[ text / action ]

[microbrobotics]

[ Well, here he is. A scrawny fourteen-year-old boy hanging around outside of De Chima residence #001, seriously considering whether or not it would be a good idea to go in. Hiro trusts authority about as far as he can throw 'em - so, not much with his current stick arms. So there he is, wavering back from the threshold of the house ... and opting to check out this network instead. Maybe he can dig up enough info to set his mind at ease.

He's hacked into the security settings on his comm to make him show up as anonymous on the network. Not hard to crack or trace, but also not immediately broadcasting his full name to the world at large. ]

so, what. everyone just uses their full names on here? doesn't that strike anyone else as being weird?

[ He settles himself on a small bench near #001, still tapping furiously. ]

because that sounds weird to me. no offense, but wow who taught all of you guys about internet privacy, facebook? after getting pulled here we really oughta be a little more paranoid.

speaking of which: Cluster. tech company. on a scale of one to Cyberdyne, how evil is this place?

[ He hunkers down after that, splitting his attention between the screen and #001 behind him. If anyone looks like they're living there, he sure does want to get a good look at 'em. Maybe even start a conversation if they're prospective roommates ... ]

Comments

Re: text;

[microbrobotics]

[ Ha. At least there's someone out there who gets not having their last name out on the internet. ]

maybe i am famous. maybe i'm suuuuuper famous.

[dragony]

If that's the case, get used to being suuuuuper not. Unless you're from the same corner of multidimensional reality as a ton of others, celebrity won't mean much either.

But since you said "maybe," it's pretty much a guarantee that you're not.

[microbrobotics]

[ Well now he's miffed a little. Even though he usually could not care less about that kind of thing. ]

i was in the paper and stuff. superhero, secret identity, the whole thing.

[dragony]

Oh? Are you certain you want to be saying something like that to a bunch of strangers?

For someone acting concerned about preserving their anonymity, you're starting to send mixed signals.

[ The tone is somewhere between teasing and warning, but who can tell things like that over text? ]

[microbrobotics]

guess i shouldn't tell you i'm the last son of an alien world that exploded either.

[dragony]

Oh? Is that why you're asking all the other "aliens" to prove it? Looking for lost kin?

[microbrobotics]

[ Aww, man. He's already busted, isn't he. ]

um yeah. exactly that. you wouldn't understand being a terrestrial and all.

[dragony]

[ totes. ]

Are you sure about that?

[microbrobotics]

are YOU an alien too?

[dragony]

There's more options than "human" and "alien," you know P) You should probably get used to the idea.

Since you're obviously not used to it yet.

[microbrobotics]

well you're too smart to be a robot.

[dragony]

I appreciate the compliment, but there are some pretty sharp robots and inorganic entities around here, too. One of my first friends was a robot.

[ and maybe kind of an idiot... but details. ]

[microbrobotics]

you can be friends with a robot too. but there's a big difference between a good AI and a person, y'know?

[dragony]

I know. He was definitely more "person" than "software." Most of the ones that end up in places like here are.

Is that what you do? Build robots?

[microbrobotics]

mmmmmaybe?

[dragony]

Between asking about a tech company before anything else, and that whole conversation about "Swiss Army Legs" and islands of robots...

Well, I can't say a "yes" would surprise me too much.

[ hey public convos are totes fair game for being a mild jackass to new arrivals. ]

[microbrobotics]

[ Ouch. Hoist by his own enthusiasm for geeky things. ]

you're the reason why i don't like putting my real name on the internet.

[dragony]

I'm harmless, I promise.

But, do you understand my meaning, now? Hiding your name won't protect you much, if you're so quick to expose your heart without it.

[microbrobotics]

there's plenty of people out there who like robots and stuff. that's not unusual.

[dragony]

No, it's not.

But you're right to be suspicious. Not everyone here is a hero, and aside from that, not everyone has good intentions. A weak defense like this won't protect you much, if protection is what you're after.

Of course, no one can know if you have good intentions, either.

[microbrobotics]

[ He fiddles with his comm for a while after that comment. Suddenly, he's not having quite as much fun messing around on the internet. ]

first hand experience?

[dragony]

I've been around a while. I've seen it happen, more than once.

[microbrobotics]

who? is there someone to watch out for?

[dragony]

A few.

[microbrobotics]

can you tell me who?