nexus_crossings | (no subject)

(no subject)

It is starting to dawn on Adia that this might not be the Nexus she remembers.

It is the first time in months that she has been able to leave New Caprica without risking awareness from either the Cylons or her fellow humans. She has never told anyone about the strange, wonderful place she stumbled upon, nor does she plan to. It won't be much help to the colonists, and it'd be a dangerous weapon in the hands of the Cylons.

But in the short time she has been sitting on a stone bench, reading an old paperback, she hasn't seen a single familiar face. And come to think of it, none of the landmarks look the same to her, either. True, the Nexus is always changing, but shouldn't she recognize at least some of it?

Curious, and a little nervous, she gets up and brushes off her dusty but serviceable coat, then walks over to a convenient Nexus computer terminal. That hasn't changed, at least.

How do you go about finding someone that you used to know? When is it not worth the risk to try and find them?

There is no giant blinking neon sign in her line of sight instructing her to ask a question, but she hopes someone answers anyway.

((ooc: Hey everybody, Adia is an OC from Battlestar Galactica, her timeline currently in the beginning of Season Three. I used to RP her at dear_multiverse on Livejournal, hence all the "not the same Nexus" references. She's a human with no special powers. Have fun!))

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((Woohoo! Represent! :) ))

Adia gets the gist of Shark's advice, even if "datachron" and "skyplot" mean nothing to her. The problem is that I don't think I'm in the same Nexus that I used to be, so the contact information I have is no longer valid.

The people I'm looking for (here, anyway), are friends. I don't owe them anything. Except maybe an explanation for why she disappeared.

His reply is briefly delayed, as he takes a moment to order another drink (straight vodka, thanks) and plink his empty glass to the edge of the table. Another moment to read the response and then send his own.

Nexus like this place, or Nexus the planet? I'm from the latter here. Well, not FROM. Made for it. Whatever. The place with the Eldan garbage.

The odds are low she's also from the same world he is, but might wanna check before he gets in too deep with advice. Or business solicitation.

Nexus like this place. I did not know that there a planet called Nexus. What is it like?

She frowns a bit as his wording. What do you mean made for it?

Nexus the planet is a shitshow, full stop. All this tech and trash left behind by some big deal aliens who made the Dominion what it is and now everyone's fighting over who gets to claim it AND the planet? Protostar made landfall eight(??) years ago to make sure no one got smart about trying to make the place an entrepreneurial venture breeding ground lol.

Yeah, made? I'm a clone. It's not weird. The whole company is clones. I was made to head one of the legal departments on Nexus. I'm a huge deal, actually haha what up.

It does sound messy. What's the technology like? Do you have faster-than-light travel?

Adia rubs her hands together nervously. She does not have good associations with clones. (Or, rather, Cylons, which are like sentient robot clones, so close enough). She's willing to keep an open mind, though. What's it like to be a clone?

His drink is delivered and Shark hands the waitress his credits card without looking up from his datachron. She starts to ask if he'd like it to be held and keep the tab open, but he just waves. Yeah, sure, whatever.

FTL? Yeah, probably? You'd have to ask a tech guy or an ekose lol. But interplanetary travel is old news and you can get from the Nexus to the Fringe and everywhere in between like...crazy fast. Hell if I know, tho. Why? You lookin to buy?

The second part? That's...huh. Shark frowns at it a long while, tapping his dark shades up to rest on his brow instead.

Its...Efficient? I mean, keeps the company running pretty smooth. Don't have to worry about waiting for anyone to grow up or worry there won't be X amount of guys with a specific skillset since we get templated with the personalities and knowledge we need to do what we're made for. And we're all cloned off the CEO so we're all the same.

I mean in theory.

I heard some of us come out with defects.

But that uh

those guys don't get to the company floor or anything, though, and just get sent to Recycling instead to try again.

I don't know any tho.

Defects i mean. I mean OBVIOUSLY.

No, I was just curious. I'm not from Earth, but our technology was more advanced in two areas. One of them was FTL travel.

His answer isn't very reassuring. It makes her wonder if any of the Cylon copies are considered defects, too.

Is the CEO the one who decided to make clones of himself? Is it awkward for you to be around lots of people who look like you and act like you, too?

Yeah, he founded the company. Phineas T. Rotostar. Figured that a staff of clones of him was easier and better than actually trying to hire enough chumps to keep things running smooth. Guy has a background in genetic trading so it made sense.

Look I'm not super comfortable talking about him.

But no, it's not weird to be around others cuz we all kinda GET one another?? It's harder being around bozos who AREN'T clones, honestly. they don't get the bureaucracy and they're all scattered and unpredictable. I don't get how anyone's race can function or thrive like that but there they are, doin' it.

Phineas T. Rotostar -- now there's a name. Adia feels a little bad for asking -- she doesn't like making anybody feel uncomfortable. And it's not really fair to compare this person to a Cylon, especially since their origin stories sound so different.

I'm sorry, you don't have to talk about him if you don't want to. I asked because someone close to me turned out to be a clone of sorts and I'm trying to understand what it was like for him. I'm a human, and on my world we're all individuals, and it can be messy and dysfunctional but it's all that I know.

Huh. He has to sit back and take a drink after that one, just reading the message a few times before he starts formulating a reply.

Well was he a clone of someone you already knew, like a lookalike replacement? Or was he just a clone all along?? Cuz being a clone in and of itself ain't bad. We look the same and we're all templated and sure we're technically more company property than actual employees when you get down to the dotted line

but

If he's just a copy of some guy you never knew and you've only known the clone this whole time, I dunno what your beef could be. Guy's still the same, he's just got the same genes as another person.

No, he was a clone all along. But he had false memories. He didn't know that he was a clone. I guess I'm wondering what he's thinking now. About himself and about who he thought he was. To suddenly be one of many instead of a unique individual. And no, I can't ask him. It's a long story, but basically we're on opposite sides of a 40-year-old conflict.

So now that he knows he's a clone, he's suddenly the enemy in some war?? Fucked up if true. Guy was your friend but just because he came out of a vat or a lab or whatever, now he's not? IDGI.

No, you really don't get it.

Adia stops herself before she types anything else. Shark's words hit a sore spot, and she doesn't want to lash out just because she's hurting.

He's a member of a race of sentient robots that tried to kill all humans. There were billions of us living on twelve different colonies, now there's less than 40,000 of us left. They followed us to a planet and set up an occupation. I see his face everywhere, but I don't know which one is him. I don't want to be enemies. He meant everything to me. But in the three months since they found us, he hasn't tried to contact me.

If they're robots or clones or whatever, who made them?

An important detail in his opinion.

We did. I mean, not me personally, but the colonists did, several decades ago. They were programmed to be intelligent, not sentient. The sentience emerged on its own.

She almost doesn't hit send. She knows how damning it sounds, that from the Cylons' point of view, they were probably well within their rights to exterminate their cruel masters. That maybe instead of her being afraid to find her friend, he should be disgusted that he even was friends with an awful human.

She tries to hold back her tears, her face heating up in shame and frustration. Why does she feel like she has to defend herself to this alien lawyer who types like a teenager?

He probably hates me on principle.

Said alien lawyer reads the reply back, smoothing his thumb along one eyebrow in consideration. Another moment is taken to hook a finger at the nearby ash tray and pull it closer, soon lighting up a cigarette before getting to his reply.

We got something like that. Protostar made a bunch of bots to be our heavy-lifters and shit, right. But something on Nexus got into one of them. A virus or something?? Made him sentient and aware. Killed the employee who made him and ran off and now he's spreading his awareness virus to any other bots he can get to.

Call themselves Free-Bots. Dumb.

Of course, your clones were flesh and blood to begin with? I assume?? At least bots started as just tech with arms.

Anywayyyy

Your friend. You wanna even find him at all now? Or just cut losses

There's no condemnation, no rebuke. Adia sighs and wipes her eyes with the back of her hand. She wishes she could stop taking things so personally.

I'm sorry to hear you have something similar on your world. What is the Nexus doing about the Free-Bots? They weren't organic to begin with, when they left the colonies they were made of metal. There still are ones like that, actually, they're called Centurions. Nobody knows how they were able to develop bodies that were just like humans. I've heard the theory that they received help from an alien race but there's no evidence for that.

Back to the matter at hand. Adia swallows hard and takes a moment to compose herself before typing again.

When he found out that he was a robot, he ended his life. He ended up downloading into a new body, but at the time, he thought -- we all thought -- that what he did was final. I know it sounds silly, but I want to know if he's okay.

Accepting them for the most part which is FUCKED UP. NOT A FAN!!!

Shark is in the middle of mashing his thumbs in anger as he types that out when someone approaches his booth. An outrageously tall blue man with metal cables for hair flops into the seat across from the lawyer, tossing a black duffle bag next to him before doing so. He watches with curiosity, then amusement, at the much smaller man's ANGRY TEXTING. "What's got you so mad. Lemme see." The datachron is snatched before he can object and a quick visual skim of the subject makes the blue man laugh loudly.

"You're so mad for no reason."

"I HAVE A REASON."

Neirin supplies the rest of the text before hitting send.

haha my boss is so mad about freebots

She's surprised by the vitriol, but before she can reply, more text appears. It doesn't sound like the same, even if this new person also types just as casually.

Hello? Is this someone else?

freebots are cool dudes but clones are made 2 hate them.... SAD. also HELLO

The datachron is ill-temperedly snatched back by its owner, Neirin now smug and occupying himself with ordering his own drink.

Ignore that. That was my idiot assistant. If you ever see a giant blue space zombie, tell him to go fuck himself.

Anyway, your friend probably doesn't hate you. I probably wouldn't?? Probably just thinking about how it sucks your war or whatever keeps you apart. And lemme guess, if you guys even try to meet, you'll both be shot for treason? Dominion vs. Exile shit.

Made to hate...? She thinks, briefly, of the times that Cylons on her world had acted out programming against their will. She thought it was just as symptom of being a sleeper agent, but now it makes her wonder...

She doesn't bother to reply to the mysterious typer, however, because soon enough the lawyer is back in control. She smiles briefly at the moment of levity that it brings. How did he get to be your assistant? Are you also blue? Thanks. He's in a position of power relative to me, but you're probably right, there is not an easy way for him to contact me. I don't think he'd be shot for treason. The Cylons do not commit acts of violence against one another. As for me... I don't know. My friends were very understanding of my relationship with Caspar when we all thought he was human. Nobody blamed me for being fooled. But I don't know how they'd tolerate me seeking him out. My boyfriend certainly wouldn't like it.

No. I'm green. I hired him cuz of select skills he has. He's a legal assistant.

"Hey, she wants to know why you're my assistant."

"Hahah, BOSS. Don't tell her that! Wait, who is this." Neirin is ignored as Shark keeps typing.

Hahah ohhhh shit you got a boyfriend!! Ask him if he's up for 3somes then if you wanna find your old clone buddy. ;)

Shark, don't be gross.

So he's not another clone? You don't seem to like him much. Well, maybe she shouldn't assume. Some people fight quite a bit with one another and can still work together. She's never had that kind of relationship, professional or otherwise.

It's a little embarrassing how close to home his words hit. Not the egregiously-typed threesome part, but Caspar was more than just a close friend. It's what keeps her from walking away from the terminal in disgust. As it is, she types back with more force than necessary, He wouldn't like it because he supports the resistance against Cylon occupation.

And then, because she's braver in text than in person, she adds, Are you sure you're a lawyer? You don't type like one.

Hey he's good when he's doing what he's told. Like I said, select skills. I wouldn't keep him around if he wasn't useful!!

I'm not typing like one because I'm texting and also not on the clock. Easier to type u than you right. Why u gotta play me like this?? You type all professional with every email you send???

Also boyfriend sounds like a dimbulb. Should hook up with clone guy instead.

So he's not a clone, then? You said he was undead?

Adia rolls her eyes -- not that Shark's there to see it. Sorry, I didn't know you were texting. Although it's difficult to not take another potshot at his typing skills with the way he's acting. Why does he keep suggesting that Adia hook up with Caspar? He doesn't even know that they were together, so why would he --

Ohhhh, wait a minute. You're just typing that because he's a clone, aren't you? She pauses a moment, and adds, Well, Caspar always had impeccable grammar and spelling in his emails, so that's a point in his favor.

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that description made me do a seal bark laugh

:)

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oops my html fell off on that last one

no problem! happens to the best of us :)

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