patrol

[thinkering]

When Lorica's been a Ward for a few months they start pushing her to go out on patrols. She still hasn't finished the suit for her dad, although hers is good until it gets field-tested and she knows what to add - and there are other projects she'd like to spend PRT money on - but she's playing the game, so she goes patrolling. She's an exemplary member of her little team, mostly because by luck she gets along with the fellow who's appointed leader; they start letting her go alone with a little flock of scout robots.

She's doing a sort of aerial parkour, flying but touching down on roofs and jogging along occasionally to get a closer look at anybody wandering by, in a zigzag over a nest of side streets. Her suit's a little louder than she'd like, some kind of joint deterioration. She can fix that when she gets back in.

Comments

[tenn_ambar_metta]

"I'm a very literal person."

[thinkering]

"The two things aren't mutually exclusive."

[tenn_ambar_metta]

"No, they're not. Maybe I just don't think you're very funny."

[thinkering]

"Damn. Have to work on that."

[tenn_ambar_metta]

"I wouldn't bother. My reactions are probably extremely atypical."

[thinkering]

"Noted."

[tenn_ambar_metta]

Eventually, the vehicle comes to a stop. He presses another key and the doors spring open.

[thinkering]

Out Lorica steps. Where has she been brought, pray tell?

[tenn_ambar_metta]

The area within a five-foot radius of the door is relatively free of debris. The rest of the space is covered with tools, scraps of material, and unfinished projects in varying stages of completion. One workspace is relatively neat and seems to be in use, others look like they haven't been touched in weeks.

[thinkering]

"What an archaeology project. Okay, what are you showing me?"

[tenn_ambar_metta]

"This way." He leads her to an intimidating door near the back of the workshop and conducts a series of identity verifications. "There are a few additional security measures past this point. Don't worry. They're mostly harmless."

[thinkering]

"Is that a Hitchhiker's reference or do I need to be quizzing you in more detail?"

[tenn_ambar_metta]

"Yes."

[thinkering]

"Right, explain, then."

[tenn_ambar_metta]

"They'll only activate in the presence of people with certain abilities. They shouldn't activate at all if I'm present, but I haven't exactly had the chance to test that."

[thinkering]

"And what are the abilities, just in case?"

[tenn_ambar_metta]

"Tinkers, mostly, anyone who could figure out how to use what I have here. A few specific individuals. That's all."

[thinkering]

"Aaand what will happen if your contingency that it shouldn't activate with you around is wrong and it notices I'm a tinker?"

[tenn_ambar_metta]

"Nothing lethal. I don't even think it would cause permanent injury. Anyway, I'd also be affected."

[thinkering]

"If you go into more detail I can determine whether I want my suit optimizing to be airtight or heatproof or what," she says patiently.