001 [video]

[facilitating]

[Hello, Old City. First-timer to the network here, not like she'll act the part.]

I haven't had time to do much digging around, so I don't know whether or not this is any kind of plausible, but if anyone's tripped over an old computer or even some kind of smart-phone, I'd bet the completely useless cash-contents of my wallet that I can not only get it working again, but set up some kind of alternative network. Trust me, it's... kind of my job.

[She offers a slight grin, in general good humor rather than any specific amusement.]

Bonus points if you have any clue where I can find some coffee. Quality is completely irrelevant at this point--I'm not sure if caffeine deprivation really exists, but if I have any kind of a choice, I'd rather not pick now to find out.


[to those with modern-day cell phones or laptops]

[The next time you turn on your phone or laptop, you'll find a message waiting for you. For phones, a text. For computers, what looks like an e-mail, but alerted on the desktop rather than through a specific e-mail client.]

Attempt number four to make contact with compatible devices. If you read me, a heads up would be fantastic.

Comments

[Video]

[catchingflies]

[Oh hey, look who that is! Todd pulls up his phone to reply, because at least she's a familiar face. He even grins at her.]

Hey there, blondie. Guess you been busy, huh?

[He might offer to help. Maybe. In a minute.]

[Video]

[facilitating]

[Blondie? Then again, she's definitely had worse nicknames. So while she raises her brows at the term a bit, she offers a grin right back.]

A bit.

How about you? [That's more like 'how are you doing alone in this big giant apocalyptic city, unsupervised teenage boy?', but she can't exactly put it like that.]

[Video]

[catchingflies]

[He grins back at her s'more.]

Bored like crazy. But I did find some giant mosquitos th'other day, those were kind of awesome.

[Nevermind that Chloe doesn't know yet that he eats them.]

Ain't seen any computers or nothin' 'cept what's on the ship. Or coffee. But I s'ppose I could look for ya. Might take me a bit, though.

[Video]

[facilitating]

[Giant mosquitoes? Strange kid. Helpful, but very strange.

Alternatively, 'typical boy'.]

That'd be great, actually. [An appreciative smile.] And it'd do a thing or two for that boredom.

[Video]

[catchingflies]

Yeah, here's hopin', right? I'll see what I can scrape up for ya!

[And he thinks he's gonna start at the spaceship, since he hasn't had much luck with the city thus far, finding anything really interesting....]

[Video]

[facilitating]

Just keep in touch, okay? [Because no offense meant, but she has every intention of keeping you out of further trouble.]

[Video]

[catchingflies]

[Good luck with that, Chloe. Todd is made of trouble.]

Yeah, yeah, sure.

[He flaps a hand at her, like it's no big deal. She's cool, anyway.]

You too, right?

[Video]

[facilitating]

Right.

[knightoflight]

There was a computer in the ship. I'm not sure how functional. [Wing shrugs. It was all scaled for people much smaller than he is.]

[facilitating]

Thanks, I'll check it out.

[knightoflight]

I wish you luck. The programming is in some foreign script that the others haven't been able to read.

[facilitating]

[One of the few times she regrets no longer being the unwilling host to a corruptive and parasitic alien supercomputer. If she were, she'd be able to decipher the script in an hour, maybe two. As it is?]

It's worth a try, anyway. Who knows, I might just get lucky.

Video

[thecricketer]

[The Doctor offers a crooked smile. He's back in his hospital room, reluctantly. He's still wearing his frock coat over his gown, though.]

I've not seen any computers myself, but Edmund would be the man to ask.

Video

[facilitating]

Any chance there's more than one Edmund around? The one I talked to wasn't exactly the most helpful person I've run into.

Video

[thecricketer]

He can be - for a certain price. I may be able to help with that, I've been doing a fair bit of scavenging.

...Or, rather, I was.

Video

[facilitating]

[She sounds amused now.] How mysteriously vague. Not that it's any of my business, but that has 'stuck at the hospital' written all over it. [Though if the network's anything to judge, he isn't the only one stuck.]

Video

[thecricketer]

[He can't help but grin.]

Oh, blast, I've been found out.

Video

[facilitating]

So I have to ask: How bad is it? On a scale of 'the doctors are paranoid' to 'quadriplegic'.

[text]

[tiptoeing]

I read you. I'm going to see what I have to trade around here to get a decent computer, so I'll let you know what I find out.

[text]

[facilitating]

[Success.

As much as she wants to celebrate the first attempt that hasn't bombed, this is one of those occasions where less is probably more.

So let's start simple.]

That very well might make my day.

My name is Chloe Sullivan. What about you?

[text]

[tiptoeing]

Dr. Bruce Banner, nice to meet you. Have you had much luck contacting other devices, or just mine?

[text]

[facilitating]

Three, counting yours. But I'm sure there are more. Some might be dead or turned off because "they're useless here".

[text] /horribly late sob

[tiptoeing]

Who told you that? And what did they mean by "useless", exactly?

[text]

[facilitating]

It wasn't a direct quote or anything. That's just the general consensus, when something has a limited battery and no connectivity to any known network.

[text]

[tiptoeing]

I wonder if either of those problems could be fixed.

[text/anon]

[hackreality]

read you. - whistler

[she hesitates before signing it with her online handle. it could be a trap, after all.]

[facilitating]

excellent. you're the second. - chloe.

[There's a slight delay in her reply--she alternates between 'chloe' and 'watchtower' four or five times, before she decides she doesn't have the means to protect Watchtower's identity here and shouldn't try to until it's more of a guarantee.

Besides, a handle shows mistrust, and giving a handle right back might seem like it's a well-placed mistrust.]

[hackreality]

Neat :V Nice setup you have here btw, I am impressed. I don't think the dome guys are going to catch onto this for a while. Don't suppose you're a VA?

Also: did I just offer you coffee

[text/not anon]

[hackreality]

We've been able to scrounge some computer parts and we've been working on similar stuff—"we" being me, Judy, and Kaidan Alenko. If you're good at the hardware stuff that's great, since I'm more of a software person, haha.

Also I'm pretty sure I have a couple packets of instant left somewhere in the bottom of my bag if you want them. I'll be at the ship for the next couple hours, so look for me there if you want them.

[facilitating]

Technically, I'm all about the software too, but where I'm from, the only way to keep a computer entirely off the grid is to build it yourself.

And that would be fantastic. Not sure what I have to trade for it though? Besides DVDs that are probably totally obsolete here anyway.

[hackreality]

Oh, no, it's totally fine! It'll give me more incentive to work on synthesizing a coffee substitute, anyway.

[Text]

[pepperspray]

I read you. This is the first service on this I've gotten since walking off the ship. How far is the coverage area?

[facilitating]

Not very far at all. It's a little like a mobile hotspot. But now I'm thinking that's the next thing to test.

I'm Chloe. How about you?

[pepperspray]

Pepper Potts. About to head out on a trip to the next town down the road, hence my interest in range.

[facilitating]

Hate to say it, but you're probably out of luck on that one.

[And then a few seconds later, a second text:]

For now.

[pepperspray]

I do love people with plans. I seem to be falling into a sort of unofficial trade liason role working with Edmund, if you believe two trips is a pattern. Is there anything you need to help those plans along?

[facilitating]

Technology. A computer, plus the fixings to build some kind of cell/internet tower.

[pepperspray]

A functioning computer is a challenge and would probably have to be brought in from farther afield. You'll either need to salvage or create goods worth the cost associated with trading for it -- talk to Edmund to get an idea of that -- or be willing to do work-in-kind to cover it. Again, Edmund.

Communications towers, depending on the complexity you might be able to salvage components from the Old City itself. I believe a Major Alenko had some plans in that regard, although he seems to be pursuing another project at the moment. He may have some useful information, though.

You might want to be sure you can camouflage the tower or towers -- the Outer Authorities really don't like the idea of the local population getting organized.

[facilitating]

I don't trust Edmund. That seems to mess up every part of the plan, though, doesn't it?

Noted, re: towers. I wasn't exactly planning to advertise, anyway.

[pepperspray]

Is it that you don't trust him because he's local and unknown to you, or has he done something to earn it?

Edmund's priorities appear to be turning a profit, tempered by the continued safety and security of the locals. Bringing the authorities down on here again is just bad for business.