Video, while labor camp break-out is in progress.

[cruelyethuman]

[There's a tilted view of a room, sparsely decorated and hushed voices can be heard from somewhere off-camera. A bed comes in to full view, the body of a petite red-headed woman, curls framing her face and a short look at her eyes - wide-open and completely white.

The body is hooked up with wires to the wall, digital equipment lines the entirety of it as the camera pans over it slowly before coming back to the still, unbreathing body on the bed.]

Doctor, you mentioned a thing called 'life support'. Is this what I'm seeing here?

[The body is quickly crowded with people, as the Darkling steps back and his face swims in to the frame. Black hair and beard, and garishly bright clothes that are much too tight but good for close-quarter combat.]

We found a body behind a hidden door in the mayor's study. Any medical expertise that could help us, would be greatly appreciated.

Without knowing for certain, it does appear to be the body of the entity we know as Viveca on the station - the curly hair, the freckles as well as several photographs of the same woman, only younger.

Comments

audio | un: rey

[garbagepilot]

[Audible to everyone as being in the same room, Rey lets out a bit of a frustrated sigh.]

She's not a body, she isn't dead or alive. Think of her as a... a robot that hasn't been turned on yet.

Camera turns slowly to Rey - ready for your close-up?

[cruelyethuman]

We have robots on the team. Several. They do not look like this, but perhaps they can be of assistance.

audio; un: kovacs

[kovach]

[ he's ... mostly a little pre-occupied, trying to concern himself mostly with getting out the prisoners, but on account of the visual being unfiltered, it's hard to ignore it entirely — especially when they show that body, white eyes and all. ]

In my world, bodies are just considered sleeves. If there's no human consciousness implanted inside of it, then it's just a shell. Looks close enough to the concept, though with the way I've seen the tech here, I doubt implanting a person into this works the same. You'll probably need someone from on-planet to actually explain it.

audio | un: goodvibes

[aurable]

I resent that.

audio. un: barnes.

[starer]

[And immediately following Rey-]

We don't need a doc. We need a mechanic.

[Or, you know, they just need to figure out what the hell to do next.]

Is this audio? The camera pans to Bucky

[cruelyethuman]

We need someone who knows if we can unplug her. The body.

[Less a network reply and more simply turning to answer while still sending]

audio; un nightmoves

[ruinously]

I've spent a lot of time under the hood of cars, but this is creepy as hell.

Audio | White_Rabbit

[spacedisaster]

[ Peter is a bit busy at the moment, fighting guards shooting at him, but he can multitask. He's read or seen what the team has shared before answering and he has some insight to offer. ]

It sounds like you've found a droid body without an implanted personality. We have them in my galaxy. Particularly in Contraxia.

[ Peter refrains from sharing that they're, uh...company droids. Both because it's not appropriate nor relevant, and because he has to pause to fire a blaster blast at an approaching guard. There's a curse, the sound of electricity in the air, and the sound of a body groaning and falling to the ground. ]

As I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted... The droids I know can turn themselves on and off, it doesn't hurt them. And they can simply be turned on later if the battery is charged. Have you looked at the body closer? Maybe there's some sort of port on the back as well? Or her nape? Some seam that points to where the battery might be?

Not all droids are built similarly, of course, and this one is very human-looking, but just because you can't see it, doesn't mean it's not there.

still video

[cruelyethuman]

Are you suggesting that I undress it and look for a-- port?

[Can you hear it, Peter? The distaste and edge of horror in his voice, looking at the still body on the bed.]

Counter suggestion - we bring it with us, and let trained professionals look for a port somewhere safer than this.

audio; un: finn

[hatejakku]

Oh.

Absolutely not.

[ No one asked a question??? ]

[garbagepilot]

[Spoken very quickly:]

How are you doing are you okay?

Video, un:Kirigan

[cruelyethuman]

Finn.

[Is that emotion in his voice, for possibly the first time since the camera switched on and broadcasted this situation to the rest of the orbers.]

Not what, exactly?

audio | username: goodvibes

[aurable]

Ratchet.

[ Drift is on alert once he learned this is where more complicated than some cold pile of meat. ]

You need Ratchet.

[cruelyethuman]

And where can we find him?

Text | UN: captainjack

[captainjacktoyou]

Not sure I understand what the problem is. If Viveca wanted that she would've told us about it. There's no one inside it and she has a body she approved of on the ship.

There is no way of knowing if removing it would cause trouble or hurt it. There is no reason to move it. Leave the body where it is and continue with the mission.

Still video, don't make this old man learn to switch between text and camera

[cruelyethuman]

The body she is currently living in, was provided by members of this team. It was a gesture and better than being stuck in the walls of the station. Somehow, I doubt she would choose it over a body that looks like herself. With legs.

Did you notice how her body on the station has no legs.

And what mission would that be, Captain Jack.

audio.

[starer]

There's a lot Viveca didn't tell us about this mission.

[And he plans on talking to her about that once they get back.]

Don't mean she's lost the right to decide what happens to this body.

video; un: stargirl

[bossily]

[There is just the longest staring before Clara can finally bring herself to say anything.]

What about we all have very specific tasks to be focusing on right now is so hard to understand?

[cruelyethuman]

The team has taken detours before. This is simply another one.

Freeing the labor camps were also not one of our tasks, Clara, but that has not stopped anyone from trying.

[And more quietly, as if he's trying to whisper past the hushed talk in the background.] Who knows what a man like the mayor needs this for. We can't ignore it and leave it here.

audio; un: doctor.disco

[attackbrows]

Remind me to award you with a trophy by the end. I've already engraved the words 'The World's Biggest Waste of Time' in big words to let it all sink in.

Video, un:Kirigan

[cruelyethuman]

Did you have something relevant to add, or are you trying to waste my time with snide remarks, doctor Disco?

audio; un: romanoff

[deaddrop]

To clarify several points:

1. The body wasn't just behind a hidden door. It was behind some pretty significant security on top of the security needed to access Reman's penthouse to start with. Whatever it is, it's important to him, and he has a plan for it.

2. We've investigated and while my experience with robots and synthezoids is limited, it looks like we ought to be able to remove her without damage. She's plugged into a port. We can unplug her and go.

3. We don't know what her purpose is. It could be that Reman is planning to use her to play house. He could intend to upload an AI or some other consciousness to it. It might be intended for future infiltration use. The options run from creepy but ultimately inconsequential to potentially problematic for us. That being the case at least some of us actually on the scene are not comfortable leaving it behind.

4. Mission is already complete. The only thing this complicates is our exit strategy.

While everyone's opinions on the matter are appreciated, I'd also appreciate it if we could trust the people actually here to use their best judgment and we'll trust you to do the same.

[bossily]

I'm not sure the mission is already complete if we're still here. When they're complete, we've always gone back rather quickly. If we're all still here, there's a reason.

audio | @ratchet

[finials]

Look, the fact is, there's no way to tell from here what her fuel source is, or if her frame can continue to live without it for any length of time if you can't identify it in a timely manner. Which means even if you do take her, she may not survive long enough to return her to Viveca.

That said, whatever you decide to do, I'm standing by to treat her if necessary.

audio; un: belova

[laviny]

[Yelena is not actually super interested in debating about this but, she has to chime in with:]

Oh my God, you're a robot doctor? That's so cool.

audio; un: megatron

[flickerandfade]

I believe Ratchet and Drift have laid out potential complications quite well.

That established, I am ready to aid Ratchet in any treatment deemed necessary.

Now can we get back to the business at hand?

Voice; un: stardust

[shadysided]

[After a few minutes of lots of overlapping voices and heated opinions and things blowing up around her in real life, Ziggy says through GRITTED TEETH and a WELL OF PATIENCE SHE NEVER KNEW SHE HAD:]

Why don't I just let the Fables know what's in there, and they can figure out what to do with the robo-body of their friend once this revolution's done? They'd know more about this shit than us.

audio | un: rey

[garbagepilot]

[Please send help]

If you could tell the Lion I would appreciate it.

Audio; un: belova

[laviny]

Ok, so my two cents, I guess. Since everyone is sharing. If we know the mayor is bad and there is any chance at all this body could one day be filled with a consciousness of any kind, I am not inclined to leave her with someone who’s intentions are probably control and exploitation. I have seen what power-mad fathers do to daughters they have total control over.

Am I projecting my own issues on to an empty shell? Maybe. Probably. Do I care? No. Not even a little bit.