harbinger, of a species that wants to kill mankind, desperately wanting to open a vault of unknown contents? For all we know, it could lead to the acopalypse! Caliban did us all the favor of killing himself, so the vault stays closed. And then, once you are weakened and Revanent knows about it, boom, you get turned into the next key, just like that. And I cannot help but feel that you like it that way. After all, you are finally of some value to Revanent. Not as a human being, but as the key.
So, yeah. We discussed it while you two were waiting for the rescue team. It was fully up to Rebecca to make the call, because if it had been up to me alone, Revanent would be dead now, and you would be with me. I would have brought you to the Cryer facility on Denver, thrown millions around and told them to do everything they can to help you. And possibly revert what Harbinger did.
But Rebecca, despite looking at it from all perspectives, thinks that only Relevant can help you, and that you are still you, despite whatever is in your head, and despite Harbinger's influence. So, here we are. Relevant won. Harbinger won. They have the key, and to get rid of any doubts, they told you that I tried to kill you. Wrong wording, no context at all. Now you are frightened, confused, weakened and probably lacking any kind of freedom, if you ever had any.
I do not know what to do now. It feels like I have lost everything with you, and it feels like Sirius will burn because Rebecca and I allowed Relevant to live. She made a pact with a devil and thinks she can get her hands on whatever is in the vault. But in reality, that devil cannot be controlled or outsmarted. That devil wants what is inside the vault for himself, and that devil is called Harbinger. Apparently that name is not on the nose enough for the clever heads at the Technomancy. Not even for you. One of the brightest heads I got to meet, apart from Aspen and Madeleine. And yet, ignoring any doubts, you return to Relevant over and over again, do her every bidding and blindly help her open this damn vault without knowing anything about it, casually taking the risk of the end of mankind.
Casually taking the risk of getting Rebecca killed. Of getting me killed. Of getting Aspen killed. Of getting everyone killed. Everyone you love, everyone of value to you. Everyone who does not treat you like Relevant does.
And you seriously get angry about me calling you a puppet!? All I ever wanted for you was to be happy, and all Revanent ever wanted was the opposite of that. How can you not be a puppet, knowing that yourself? Having said so yourself? When we slept for the first time together on Freeport 14, you were clinging onto me like I was the first person in your life to give you warmth and love and sanctuary. The first person to accept you the way you are. The first person to not care about your augments, or even adore them. Your silly shining blue eyes, the stuff on your arm, the lines of metal across your body. Even in the purest darkness, being with you illuminated everything around us.
Rebecca tried to share her infinite wisdom with me when I left Omicron Delta, saying that the bitter truth is better than a sweet lie. You want the bitter truth? Even if we had agreed to kill you, I would not have been able to do it. How could I? Even now, I still cannot stop thinking about you. I still love you! Despite me having two girlfriends who do everything to make me happy. Despite you being with Rebecca, the woman who tried to murder me. Despite you being a blind goon of that monster Relevant. Despite Harbinger having made you a key. Despite everything! Do you get that? And where does that make sense? I cannot stay mad at you. All I want is you to be alive and happy, and for you to be with me!
EFUSE MACHID STATUS: ONLINE
NEURAL UPLINK: ONLINE
CONNECTION STATUS: ONLINE
ENTRY POINT: H7 MASTERDECK (STATUS: ONLINE)
VERIFYING CHECKSUM... OK
MASTERDECK START ATTR = 0X1273000
LEN = 0X3EE800
FLAT DEVICE TREE START ADDR = 0X12B1E800
LEN = 0X43F980
MAGIC=0XEDFE00
EFUSE MACHID IS NOT SET.
USING MACHID 0XF81 FROM BACKUP FILES
FROM DEVICE TREE MASTERDECK/PRF_RESERVED_END
FOR RELOCATE POSDISK 1
LOADING POSDISK TO 05008000... OK
USER ID: LAZURITH transmission point of origin: SOME DISGUSTING ARMPIT IN SIRIUS currently connected to: odlt_fp11relay
It's been a while. How have you been? I'm wondering if you have a minute to stop by for a chat with yours truly.
A lot has happened since I've been brought out of Kepler. Like this burner connection, for example - don't be intimidated. Its sole purpose is to lessen my odds of being magically traced across Sirius.
It's up to you whether you want to waste another minute listening to me or not. But the choice is yours nonetheless.
EFUSE MACHID STATUS: ONLINE
NEURAL UPLINK: ONLINE
CONNECTION STATUS: ONLINE
ENTRY POINT: H7 MASTERDECK (STATUS: ONLINE)
VERIFYING CHECKSUM... OK
MASTERDECK START ATTR = 0X1273000
LEN = 0X3EE800
FLAT DEVICE TREE START ADDR = 0X12B1E800
LEN = 0X43F980
MAGIC=0XEDFE00
EFUSE MACHID IS NOT SET.
USING MACHID 0XF81 FROM BACKUP FILES
FROM DEVICE TREE MASTERDECK/PRF_RESERVED_END
FOR RELOCATE POSDISK 1
LOADING POSDISK TO 05008000... OK
USER ID: LAZURITH transmission point of origin: SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY, DENVER currently connected to: lidv_pb07relay
I'm on my way, though I'm half expecting this talk to be the last one. I haven't been quite the stellar example of a human being ever since this whole Sentinel business went down, and I feel like you've probably grown quite tired of me by this point. I don't blame you. This path I'm walking made me do some terrible choices I don't know how to fix any longer. If you're out to... slap me for my choices, my face is ready.