maskormenace | [ Video ] | MIRROR NETWORK

[ video comes up, and there is Kaneki and Cass looking at the camera. He is sitting down with a serious expression and nods at Cass to let her know he will start ] It has been a week since the Death Island Swear-in, and we actually have a lot of things to discuss. [ so… many… ]

During the Swear-In, myself and a team of imPorts met with an OTO representative from a less extreme branch of their organization. We talked and they said all they want to do is to send us home: this branch has no plans on killing us, but they also don’t really care about Atropos. All they want is for us to go home. So they suggested us working together on just that: they want us to establish a spy to report back on government and imPort projects regarding the imPort multiverses and multidimensional advances. In return, they’d do the same and tell us about their own interdimensional travel efforts. [ by kaneki’s expression, he is not Impressed. ]

We decided we would ask the imPort community what you want to do. Ideas, options, opinions. I do want to remind you, however, we never established direct contact with the OTO before, this is the first time. [ so it’s good to think things through.

After, Kaneki will look back at Cass because this trip is not over yet. ]

Yeah, I’m here too. Again. [ She’s starting to realize this is a pattern, at this point. ] So, if you’re wondering about the actual permanent-death-inducing laser cannon that caused what we were all memorializing over there- it’s not there anymore. And it’s probably in the hands of OTO. Because we can’t have a single fucking moment of peace around here, obviously.

[ After taking a moment to rub her forehead: ] Specifically, it’s owned by a company called Agile Systems Solutions that OTO owns most of the stock of- well, companies associated with them do. Let’s just say it’s OTO and get it over with. Kaneki’s thinking we should pool our combined riches and harness the power of late capitalism to worm our way in, so if you’re an imPort that actually has money, feel free to pitch in, I guess. Or whatever you want to do. Point is, something that can off any of us for good is in the hands of a bunch of mass murderers who want to murder us specifically, which makes me think we probably shouldn’t trust them with any spies...but obviously we’re all leaving that to you people. Try not to lose your shit.

That plan from- uh- Psychopomp and I last month is still on the table, by the way. [ She sighs. ] Like I said. Try to actually think before you pitch a fit, here? We kind of have a potential apocalypse to prevent.

((ooc: mirror network))

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[Jacob spreads his hands.]

Hey, I got tired of saying 'that cell' or 'this group.' So we're giving them codenames now. 'Otis' are the ones who want to send us home and are willing to talk. 'Otto' are the ones with the nukes and death satellites.

[A pause.]

Who names a dog Otis, anyway?

You're making them sound adorable. Like matching twins at the day care.

Also- a lot of people? Isn't it common? What do they name dogs where you're from?

You know- Rover. Spot. Pyjack. Normal stuff.

Anyway, it's not supposed to make them sound cute. Just- familiar. People we can know and stop.

So you’re saying Rover and Spot lasted into the age of space exploration, and not Otis. Okay?

[ Truly some revelations here, Jacob. ]

Fine, fine. I see your point. I just don’t think I’m up for humanizing them much these days.

I'll be honest, I'm not sure Otis was ever really on the list in my universe. Might be different in your dimension.

['Pyjack' on the other hand is very popular.]

And I get that. They've done things no one should ever forgive. I've just learned from being here that finding the bad guys and throwing them in jail isn't always what works.

Take the Soviets, for instance. You weren't here for this, but they did a lot of damage. Torture, brainwashing, kidnapping... starting a war. For a while there I thought we'd have to go all the way to Moscow to shut them down. But now, there's been peace for years. It cost a hell of a lot, but it happened. I never saw it coming.

But an entire country full of civilians is a lot different than a company people have chosen to join, isn’t it? I mean, I get the job hunt is hard, but they have a lot more of a choice there. I’m not exactly worried about collateral damage with them.

[ That may be dismissive, though. Cassandra realizes Jacob has gone through a lot more on this front, and she realizes she ought to not take away from his views on that front. ]

But I get it- I haven’t seen as much here as you. But I’m not sure it’s going to matter. It doesn’t seem like anyone here wants a spy.

Seems that way. Maybe it's for the best. It was always going to be a long shot, and with heavy risk.

[Still, something in Jacob's voice sounds disappointed.]

The OTO has civilians involved too, just so you know. They work through corporate affiliates that seem legitimate. Half the time I've hit one of their bases, I've found it full of low-wage contractors with no real idea of what they're involved in. Lousy working conditions too, but you'd expect that with people like this.

Edited 2019-02-09 16:53 (UTC)

Shit. Then do you think...

[ It’s a wild idea, but the journalist in her is working. ]

What happens if we let those people know who they’re really working for? Sure, a lot of them probably need work, but they also have to have moral compasses, right?

[It may be exciting to her, but it's just another shrug from Jacob.]

Anything's worth a try. But Aegis has been publicizing every piece of dirt we've found on these people for months. The Shimmer, Atropos, the nukes, the human experiments... all of it. If it's caused any mass resignations or protest, I haven't seen any sign of it.

Sometimes people don't care. Or they don't get the message. Or they've got no choice but to get a paycheque wherever they can.

[ Ugh. Her derision is clear. ] You're probably right. And I don't see much of a point of making the general public panic with some of the shit we know. That's the fucking problem, isn't it? We probably can't get anyone to intervene unless we tell this to everyone, and I definitely fucking want to, but it could just make things worse.

[ She taps her fingers on the table she's sitting at, obviously frustrated. ]

I don't know how you've handled this for so long. It's annoying, to put it lightly.

[Jacob chuckles, a little ruefully.]

It's great that you think I've been handling it. To tell you the truth, I'm just trying to do the right thing and making the rest up as I go along. Every day.

World's still here, so maybe I've been doing something right.

Well, it's working. Or- at least it's giving the impression it's working, so there's that. I think most of us would rather have Aegis here than not.