terminal-velocity-max

[terminal-velocity-max]

Max sits back down at their table, placing a fresh cup of tea a safe distance away from the computer. The news coverage is still on a break with the trial on recess.

So far it has been a mess. It's incredible that a trial with this high a level of significance as a precedent setter feels like watching one of those soap operas rather than the serious historical/political event it's supposed to be.

Nevertheless instead of just sitting around sipping tea, waiting for the news coverage to pick up again Max used the recess to sift through the social media storm surrounding the trial. Without the vast network of connections and points of access at their disposal the House of Sand had cut them off from they had to go back to the basics: stalking the omninet and exploiting poorly secured surveillance systems.

To their annoyance they had very little success with the second part as Tenacity haa a pretty serious cyber-security.

[terminal-velocity-max]

Well... This is awkward.

If you'd excuse me I'm going to walk out of an air lock now

arvie is thre coverage for any psychological and/or paracasual distress i may hav experienced. i dont think ive evr seen anythin like that before. i think that was the closest 2 a real hell ive evr been in and ive seen war.

on a related note i think jae should steer real fuckin clear of my datapad and probbly my room in genral or maybe me for the time being.

- mac

{Arvantiel... sounds... both relieved and distressed in their response}

PASSIONS PRESERVE! I have been worried fucking sick! I have been unable to sleep I have been searching for however long it's been to find a specialist to get you out and-

ut hem.... I am glad you have made it back safely Mac, and I'll just file this under the "Injuries" segment of the contract which is fully covered. Don't you worry you're pretty little head I can recommend some wonderful therapists. Please do take advantage of that Mac.

[terminal-velocity-max]

I am so sorry...

If you need proof the Mac's Garage has made an official announcement.

I'm sorry

arvie is thre coverage for any psychological and/or paracasual distress i may hav experienced. i dont think ive evr seen anythin like that before. i think that was the closest 2 a real hell ive evr been in and ive seen war.

on a related note i think jae should steer real fuckin clear of my datapad and probbly my room in genral or maybe me for the time being.

- mac

{Arvantiel... sounds... both relieved and distressed in their response}

PASSIONS PRESERVE! I have been worried fucking sick! I have been unable to sleep I have been searching for however long it's been to find a specialist to get you out and-

ut hem.... I am glad you have made it back safely Mac, and I'll just file this under the "Injuries" segment of the contract which is fully covered. Don't you worry you're pretty little head I can recommend some wonderful therapists. Please do take advantage of that Mac.

[terminal-velocity-max]

connection.find(omni_net)

connection established

user.id.password(Y/N)

(Y)

{password entered}

user verified - terminal-velocity-max

"Oh dear, that must be an old message. Have you not heard? As a stranger I'm probably not the one who should tell you this... But you deserve to know.

Mac has passed away recently. I'm so sorry you have to find out this way. You have my sincerest condolences."

- Max

arvie is thre coverage for any psychological and/or paracasual distress i may hav experienced. i dont think ive evr seen anythin like that before. i think that was the closest 2 a real hell ive evr been in and ive seen war.

on a related note i think jae should steer real fuckin clear of my datapad and probbly my room in genral or maybe me for the time being.

- mac

{Arvantiel... sounds... both relieved and distressed in their response}

PASSIONS PRESERVE! I have been worried fucking sick! I have been unable to sleep I have been searching for however long it's been to find a specialist to get you out and-

ut hem.... I am glad you have made it back safely Mac, and I'll just file this under the "Injuries" segment of the contract which is fully covered. Don't you worry you're pretty little head I can recommend some wonderful therapists. Please do take advantage of that Mac.

[terminal-velocity-max]

Huh. A risky choice that's for sure. But it is nice to see a source of horribly painful death repurposed for a more peaceful job. It gives me hope.

Listen. Listen. Do *not* go anywhere *near* the IPS-N standard-issue caffeine pills. Those are for long-haulers. 24-subjective-hour-shifters. Those make sure you do not need to sleep again, right up until you pass out from exhaustion. I will not touch the IPS-N caffeine pills, and I used to work there. //The Intern

\\PIRATE RADIO FOREVER//

[terminal-velocity-max]

... Proceed

Listen. Listen. Do *not* go anywhere *near* the IPS-N standard-issue caffeine pills. Those are for long-haulers. 24-subjective-hour-shifters. Those make sure you do not need to sleep again, right up until you pass out from exhaustion. I will not touch the IPS-N caffeine pills, and I used to work there. //The Intern

\\PIRATE RADIO FOREVER//

[terminal-velocity-max]

I think I'll keep an eye on you from now on. I suspect you shall be an... interesting source of knowledge

Listen. Listen. Do *not* go anywhere *near* the IPS-N standard-issue caffeine pills. Those are for long-haulers. 24-subjective-hour-shifters. Those make sure you do not need to sleep again, right up until you pass out from exhaustion. I will not touch the IPS-N caffeine pills, and I used to work there. //The Intern

\\PIRATE RADIO FOREVER//

[terminal-velocity-max]

Hi I'm sorry but WHAT?

Listen. Listen. Do *not* go anywhere *near* the IPS-N standard-issue caffeine pills. Those are for long-haulers. 24-subjective-hour-shifters. Those make sure you do not need to sleep again, right up until you pass out from exhaustion. I will not touch the IPS-N caffeine pills, and I used to work there. //The Intern

\\PIRATE RADIO FOREVER//

[terminal-velocity-max]

Max melts into their chair at the thought of all the work ahead of them. But they also feel strangely relieved that their efforts were not for naught. At least not for now. They ponder Mistral's plan for a few moments while they're smoking on the other side of the table.

"Or", they consider their words carefully before speaking, "maybe it should be me to file the report." Their gaze trails off. "We could say that I fled to Sanjak for protection, which isn't a lie. That the marriage that was arranged for me would make it near impossible for me to bring my House to justice."

They lace their fingers together and rest their chin on them, elbows on the armrests. "And reporting these transgressions to the baronic council wouldn't lead to anything. My only option was to flee here and seek Union's help."

They raise their eyes to look at Mistral again. "All this aligns with my actions. It's not just believable. There's true to it. And it would set me up as a whistleblower instead of a vengeful hurt child."

"And if you can match the times of these raids with your records when they ask you to... It could lead to something. Don't you think?"

connection.find(omni_net)

connection established

user.id.password(Y/N)

(Y)

{password entered}

user verified - terminal-velocity-max

"Good [time of day] Mistral, I have some good news and some bad news. Do you wish for me to report in person or will a simple message suffice? "

- Max

The door is always open to you, Max. Do whichever you prefer, although I don't think I'll be trying to make tea again. P is better at it than I am.

-Mistral

[terminal-velocity-max]

With a small awkward laugh Max declines the offer. "Ah no thank you. Caffeine gives me the jitters." They clear their throat and open the notes.

"So the bad news is they managed to find and patch all of my backdoors and switched out all their passwords so I no longer have access to anything in the House of Sand network." They flip a page and continue.

"But the good news is that I managed to extract some highly classified data before I got locked out. Take a look at this." They turn the notebook around and put it on the table in-between the two of them. There's a few printed screenshots papercliped to the page with a date and file location handwritten next to it. The rest of the page is filled with more dates, handwritten code lines and transcripts of conversations.

Max takes the photos from the paperclip and lines them up on the table so that Mistral can read them.

_____________________________________________

#1: "T -2 minutes. Final check of mission readiness. Cloaking?"

#2: "Check."

#4: "Check!"

#3: "Affirmative."

#1: "Explosives?"

#3: "Secure."

#2: "Check."

#4: "Ready to go!"

#1: "Main and auxiliary weapons?"

#4: "Good to go!"

#2: "Check."

#3: "Combat ready."

#1: "Self termination device?"

#3: "Armed."

#2: "Check."

#1: "Four confirm."

#1: "NUMBER FOUR confirm!"

#4: "ch-CHECK!!"

C5: "Barricade ships camera sabotage engaging in 20 seconds."

#1: "T -70 seconds. Keep formation, don't lose your head. Going radio silent in 3. 2. 1."

_____________________________________________

The second picture takes place about 5 minutes after the first.

_____________________________________________

#1: Barricade cleared. Restoring comms. Confirm."

#2: "Receiving."

#3: "Affirmative."

#4: "Here!"

#1: "Approaching destination. Prepare the explosives for drop-off."

#2: "Ready."

#3: "Primed."

#4: "I-I'm ready."

#1: "Target in sight. Be ready for evasive maneuvering. Keep your wits about."

_____________________________________________

The next picture is timed about a minute after.

_____________________________________________

#3: "Bomb down. Target down."

#4: "NO! SHIT SHIT SHIT!!"

#1: "Four you passed the target! Aim for the secondary objective!"

#4: "Nonononono NO!"

#1: "Four what the FUCK are you doing?!?!"

#4: "It's JAMMED! I CAN'T DROP IT!!!"

#2: "What?!"

#3: "Watch out!"

#4: "ARGH-"

#1: "FOUR! Come in!"

#4: "I got hit! Going for an emergency landing!"

#1: "Negative. They can't catch you."

#1: "...Active the self termination device. That's an order."

#4: "NO! I can't- PLEASE! I DON'T WAN- AAAAGH!!!"

C1: "Unit 4 has been terminated to maintain mission integrity."

#1: "FUCK!"

#2: "Damn it..."

C5: "Objective cleared. Return to base."

_____________________________________________

The other pictures are mission briefings, reports and headshots of force members.

"In my opinion this should be enough to prove to the Union that the cease-fire was broken. What do you think?"

connection.find(omni_net)

connection established

user.id.password(Y/N)

(Y)

{password entered}

user verified - terminal-velocity-max

"Good [time of day] Mistral, I have some good news and some bad news. Do you wish for me to report in person or will a simple message suffice? "

- Max

The door is always open to you, Max. Do whichever you prefer, although I don't think I'll be trying to make tea again. P is better at it than I am.

-Mistral

[terminal-velocity-max]

"Good afternoon Mistral. Hope I'm not intruding on your off time?"

They sit down in one of the chairs, leaning their crutches against the chair next to it. Taking a satchel off their bag they fish out a paper notebook that they place on the table with an amused expression.

"Bit old-school but no encryption is more reliable!" They settle in their chair before in a slightly more serious tone adding, "So do you want the good or the bad news first?"

connection.find(omni_net)

connection established

user.id.password(Y/N)

(Y)

{password entered}

user verified - terminal-velocity-max

"Good [time of day] Mistral, I have some good news and some bad news. Do you wish for me to report in person or will a simple message suffice? "

- Max

The door is always open to you, Max. Do whichever you prefer, although I don't think I'll be trying to make tea again. P is better at it than I am.

-Mistral

[terminal-velocity-max]

"I will come by your place then. Fewer eyes and ears around that way."

- Max

connection.find(omni_net)

connection established

user.id.password(Y/N)

(Y)

{password entered}

user verified - terminal-velocity-max

"Good [time of day] Mistral, I have some good news and some bad news. Do you wish for me to report in person or will a simple message suffice? "

- Max

The door is always open to you, Max. Do whichever you prefer, although I don't think I'll be trying to make tea again. P is better at it than I am.

-Mistral

[terminal-velocity-max]

🤭

Just a few more things before I am properly stabbed 23 times on stage and it will be utterly glorious this year.... Thinking... Knives check, false blood check, the outfit is certainly prepared.... Now to get in the mind of a Stonelord and to be stabbed in the spine and rest of my body several times.... Yes...

[terminal-velocity-max]

"Ah exhibitionism. Feeling daring today are we?"

- Max

Just a few more things before I am properly stabbed 23 times on stage and it will be utterly glorious this year.... Thinking... Knives check, false blood check, the outfit is certainly prepared.... Now to get in the mind of a Stonelord and to be stabbed in the spine and rest of my body several times.... Yes...

[terminal-velocity-max]

connection.find(omni_net)

connection established

user.id.password(Y/N)

(Y)

{password entered}

user verified - terminal-velocity-max

"*Sigh* Adding knife play to The list. Seriously why is everyone so horny on main all the time?"

- Max

Just a few more things before I am properly stabbed 23 times on stage and it will be utterly glorious this year.... Thinking... Knives check, false blood check, the outfit is certainly prepared.... Now to get in the mind of a Stonelord and to be stabbed in the spine and rest of my body several times.... Yes...

[terminal-velocity-max]

"... If this is their plan to get me back I swear 😒

Actually pathetic if it is. It's almost sad"

- Max

Called up a few old friends looking for work today. Most of them I... didn't have the best relationships with when we last parted, but a couple folks were willing to chat. Hadn't talked to any of them for almost half a decade, and it was honestly pretty nice to catch up after so long. Makes a girl feel kinda bad about some things. It is what it is, though.

Anyway, I got some job offers. All relatively high-paying, too, and all (at least sort of) well suited to the Star. Which would be great news, if not for, well, the jobs themselves.

Armed transport wanted for pirate hunting! In-person interview and ship review at Rào Cỏ Station. Salvage rights guaranteed!

Cascade Line Naval Contracting Wants You (And Your Ship)

ludrasworldfreeshipping.h̴̗͕̘͌̅0r̸̥̕/us̶̱̓̈

Long Rim pirate bait, spaceborne mercenary fodder, or Karrakin Navy target practice. Some options.

I guess I have some calls to make.

[terminal-velocity-max]

connection.find(omni_net)

connection established

user.id.password(Y/N)

(Y)

{password entered}

user verified - terminal-velocity-max

" So I happened to stumble upon this poster for a horror movie about the Egregorians that H.A. is making... And I just thought I'd share with the class!

Careful guys, your SEC/COM is showing~"

- Max

A horror movie poster based around The Emerald Ash Borer - an invasive species here in the U.S! Highly recommend doing your own research so you can keep an eye out for these pesky fellers!