Faction A night out on the town

[John Locke]

Even in the middle of his workshop, the minutia of John's position couldn't be escaped, Holoscreen after holoscreen surrounded the man, the data streaming across it responding to his slightest touch, to his every thought. Ever since the attack on the Viceroyalty meeting, since seeing the AI Nyx manipulating data, repairing the damage he'd caused going after the slicer John had realised just how infantile his manipulation of data truly was. Since then he'd been practising, eschewing the heavy touch for a lighter one, ignoring the use of keyboards as much as possible. It wasn't just about being faster, it was about being more efficient, it was almost like a dance. There was a beauty there, hidden amongst the data if you could step back, not see it as a swarm of ones and zeros but as an almost living system that responded to your every interaction. A constantly changing sea that you could make dance.

They say practice made perfect, so he was stealing little moments throughout the day to focus on that, to get those moments of improvement in where he could. The tramp of footsteps, the sound of a door whisking open, that was enough of a sign that his time had come to an end, the screens vanishing with a wave of the man's hand as he pushed away from the table he'd been leaning against.

"Miss Aran and Miss Kosarev? How can I help you today?"

Tyrias Aran | Lesya Kosarev

 

[Tyrias Aran]

Tyrias glanced over at Lesya as they entered. "Medical attention appropriate for a cybernetically enhanced humanoid, Mister Locke." If it was the man's desire to be informal, then the vacationing Fleet Marshal would reply in kind. "Blunt force trauma and plasma burns in addition to overworked cybernetic limbs. The work of Nar Shadda criminal elements."

Seemed appropriate to give the man the high level before he started noticing the obvious. With his reputation he might even pinpoint the origin of the conflict based on bacteria, dirt, and grease samples. No need to mention them having captured Lesya for slavery purposes unless she opted to share. Not that the Cyborg seemed terribly self-conscious of how she had been living up to that point. Nor should she have been. You did what was necessary to survive.

Or in Lesya's case, you butchered the entire group that disturbed your humble means.

Tag: Lesya Kosarev | John Locke

 

[Lesya Kosarev]

Lesya was quiet when they entered the room, almost like Tyrias had found her, though the young cyborg had opened up more than she was comfortable with there was now two people she had to interact with, if that alone wasn’t enough she didn’t really know either of them and she was supposed to trust this man to repair her. She studied him cautiously as he no doubt studied her and to some well versed in such things would see that the work done to her was at best primitive, lines in the surface skin where the skin had burned away from blaster fire he could see the endo-skeleton that made up the core of her being she was built for infiltration and meant to be passed off as human hence the blood that surrounded the wounds, one leg was damaged from overexertion and the left arm was unable to move any longer because of the blunt force she had used on the slavers had overtaxed it as well.

After a few long minutes she finally spoke, quietly. “She says you can fix me” it was quiet, short and to the point the way she usually talked. She reached across her body to grip her other arm, one part as a subconcious self-comforting gesture but at the same time emphasizing the lack of movement of her other arm. Her eyes glanced over to Tyrias a moment before looking back at John, she felt nervous like she wanted to leave but nothing on her face betrayed that to them, stoic is the word that would best describe her countenance.

Tag:
Tyrias Aran
John Locke

 

[John Locke]

"Well, we can definitely give it our best shot."

Until you actually got to look at the workings of a set of electronics, unless you could lose yourself in the intricacies of the circuits and mechanics you could never tell just how complex, or how broken something was until it you actually got into the workings and saw what you had. John could close his eyes and still remember the first droid he'd worked on, the wonder and excitement at seeing into the inner workings of the machine. His first chance to trace back the circuits, to really get his hands dirty and figure things out.

t had been an old droid, a protocol droid saved from the scrap heap to help out his parents. It was rusty and half broken...and the most amazing thing he'd ever seen. Even today, working on the newest and brightest, he could never forget that experience, that feeling. It was what he was chasing, the feeling of ht new and the exciting. That feeling when you first took off the covering, when you first saw what was beneath. It could be the most convoluted mess, or neatest line of wires you'd ever seen. You never knew till you looked, and that feeling of excitement was one he'd never get over.

The cyborg raised his hand, the black metal catching the light as he smiled at Lsya.

"It just so happens I've got a little experience in the arena. why don't you grab a seat and let's see what we're working with."

Lesya Kosarev | Tyrias Aran

 

[Tyrias Aran]

"Modesty is becoming, but I am confident in your abilities," Tyrias responded calmly. It was prudent to take a realistic evaluation of a situation and not blindly assume one's ability to deal with whatever happened to come about. Nevertheless, seeing how John Locke was the foremost cyberneticist Tyrias was aware of, she had the utmost confidence Lesya could be repaired. Perhaps even come out of it better than before the woman had been abducted.

The Chiss looked over at the other woman with a small smile on her lips. "I will remain. If not in this room, than just outside it." After all, Locke could require the use of a sterilized environment. Tyrias was not well versed in cybernetic care, so she couldn't be certain what procedures were necessary. A little confidence boost, however, to reassure the outsider Tyrias intended to see her visit to the Confederacy through -- to whatever end.

Tag: Lesya Kosarev | John Locke

 

[Lesya Kosarev]

Lesya paused for a moment as she listened both to Tyrias’ interaction with the man and then her remark. Lesya simply nodded with a soft ‘Thank you’ then she turned her attention to John regarding him for a moment he was surely cybernetic, perhaps not as to the extreme she had become but that did make her a bit more at ease. She observed his arm for a moment before silently nodding and sitting where he had indicated. Part of her wanted to say forget it and just run for it but thankfully that part of her was not winning the struggle presently.

As she watched John work, she thought of various questions but none she actually uttered instead she let her eyes wander around the room she found herself in, before she turned back to Tyrias for a moment and then finally returning her attention to John, she found herself actually wanting to have a conversation with him, to ask questions but the words would not come to her.''

TAG: Tyrias Aran John Locke

 

[John Locke]

"You can stay, I've got no objections of Ms Kosarev doesn't mind."

The truth was the room was plenty big enough to fit a half dozen more people without being too crowded, John had a habit of pacing while he worked, as he thought to himself. His very first workshop had a trench worn into the floor from his incessant pacing on those first nights working on the first technologies Locke and Key had presented to the galaxy. It was a far stretch from where he was now, but somethings, some habits never changed no matter how much you wanted them to. At least now, he could afford the space to be able to move around in comfort.

It wasn't hard to reach over to the woman' arm, slowly working off the coverings so that he could peer at the wiring inside, his hand passing over the exposed wiring, tracing a path as he traced the lines of the circuits.

"Not bad, not bad, whoever put these together knew what they were doing. We should be able to get you patched up in no time...or if you want we can probably look at pushing it a little further, getting you some upgrades while we're working. If we're gonna do the job, might as well do it right, or even better than that."

Tagging: Lesya Kosarev | Tyrias Aran

 

[Tyrias Aran]

Tyrias regarded each participant in turn for a moment. It was just about as predictable as could be under the circumstances. "Mister Locke, let me be clear for Lesya's benefit -- she has not accepted an invitation to remain with the Confederacy, even as a civilian. I convinced her to come here with the promise she could return to the Hutt-ruled moon of Nar Shadda should she choose to do so. Would you still offer these upgrades with the full facts at your disposal?" The Chiss turned her head slightly so her red eyes were pointed at John. Some people found it easier to tell when her kind was addressing them that way.

Though she hoped the cybernetic woman would find it in herself to cut the strong, silent type. No doubt a consequence of her isolation and likely distrust of people that may attempt to experiment upon her again. It was not conducive toward her receive attention or an elevated livelihood away from the dark, scum-ridden one she'd left behind not long ago. Logically there should be no debate whether Lesya should remain with the Confederacy -- she was already here. Payment for passage was what kept many trapped on Nar Shadda in the first place. Still, it remained the other woman's decision. All Tyrias could do was show her another -- better -- way.

Tag: Lesya Kosarev | John Locke

 

[Lesya Kosarev]

Lesya turned to look at Tyrias as she cut John off, suddenly understanding why she had done that, even she could pick up on the slight irritation in her voice and she looked back at John with a nod in all truth she had no desire to go back to Nar Shadda as the lab she escaped from was buried deep in the bowels of that planet and no doubt if anybody survived the escape that she and another made they would come looking for her. Either of them could probably see her weighing her options she paused but a moment.​

“I have no wish to go back to Nar Shadda, it is dangerous for me there.” she didn’t elaborate further on that point she made a pointed glance to Tyrias for a moment debating all that she had told her before her eyes moved back to John she subconsciously sighed allow her guard to drop a moment “I did not ask to be like this Mister Locke, so tell me why would I wish upgrades?” something in her mind had finally clicked at some point she would have to trust and so far these people did not seem out to hurt her. It was perhaps the most words Tyrias had ever heard her say at one time but it had finally occured, perhaps comfort perhaps necessity.​

Tag: John Locke Tyrias Aran ​

 

[John Locke]

"None of us did."

John leaned back in his chair, holding up one hand so the black metal caught the light, slowly clenching his fingers into a fist before letting them unflex again, the faintest whirr of mechanics audible as he moved. The man took a moment, letting the woman see his hand before resting it on the desk.

"No-one asks to be made into this, into an amalgamation of metal and flesh...to be made into a monster."

At the end of the day it wasn't natural, but it was life, of a sort.

"I didn't want this, I didn't plan to spend my life like this. I can't touch the woman I love, can't feel the warmth or the softness of her skin. I go outside, just go for a walk and people shy away from me like I'm some kind of freak, like I'm a monster. I can't go anywhere without people giving me those looks, I can't do anything that I wanted to when I was growing up without being constantly reminded that I'm somehow less than real. Does that found familiar?"

The man stood, his footsteps quiet as he padded across to a window, resting one of his hands against the glass, watching the golden sunlight streaming through his fingers. Dark eyes peered between his fingers to stare at the leaves blowing through the trees outside as her took a deep breath and turning back to face the woman.

"It's not fair, not really but...this is the life that we have, the cards that we're dealt. This is our life, so we need to make the best of it. Your cybernetics would allow you to live sure, but upgrades, improvements, those let you live a little better, do a little more. If this is what we are then we might as well make the best of it right?"

Tagging: Lesya Kosarev | Tyrias Aran

 

[Tyrias Aran]

The Chiss feigned ignorance of Lesya's look in her direction. There were matters John needed to be aware of in order for this situation to progress. To date, the cybernetic woman had displayed a stubbornness when it came to sharing such information. Furthermore, in Tyrias' own estimation she had revealed nothing more than what could have easily been gathered from her ship's computer -- that they'd come from the Smuggler's Moon. As to her extended offer, well she sought to dispense with the suspicion by laying everything out between the three of them.

It seemed to work, one way or the other. Lesya soon engaged on the topic directly regarding the upgrades that had been offered. Fortunately they had come face-to-face with one that could understand her feelings on the topic.

While it was true Tyrias did not seek to be cybernetically enhanced -- there were certain drawbacks -- their...animosity toward facets that could not be changed were a touch surprising. John's very admission of seeing himself as a monster, which likely mirrored Lesya's private thoughts, was equally perplexing. On the other hand, many people in the wider galactic population were irrational. While it might affect romantic relations among Chiss, no one would treat them as a 'monster.' How could you respect a person if you hid or ran away from them? How could you respect yourself?

John's sentiments on interpersonal relations were a topic for consideration, however. While Chiss were renown for their strategic and tactical acumen, they were not droids. Even the 'cold' men and women of the Ascendancy felt love and passion. Tyrias could begin to understand their plight.

At that point, Tyrias turned her head so she could look over at Lesya. Upgrades with no strings attached hardly seemed something to shy away from. Though perhaps it still had to do with a matter of trust. In this moment, the Chiss would not interject with her thoughts on the matter. It was a 'moment' between two people in similar circumstance and not one in need of an analytical report.

Tag: Lesya Kosarev | John Locke

 

[Lesya Kosarev]

Just as quickly as she uttered the words at his reaction she wished she could take them back she sat quietly as he spoke and just listened she could hear her own thoughts echoed in the words that he now spoke aloud were she capable she might even shed a tear. She didn’t turn to look at him or Tyrias, she just sat quietly and listened then he said, “Does that Sound Familiar?” did it sound familiar to not have sensation, to be more machine than human, to as he put it be a monster. She nodded slowly to him and spoke quietly but audibly. “It does sound familiar; I know for example I am mostly machine now. Much like you said there will never be any going back for me.” she turned slightly to look at him, as he turned back to her.

She shook her head ever so slightly about to reject his next question outright but then she listened to it again in her mind, she was impressed by his outlook he could so accurately interpret her thoughts but at the same time be hopeful honestly it was mildly annoying. Embrace the change if you can’t do anything about it, she thought of that a moment rather than fight the inevitable embrace it. Even that seemed annoying to her but she nodded “Sound logic Mister Locke, even still I want to argue but I can’t. So I guess, I will embrace the changes” truthfully she had been fighting against what she was for too long and now it was just tiresome to her.

TAG: John Locke Tyrias Aran

 

[John Locke]

A soft, sad smile touched John's face as he shook his head.

"That feeling, your need to argue and fight, hold onto that as tightly as you can. It's how you know you're still human."

The cyborg leaned back, one metallic hand sweeping out to gesture at the cleaning droid puttering away in the corner. The little droid didn't look up, wasn't even aware of the attention being directed at it. The stubby little droid had only one purpose, to make sure the floors were clean of any detritus left after John's experiments. A purpose it excelled in but never looked beyond.

"That feeling, the need to argue against the reality that you feel now is what lets you know you're still you. Still alive and not a droid. I've met some that are sentient, But they have that same tendency, that need to push against the chains that bind and constrain them, unwilling to let their bodies or the expectations of society hold them down."

Dark eyes settled on Lesya before sweeping over to Tyrias for a moment.

"Embracing who you are is important but...I'm not just the product of my cybernetics. I'm more than that, and so are you. I'm a connesoir of whiskey, I love playing chess and building sandcastles. I've always wanted to learn to garden, and I want to open a little mechanics workshop in a little town."

A wry smile touched the man's lips.

"These don't affect me, make me less than I was before. In fact, in some ways they can help with what I want to do. I'm capable of a level of motor control no organic could hope to match. Swings and roundabouts, You just have to find the positive in what you look at."

It had taken him many years to realise that, years spent hiding away, hiding within himself. Years spent developing the public mask that hid his emotions, his vulnerabilities from the world. Even now, it hovered at the edge of his mind, waiting for an excuse, any excuse to just dropdown to protect him. To hide him.

So...maybe he wasn't perfect. John knew he probably didn't have much cause to be giving advice but, he had to try.

TAG: Lesya Kosarev | Tyrias Aran

 

[Tyrias Aran]

Some would feel shut out under the circumstances. Because, frankly, Tyrias didn't understand what these two felt. No, the Chiss heard everything they say, processed everything they meant, and could grasp the subtle and gross challenges and questions that came with their existence... but as for having lived it with direct, personal experience to draw from? That was all John Locke.

So, yes, Tyrias had been dead silent and had barely moved a muscle as they'd spoken. Because Lesya needed this. One didn't need to understand to know when a person needed life-altering advice that could break a mind free of the shackles they and the world had cast upon them. Without John Locke it was likely Lesya would return to Nar Shadda, or perhaps wander the streets of the Confederacy having found meager work that would scarcely put her potential to use for anyone -- including herself. A lost soul in a sea of trillions, perhaps quadrillions. Not a place the woman needed to be.

A Chiss recognized the importance of psychology much as they did units placed upon a battlefield. There was more to life or war than what you could see with your eyes.

Tyrias' red eyes did regard John for a moment as the man seemed to briefly turn his gaze in her direction. The ever so slight smile that may or may not be a smile was perched upon her dark lips while the man spoke. Embracing who you are? Quite true. She, for instance, was a Chiss. That did not mean she had to conform to the galaxy's stereotype of who Chiss were; merely that she had learned and still held the beliefs and principles of a well-disciplined society intent on uplifting the community and not merely the individual. Elevating the individual could improve the community, but it was a means not an end.

"Embrace the right changes," Tyrias said at last. "A struggle that we all share, but not one you must bear alone." It was probably Lesya meant the upgrades, which was fine, but it seemed important to mention -- as John had gone into detail about their plight as cybernetically enhanced individuals -- that change for change's sake alone was not the ideal to strive for.

Tag: Lesya Kosarev | John Locke

 

[Lesya Kosarev]

Her eyes were glued to John as he spoke, in-depth and honestly about his own struggles, it was annoying to her at how much he echoed some of her own thoughts, some that frankly, she had not even allowed herself to ponder, to push them down to be ignored and forgotten as well as a human mind could do that anyway, which was not well at any rate. She would not even notice the sigh that escaped her lips but she nodded as she continued to listen, he liked to drink whiskey, build sandcastles? the thought brought a small smile to her lips for a moment what would she do?

She honestly could not remember much of her life before, or what she liked to do but there was one vivid memory that had always been present in her mind, as a young woman she had been adept at the echani arts she wondered if she could even do such precise moves anymore but all the same looked back to John with a bit more resolve.

She had almost forgotten Tyrias was there until she spoke again, but the white-haired woman turned to regard the chiss and she listened quietly, she had learned quickly that Tyrias could be trusted. Quietly she turned the words over in her mind. There were few times words would truly reach her but what Tyria's said echoed in her mind

"A struggle that we all share, but not one you must bear alone."

Right, she was not alone any more she had friends? Is that it, was that accurate to say? She really didn't know anymore but regardless one thing she could feel was that she could trust these two. She sighed again before finally speaking... "Thank you, both of you, so where do we go from here?" she gave Tyrias a firm nod before turning back to John, she understood him much better now, and to be truthful she was happy she found somebody who understood what she felt.

TAG: Tyrias Aran | John Locke