Private follow the white rabbit!

[Lyssara Thrynn]

I watch each of them, evaluating their reaction to every word I speak. The contract, yes. It's the key. I don't need to convince them right away, but I know that the more I talk, the more I leave clues. The truth is, I have a program for this. If it ever came to a confrontation, it would be in their best interest to follow me. But it's not the time yet.

Trix… she's excited, like a dog with a new toy. I hold back a smile. They're all absorbing every byte of information. The others are recording it in their minds, and I can see it, their fingers already typing into the invisible codes, constructing their own reality around what I say.

Juju, on the other hand, stays distant, which is fine. She thinks she can see through me, but she has no idea what I'm hiding in the back end of this program. She might think I'm a "null," but the truth is, no one really knows what I'm hiding.

Savant, I know him well. He wants to know exactly what I'm offering, no fluff. A good leader, direct. But I also know he likes having some wiggle room, an escape route if things go wrong. Maybe he likes the idea of a fuzzy transaction, just enough to keep him under control.

Nato… I sense she's going to be a problem. Healing, this idea of fixing bodies like it's just a piece of code... It's a trap, of course. But she has this rebellious streak. She always bounces back, no matter what, and that could be an asset or a danger. It all depends on how I steer things.

Ibis, she's a bit too… personal. She's offended by my remarks. But that's good, it means she's invested. If I show her she can have something more refined, she might be convinced. Choicelink and Spire are her crutches. I can offer her better.

Chronicle, pragmatic, logical. It's almost too easy with him. I could get him to accept the idea of collaboration without him thinking twice. Maybe I'll need to show him a few "tricks," but I already know he'll like it. Sickle… that's another story. She'd rather burn bridges than build them. But maybe I can attract her with what I'm offering. Either way, I have cards up my sleeve.

"The contract?" I repeat, lowering my voice a notch.
"It's simple. Fewer ties, more freedom. You bring me your expertise, I help you perfect yourselves, upgrade your systems, and free you from these useless chains. No one will hold you back." I watch their reactions. "But trust me, it's worth more than a simple exchange. Every contract has its value. And I'm offering you much more. You'll have access to all the resources of the Diarchy if you choose to join us, and you'll be completely free to move as you wish. As long as the work is done. You can win so more if you accept to join our great family. "

Glade

 

[Glade]

More freedom, more tech, no one holding them back, it hit home for everyone, even Sickle. Her offer had gone down smooth.

Glade buzzed ahead in her flashy purple hoverchair, coming to a sharp stop. "No more guns to heads, y'know." Metaphorical, literal. Tick both boxes! Sickle raised an eyebrow, but Glade didn't elaborate, she'd explain later so Sick didn't firebomb the lab.

"We don't do collars, and we don't DNA our names on a line." Too many had, and that's how they ended up drowning in this debtor's mess. "You need expertise, we deliver. We take jobs on our terms. No chains or debts, clean exits and no loose lips." Savant spoke more than Glade had ever seen him. She wanted to smile, but tucked it away before anyone could notice. It was true, if someone caught one of them, they didn't give up their employer, mostly because nobody knew the employer usually.

Some looked standoffish. Others, like Trix, practically ran over with excitement. He moved to shake Lyssara's hand; both hands clasped like she was handing him the universe. "Secret lab, high-tech, loads of mysteries—how about a tour, huh?"

Juju rolled her eyes and tugged at his sleeve. "Kid, we gotta talk."

Glade's hoverchair drifted beside Lyssara, eyes misty, voice softer. "Mean what ya said?" She wasn't looking at her—just staring at some console, a window, whatever kept her hands from shaking. She meant her legs of course, healing, hard to trust or believe.

She exhaled, gaze dropping to her palm. "The name. She wanted a name for y'know, the buzz" A beat, then, quieter: "Ambergeist. Pulls ya back t'happier mems." But too much, and you'd probably never came back the same, unless you were already broken. "Got any more you want'me testin?" She whispered, wondering what it'd be like with psychometry, asking to take some with her for later. Quiet, so nobody heard, but Sick was just staring at her, eyes boring into the back of Glade's skull, she could just tell what Nato was asking for.

Lyssara Thrynn

 

[Lyssara Thrynn]

I watch them for a moment, letting the silence settle after everything that just happened. They passed the test. Some with brilliance, others barely scraping by, but it doesn't matter. They are here. And now, they are mine.
I cross my arms, scanning the group before me. They are different each with their own strengths and flaws. Survivors, independents, minds sharpened by necessity and chaos. And yet, they stand.

Trix is the first to move, excitement already taking hold. He rushes toward me, grabbing my hands with boundless energy.
I smirk, amused by his impatience. "You've barely set foot here, and you already want to see everything?" I pause, watching him for a moment before adding, with a slight challenge in my voice, "You've earned your place, but not yet my full trust. But… I suppose a demonstration is in order. Very well, we'll tour the lab."

Juju tugs on his sleeve, but I see Glade drifting toward me. Her gaze is elsewhere, fixed on a screen, a wall—anything to avoid looking directly at me. When she speaks, her voice is softer, uncertain.

I stare at her, expression unreadable.

"Yes." No hesitation. No false hope. "If it's possible, then we'll do it. As for the contracts, you will be completely free to move as you wish, but when the Diarchy needs you, it's only fair that you lend your aid in return. Sounds reasonable, doesn't it? We help you, and you help us. It's a win-win. Beyond that, you are free to take the contracts you want, with whoever you choose. Nothing changes from before, except that now a larger faction supports you. You'll have more resources at your disposal."

The name hangs between us. It carries weight, meaning. For her, at least.

I nod. "It's a good choice. I'll study this proposal."

Then, quieter, she whispers that she wants to test more… She wants to take them, experiment, dig deeper with psychometry. A dangerous curiosity.
Sickle is watching her I can feel it.

I sigh slightly, then whisper back, low enough for only the two of us to hear.

"Take what you need. But remember… this kind of truth doesn't forgive. Of course, I have more in stock. I'm a distinguished researcher you'll find what you're looking for on the first floor. In the biology labs"

Then, I straighten and turn to the others, my voice returning to its usual tone.

"Welcome to the real game. This is where it truly begins."

I glance at the console in front of me before adding,

"You want to see what we're capable of? Follow me. And keep your eyes open."

The laboratory has three levels we'll start with the hangar zone. The beginning. But this time, not as enemies, but as guests. If the others are paying attention, they might notice the alert notification I personally suppressed at the very start, allowing them to explore the area undisturbed. I let them see this.

Glade

 

[Glade]

Trix just grinned—wide as a Nexu looing over food, till Juju flicked his ear. He feigned innocence. She crossed her arms. But his request worked anyway, and the look on his face spoke for him, he was real happy he'd asked for a tour. "Quit it!" he whispered, flinching as she flicked the other ear.

Healing. Could it happen? Glade stared at her chair as the tour started, gut clenching. Finalling realizing how tight her chest had become. Breathe, Nato. Nope… no… maybe their new Diarchy Keyrunner wasn't just stringing her along.

She still wasn't breathing right. Tried again. Back and forth. But her mind looped, bobbing in waves of thought and chasing itself in circles like a broken holopet.

"Aid for credits." Ibis, the architect wanted to draw it up clean. Glade thought that was already implied, and Savant just gave a knowing nod. No signing their lives away just contracts. Aid when needed. As long as creds moved, their new Keyrunner could keep Rogue Protocol fed with Diarchy work. More than that: Loyalty and trust were things Denon didn't allow easy, she was right to be cautious in her lab.

Glade filled her chair's smuggling slots and storage with as much Ambergeist her Orange Velvet, as she could slip by without someone raising an eyebrow. A hook of its own if the right person lacked morals.

They moved at their own speeds, some quick, others lingering for a few words. Glade kept time with Lyssara, scooping up a discarded holopointer

"Can I keep this?" Maybe Lyssara might start to realise why, and exactly what small items meant a lot or a little in Glade's hands.

The hangar before them, the crew spreaded out, Trix chased anything that glowed, Savant assessed their hangar capabilities. Chronicle and Sickle scoped hardware worth asking about. Glade just kept thinking about the healing offer, and asking about discarded items nobody seemed to want, especially the trash or broken things that had seen a lot of memories.

Juju caught the tripped alert first, hands on her hips. "How'd you miss that in the scans, Ibis?"

Ibis frowned. She was good but, "If they know you're coming?" she turned, ready to educate. "They can set up the game against you, Glitch you up on a personal level, jam your feed, feed false floorplans, anything if you knew exactly who is coming and when."

Lyssara Thrynn