@rey.solo

[forcevisions]

i made a mistake


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ETA
Riverstone is interested in cooperating with the Displaced to learn more about the people who brought us here. They figured out who I was when I put in the paperwork to change my name back. Apparently, I'm still on the UN's most wanted list, but someone prevented the UN from acting to bring me into custody. 

I don't know who, and neither does Riverstone — in fact, they asked me about it.

But they know that I'm one of the Displaced, which actually explains a few things. I've been working for Riverstone for months. After I went to Everest, I was gone a bit longer than the rest of us, well beyond El's coverage. They gave me back my job anyway. I don't think this was news to them. If you ask me, that's a sign they're not out to get us, but I realize not everyone will agree there.

Now they want to talk to all of us, or as many of us as are interested. Riverstone is offering to pay travel expenses in New Beijing for one week for anyone who wants to undergo observation and testing of their power, and who's willing to answer some questions. I know that sounds scary. I know scary. The UNA had me in custody for some time, running "tests." But Riverstone claims that what they're offering is different, that we'll preview everything first.

Before you decide, I should mention ... they think they might know something about who's been dropping us off. In return for our cooperation, they're willing to exchange that information. 

I'm not telling anyone what to do, and no one else should try to do that either. But if follow (this) link, you can register your information with the Riverstone employees in charge of this, and they'll reach out to you to arrange the trip.

Comments

[variate]

They don't have us. They only have you.
They're using us to find someone, at the very least. Probably for more than that.
Those are connected. People who want to use other people don't usually announce it, they do it in a way where you think you have control.

[forcevisions]

Tell that to the UNA.
I've seen what the bad version of this looks like, Ren.

[variate]

The UN might already be involved. The companies here are usually connected to the government. It's more of a reason to be cautious.

[forcevisions]

Cautious doesn't mean missing our chance.

[variate]

Tell me that there's a plan.

[forcevisions]

Well.

Not yet.

But Tsera wants to have a team on back-up. And Quentin says we could use any reflective surface to get in touch with him if things go wrong. And Hawke says we should talk to El about disabling our access to the Morningstar network, just in case.

[variate]

It makes me wonder, with all of our powers, if there's a more proactive approach that we can take. It's like we'd be waiting for something, but instead if we know they have information, even without the tests, what's keeping us from finding a way to take it?

[forcevisions]

You mean aside from making an enemy of a megacorporation when we steal from them?

[ everyone's yelling at her for how risky it is to give their data, but earning their (justifiable) ire seems much riskier. ]

[variate]

Well, we wouldn't be handing them blueprints on our abilities.
Ah--right, speaking of that, I doubt that they're not tied to the UNA. Powers like this have been used as weapons. We have to make sure that whatever experiments they do conduct don't fall into the hands of the UN or the UNA.

[forcevisions]

Someone else was talking about that, how we can try to tell them what they can do with their findings.

[variate]

After what the UNA did, and what the UN is capable of, I don't think that they'll keep things truthful. Riverstone, either.
Nothing's stopping them from doing what they want.

[forcevisions]

If we let those assumptions stop us from ever making a bargain, we'll always be on our own.

[variate]

No.
We just won't be allied with someone who has Johann Grey on their payroll.

[forcevisions]

What makes you think Riverstone has Grey on their payroll?

[impede]

What can they do to us? If we take information about ourselves, and we don't hurt anyone in turn, what will they have to offer to the public?

[forcevisions]

They can tell everyone that we're thieves and criminals because we broke into their business. It doesn't matter if it was data about us.

It's exactly what the UN did with Morningstar after we captured Kurt Fischer. The truth doesn't matter.

[impede]

You see the inherent contradiction here, don't you? Providing them information they want that could be problematic leads to the same end result.

[forcevisions]

That's not true.

We have a chance to make them our allies by working together. Causing problems for them, stealing their work, would cost us that opportunity.

[impede]

You can't have someone that powerful as your ally without constantly being at a disadvantage.

[forcevisions]

That's cynical.

[impede]

No, you haven't. I know you believe that you have, but I've seen what happens when a political power tries to control things that are outside the ken of the public eye. One person hurt is nothing compared to what they could do if given the chance.

I know because I've been there. An agent of it myself. You've taken their bait and now they've smoked enough of us out because we're a desperate, desperate group.

How do you know that they aren't working on Johann and Cassius' information for how to manipulate us from before? You don't, do you?

@ren.amamiya | private

[variate]

Something's going to come from this even if she's convinced that it's not a good idea.
Which I don't think is going to happen.

There are a lot of implications here about Riverstone that are worrying me.

private—»

[impede]

Yes, and you're letting her keep getting away with her naive bullshit.

Is this how it always is between you two?

[variate]

She's already determined to do it.
Fighting her on it isn't going to stop her, she'll just shut me out.

[ so, yeah, this is a little how it goes. ]

Changing her mind takes time.

[impede]

So she doesn't respect what you have to say until you find the perfect way of putting it, and then it doesn't matter in the future.

Don't be surprised when I bring an end to this.