12850/Digital Costume

Digital Costume
Date of Scene:	16 March 2021
Location:	Study Hall / Computer Lab, Xavier's School
Synopsis:	Jeremy fixes a computer - and talks what he does.
Cast of Characters:	Red, SpyderByte

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Red has posed:
The afternoon classes are long over when Alice is done with some work on the computers in the room, stretching in the chair. Next to her is a box filled with costume parts, the screen still showing a rotating digita representation of some item.

SpyderByte has posed:
The sounds of chains jingling can be heard as Jeremy makes his way into the computer lab. He is wearing his long leather trench coat, his dog collar around his throat, bondage pants and a typical black shirt beneath it. He is dragging himself as always towards a specific terminal, reaching down to unhook it from the periphrials, then lifts it up to place on the desk. A small screwdriver comes out of his pocket, as well as a box of RAM. He starts to work at the case quietly as he sways back and forth slowly, giving the box gentle pats.

Red has posed:
Alice looks back down from the ceiling to Jeremy as he works. "You know, those are quite good machines already. Or did you fry that one?" she asks as she slips back to her chair properly to work on shuttng off the programs she had been working on.

SpyderByte has posed:
<< This one is sick, I could hear him crying last night. His third RAM module has failed and causing him to not perform effectively. >>

Jeremy takes the side off, then reaches in to pluck a stick out, placing it to the side. The next stick is removed from the anti-static bag and inserted into the motherboard. He is meticulous as he moves, slow and steady.

Red has posed:
Alice blinks at Siri's answer, eying the speakers in the room first before identifying Jeremy as the source. "Gosh, why Siri? How come you spotted that? Fraction time cognition or are you like a technopath?" she asks as she works the alt-F4 buttons to induce the computer's shutdown measures.

SpyderByte has posed:
<< I am a technopath, yes. I communicate with network based machines as if they were living and breathing organics. >>

Jeremy plugs the computer back in and taps power. Once he hooks in the network cable, he gives a smile as he brushes his fingers along the top of the machine a few times.

<< Much better. You're welcome. >>

The soft voice of Siri that comes out of the speakers ons his phone is a gentle crooning.

Red has posed:
"Network based machines? Like you talk to them and such? Do they tell you stuff or something?" Alice asks as she gets out off the chair to pick up the box. "Like, you know who I called or something?"

SpyderByte has posed:
<< Yes. We have conversations. I speak to them as I am speaking to you. >>

Jeremy slips down into his desk and starts to type on the keyboard as he logs into the machine, then sits back and stares at it for a few moments. A few more windows pop up, running diagnostics.

<< Yes, I could find out who you called. I can hear your phone right now. They all have dinstinct voices and signals. >>

Red has posed:
"Gosh, I hope you don't. I mean, you don't want to want to make everybody want to lynch you for invading their privacy, yes?" Alice asks, giving a little nervous smile as she leans to pick up her box of parts she made.

"I guess, because after they leave the store none is the same because users do other stuff to them?"

SpyderByte has posed:
<< I don't care about your privacy. You have a Twitter account, a Starbucks reward card and a Driver's License. >>

Jeremy says as he taps along the keys of the computer in front of him as he runs a number of tools and diagnostics to ensure the memory bank is working properly.

<< You gave up your privacy a long time ago. Don't worry though, I don't care about looking through your devices either. They would bore me and I do not waste my time on boring things. I can just feel your phone. I can feel everyone's phone. I can feel their computers and their headphones and their Fitbits. It doesn't mean I'm looking through them. >>

Red has posed:
"Nope, I ain't got no starbucks card. But what's so boring about people?" Alice asks as she puts the box onto the table, eying over to the working Jeremy.

"But if you mean how vulnerable people are... To me? Almost everybody around carries around all I could need to subdue them."

SpyderByte has posed:
<< No, I just mean people are boring. You're all boring. >>

Jeremy taps the computer off with a stroke of his fingers along the keyboard, then rises upwards and lets out a heavy sigh.

<< Even if I went through your phone, I would be bored. I don't care about your pictures, or your texts to your friends, or your Snappy Bird app you fiddle with. None of it is interesting to me. It's noise. Loud, dumb, noise. >>

As he eases himself out of the aisle, he runs a hand through the shaggy black hair, staring blankly at Alice for a few moments before he attaches his phone to his shoulder holster again.

Red has posed:
"All people are boring because... why?" Alice asks as she leans onto the cardboard box, a greek helpet poking out on one end, a stormtrooper shin on the other.

"Because people can't surprise you anymore or because nobody does something unexpected?"

SpyderByte has posed:
<< Because they are. It's all the same. Complaints about life. Complaints about love life. The conversations are mindless drivel. Photos of themselves from stupid angles. Spam mail from department stores. It's boring and predictive. So, there is no purpose in me snooping through student's devices. >>

Jeremy runs his hands back through his hair, pushing it away from his face.

<< So these days, I snoop in stuff that I find to be interesting. I look for data that the world needs to see. The stuff that the shadows try to hide away and hurt people with. >>

Red has posed:
"Well, then you should look after the guy that made this 'cure' thing. Or if you can find Trask. You know, the guy who invented Sentinels. Or if you find the purifier's preachers, many want to hear where that one is too."

Alice sighs a miment, then picks up the stormtrooper shin to point it at the guy. "You know, you could always try to do something just for the fun of it. Wear a silly costume to make a kid happy or something."

SpyderByte has posed:
<< I did all of that already. My data analysis was critical into Doctor McCoy's work. >>

Jeremy's voice comes out of the phone on his shoulder as he starts for the door, chains rattling as he goes in his usual slow lurching manner.

<< This is what I do for fun. I have been wearing a costume my entire life. I like who I am now. >>

As he heads out the door, one of the speakers connected to a computer pings with the soft female voice.

<< I'll talk to you later. Maybe we can do something one day. >>