R1 DEADLAND

[lockdownmods]

[it’s strange, for the people who were already dead, the shift in scenery is sudden and complete. For those who have just arrived? It’s like you’re back where you left?

How strange.

But if you ever need her, you can always reach out to the guardian of this place.]

LOCATIONS
Note: locations lag a week behind the living counterparts

Comments

[preconstruction]

I'm really happy to see you, too.

[ he can't deny that -- he'd been so emotional after losing hank. ]

[donotlick]

Just don't go getting yourself killed by -- shit, fucking evil twins again. Or anything.

[ Emotional is maybe putting it lightly. Actually... ]

Hey, so what's this I heard about you trying to get people to vote for you at the trial, huh?

[preconstruction]

[ oh...no...he's had this conversation with so many people. he instantly looks guilty, ducking his head so hank doesn't have to see it. ]

Yes, that happened.

[donotlick]

[ Oh, well, that's no good. Hank knows that look. He doesn't like it. ]

What did you do.

[preconstruction]

They were going to execute someone for destroying that machine. I couldn't let that happen.

[donotlick]

What, the hat? Are you kidding me? That shit wasn't even a fucking student.

[ Did they make a little hat-sized uniform for her? No. ]

[preconstruction]

That was my point! Everyone was angry with me for pointing it out.

[donotlick]

That's fucking stupid.

[ Hank grumbles. ]

Goddammit, I fucking die and people let someone die over a goddamn hat?

[preconstruction]

I was trying to stop that from happening. And, anyway, Vivienne, Han and I were all going to stop the robots. I knew that if we succeeded, Hale might still do it himself but I...

[ ok ill be honest he figured hale couldn't look him in the face and shoot him it was a bit of a gamble here. ]

[donotlick]

So you guys did it? And that's why... Vivienne mentioned Hale did the deed himself, because they told Han to do it.

[ No surprise there honestly. They all know Hale's here for Han. ]

You idiot. If Hale didn't shoot you, he probably would've gotten himself, or even Han killed. Don't take gambles like that!

[preconstruction]

Yes, we did it. I ran a DDOS attack on their servers while Han and Vivienne finished the job. I'm not sure how many Han managed to destroy, since I was murdered by one.

[ though i guess... ]

Do you think it was wrong for me to have done that? Knowing what happened at Cyberlife?

[ you know, being ra9 and saving everyone ]

[donotlick]

Christ.

[ Connor being so okay with being murdered is!! Seriously fucking with Hank a little!! ]

Knowing what... That's different. [ Hank waves a hand. ] Things here aren't anything like they are back home. We're not fighting a society or a government power or whatever. These robots weren't made to be people, and they're not nearly as advanced as you, anyway.

I'm not saying they don't deserve to live, but they're dangerous by default. I mean, shit, one of them killed you. What's stopping them from killing everybody else?

[preconstruction]

[ connor deflates a little, rather than getting more fired up. it's the same thing he told vivienne. twice now. ]

I know.

[donotlick]

[ Hank is right there with you, pal. ]

I know. It sucks. All of this sucks.

[ Hey, it's okay now though. It's better. Hank tries to smile a bit. ]

But we'll figure it out, alright? Both of us.

[preconstruction]

I don't know how much work we can do like this.

[ actually -- ]

Will you give me your hand? I want to try something.

[donotlick]

[ Hank nods. ]

Uh, sure.

[ He trusts Connor, he'll do his weird request. Hank holds out his hand for him. ]

What's up?

[preconstruction]

[ connor takes it, his skin peeling back so he can check to see if they can interface. he'd checked to see if max was a robot, but this wasn't the same. he doesn't expect hank's skin to peel away as if he's an android, but he does expect to make a connection. ]

Can you feel me?

[ it should feel like warmth. like he's glad that hank is here. like he's excited to let him feel it. like he's glad that what happened didn't end in nothing. ]

[donotlick]

[ Hank can definitely feel something. It's the strangest thing he's ever felt in his life, but the fact that it's Connor, that he can just tell it's just Connor, keeps him from pulling away. ]

What the fuck...?

[ Hank's confusion should be obvious. He's confused, and a little scared, but there's a strange sort of understanding there too. He's not sure he wants to draw the obvious conclusion here, but getting to feel Connor like this is... certainly new. ]

I... that's you? How?

[preconstruction]

[ he can feel hank, too. his confusion, his nervous. but he tries to send reassurance. it's okay. they're both okay. ]

I don't want to alarm you, but strictly speaking, I don't think you're human anymore.

[ lockdown: become AI ]

[donotlick]

[ Honestly, it's a good thing Connor's doing that or Hank would be pretty fucking freaked. He's still pretty fucking freaked. ]

What... what the hell is this?

[ He's half expecting his own skin to peel back at this point. How-- if he's not human, what is he? ]

You "don't want to alarm me"? Connor, what the fuck is going on?

[ they did it, they became un-human ]

[preconstruction]

Hey, hey, it's okay --

[ luckily he is way more used to doing this so he makes sure he gives more of his feelings and takes less of those. ]

We've been uploaded as AI. The way Vivienne put herself in Megumi. If she did it the same way -- her process is very thorough.

[donotlick]

[ Ain't interfacing great? Hank has to admit, it's weird to get to feel Connor, but he can definitely see the appeal when he'd probably be hyperventilating otherwise. ]

Jesus christ. I'm-- I'm an AI now? So...

[ So he's dead. Really dead. Fuck. ]

Fuck.... Fuck.

[ Okay, okay, deep breaths. Deep breaths, Hank. He can kind of send Connor his -- it's weird, but maybe he's trying to send a thought here? It's... Cole. It's Cole. ]

I knew something was up. I knew -- this couldn't really be it.

[preconstruction]

[ look. if hank is really dead that means connor has always been really dead, watch your logic my dude. because guess what interfacing like this he can feel it.

connor cuts the connection before his own thoughts about himself and being dead vs alive can transfer. he knows what happens if they go down that route. ]

I'm sorry, Hank.

[donotlick]

[ It's different with Connor -- this is the only form of existence he's known. For Hank... well, it's going to take some getting used to. And yeah, since they're interfacing, Hank can tell he took it too far.

Wow, that's super weird, being able to just share feelings. But it's a thing they can do now. And that's... well, who else would he trust with those, if not Connor? ]

I... No, I'm sorry. Connor...

[ Hank takes a breath, in and out. Slow and steady. If he's an AI, then they did a damn good job of figuring out how he'd have an existential crisis. ]

Fuck. I'm better than this. I know...

[ He shake his head. He'd been getting better. He cut back on his drinking, he'd been helping people, not just Connor, and... And his life here, for all that it's been brief, has been longer than all the time Hank spent with Connor in Detroit.

He still has Connor. Everything is going to be fine. ]

Okay. This is... it's a lot. But it beats dying by a long shot. I figured that much already. [ Hank holds out his hand for Connor again. He's sorry. ] I can get used to this.

[preconstruction]

[ he's a little surprised to see hank offer again, but he accepts, (simulated) white plastic meeting hank's hand. it's clear that he's tired; now that they're past the initial good of what was here, it should be apparent how rough this week has been on him. this month. this place. how he keeps fighting and fighting but somehow it's never enough.

(oh, but it was enough, because hanthaniel himself had to come after him and wasn't that something? didn't that prove that he was making progress hanthaniel had no choice but to stop? and there's a swell of pride in knowing that.)

but, too, there's forgiveness. he knows that hank didn't mean to be that way, that hank has been trying for a long time while they've been here to tell him that androids were people too. that fear can say things that people do not believe. and that fear is not the end of every conversation. because there is too much trust between them to think any differently. ]

We're together. That's what's important.