[network] @dickcheese, Day 107, video [open]

[headjacked]

[ Rhys appears onscreen, looking like he's just returned from a trip to Hell. His port looks warped, and the skin around it has been badly burned. He's got an odd, far-away look in his eyes, which doesn't go away when he speaks. ]

Hey.

So.

I did the -- the hacking thing, before every -- before we all went to sleep. And, before the admin or. Or whoever launched their counterattack, I saw something.

[ There's a pause. A long pause. A long, dramatic pause. ... ...actually he's just staring into the distance, completely motionless. For a full minute. A woman's voice from offscreen, gentle but prodding, calls his name, but even that fails to get his attention.

The video cuts, and when Rhys returns, he looks frustrated and embarrassed. But he continues like nothing happened. ]

I wish I could be more specific. I can't -- I can't describe it, but it's under the town hall. Dig deep.

Aaaand I saw myself die, like, eighteen bajillion times. That was cool too.

Comments

@totheark, text

[0thingsonmymind]

*He'd bombard Rhys with questions but even he knows how little good that would do. He'll do that to Beckett later.*

yousaw
death



do youthink itwas
future prop hecy

or
warn ing
?

*Since the last "stop doing this" didn't stick.*

voice;

[headjacked]

[ christ alive he is not equipped to deal with broken keyboard today

but

he will try ]

Iunno. Warning, maybe. Future pro... vision, nah, unless my fate is to die eighteen bajillion times. That wasn't me exaggerating.

action;

[phaseshifter]

Okay, time to lie down again.

[ The time is currently reading coddle o'clock, who'd have thunk it! ]

If you need any help with responses, let me know. Okay? Don't over-exert yourself.

[headjacked]

[ He gives her the most put-upon look he can muster, and for a moment, things are Normal. Ish. ]

I am exerting myself the proper amount. CHILL.

Video; @frfujimoto

[lionson]

[That thousand-yard stare, he is familiar with that. ]

The abyss stared back, huh?

[headjacked]

The abyss kicked me in the teeth.

@Ecks | text

[ecks]

[He says can't describe it, but sometimes when she was new there were things she thought she could not describe until someone else helped her. Maybe this is like that.]

If I ask questions about the thing can you answer those questions?

Did the things we did help? I cut my leg. Did it help?

voice;

[headjacked]

[ He has had enough text for one day, Ecks, sorry. ]

It's hard to say. Maybe? My head hasn't exploded... ...yet. So.

[ Wait she said something first didn't she YES SHE DID -- ]

U-um, you can try?

@lockhart; video

[powersouls]

[This is not at all horrifically concerning.]

Oh, Rhys... I'm so sorry.

[She assumes Angel is going to be fussing over Rhys enough for all of Norfinbury, so Tifa manages to squash down the impulse, mostly. She hestiates, frowning a little, before continuing.]

What do you mean, you saw something? Like a place, or a computer?

[He did say he couldn't be more specific than "a thing", but that's hard for her to wrap her mind around. Unless, considering that look in his eyes, he forgot?]

[headjacked]

A thing.

[ In an apologetic tone, since he knows that he is repeating himself, and it's not anything useful. ]

Like... an entit...y?

video; @zd

[swatsflies]

[Why is it every time he sees Rhys on the network, he looks like shit. Frowning as he inspects the damage as best as he can from there.]

Epps was looking into places to dig a while ago. [Probably because of the dig deep message.] I'm downtown. I'll let you know if we find anything. Is there- [A pause as he taps the side of his head.] What do you need to get fixed up?

[headjacked]

Doctor... oh. Okay.

[ Blankly, with much blinking, and another pause. ]

It's my -- it's something you can't just "fix" here.

@Spoiler ; video

[spoileralert]

Wow, something actually useful happened?

[ OK snide commentary accomplished, moving on. ]

Rhys, are you okay? You look kinda out of it.

Re: @Spoiler ; video

[headjacked]

Steph.

[ He just points at the warped port and the singed skin. ]

But, um. I'll be okay. I can walk and talk and everything. That -- that was just a minor hiccup before.

@hotstud_xxx; text

[rubikscomplex]

did it fry the ai along with your brain?

[He's just going to follow along with the other discussions that have Rhys spouting what he saw. This seems important, too.]

voice;

[headjacked]

[ did his headache just ramp up in intensity why yes it did!! ]

No, it... just made him all fritzy. Unstable.

@haurchefant; video (evening)

[silverfuller]

No matter how many mysteries we solve 'twould seem a score more rise up to take their place.

...Hm.

Putting that aside for the nonce I must ask about you. You are well?

[headjacked]

Mmmhm.




I fried my brain.

But other than that, yeah.

@milkevoli; video

[brokethefirst]

[Congratulations, Rhys, you get Luna turning on the video and giving you five seconds before Dumpy is held purposefully in the shot. He's got a nice dent along one side, but looks fine otherwise.

The redhead, on the other hand, looks uncharacteristically cross.]

...I can see why he was worried last night.

How exactly did you hack into the general mainframe?

[headjacked]

...aw, little guy...

[ Noodle Distress! His eyebrows knit in concern as Dumpy shrieks in a tone that could be considered joyous if you are attuned to that kind of thing. ]

I, um. I plugged in directly with a rigged ID drive...

@gallowsCalibrator | text

[iustitia]

W4S 1T 4LL TH3 S4M3 W4Y E1GHT33N B4J1LL1ON T1M3S
OR W3R3 TH3R3 31GHT33N B4J1LL1ON UN1QU3 V4R14T1ONS?

voice;

[headjacked]

There were... variat--

Okay no you're going to have to stop typing like an asshole or use your voice. Pretend I have the worst headache in the world and humor me, please.

@fenrir; voice;

[meteorrains]

[W E L P.

At least something useful had come from all of it. Of course it'd probably also come at the expense of quite a few of Rhys brain cells.]

That a rough estimate or did you actually count?

[headjacked]

Rough estimate. I might be off by a few bazillion. Or bajillion. Whichever I said.

video @Enoch

[warriorscribe]

[He doesn't know what he's talking about. Hacking thing? The admin launching a counterattack? He'd discussed similar with Winter, and Winter seemed to know what he was talking about, but he's still in the dark.

Does this have something to do with why the admin sounded like she was in pain?

None of that matters as much as what's right here in front of him.]

You look awful. You should rest.

[headjacked]

Thank you for the brutal honesty.

[ It's a strange tone, like he's going for sarcasm but is too drained, so it's just rather... flat and devoid of any emotion. ]

I got a lot of rest already. It's not helping.

private text - @claytonator

[dr_unconscious]

[Never mind all that bullshit about everyone losing their goddamn minds and losing a day and apparently Rhys being behind it somehow, look how hurt he is. This is not acceptable. No. Stop everything immediately.]

Rhys, you need to tell me exactly what you did before you woke up and how you've been feeling since you did. If you can't work through the symptoms, get Angel to help you.

voice; private

[headjacked]

[ He sighs raggedly and shuts his eyes. Trying to remember every step and symptom is... well, trying. There's an every longer delay than usual. ]

I plugged a modified ID drive in my head. Admin, or whoever was on the other end, tried to overload me. Fry me. Angel got the drive out, and then I-- I wasn't. I can't remember anything after that. Not clearly.

I guess I had a seizure.