Garrison & Darcy | Three-drink minimum
Aug. 21st, 2023 12:24 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
xp_darcy posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
xp_logs(backdated) After watching her train with Vi, Garrison has questions. And thoughts. Darcy has answers and some thoughts of her own.
Darcy gave Briar a wave as she entered Harry's. "Kane and the wolf on the patio?" she asked politely, getting a grunt and nod in return. "Great! Uh... pitcher of whatever he's drinking, captain and diet coke for me, plain grilled chicken for the wolf. And a basket of your garlic knots. I'll take the drinks, if you've got time to pull them now."
Pitcher and glass in hand, she made her way to the patio, bumping the door lightly with her ankle and then hip so she could squeeze through. "I brought your three drink minimum and a little liquid courage for myself, soon to be followed with snacks for all three of us," she said grandly as she placed the pitcher on the table. Her glass followed, but she detoured away from the table to give Wolfie an affectionate kiss on the forehead before scritching behind his ears. "Plain grilled chicken for you, cutie, because you're a big, bad carnivore that doesn't need garlic knots."
"He'll try, the greedy guts." Kane said sourly. He poured a pint, drained it in one motion and poured another. "So, want to explain what the fuck happened?"
"Well, he'll have to make do with the plain grilled chicken," Darcy said. She gave Garrison a squeeze on the shoulders as she moved past him and finally took a seat. "Be specific. I told you I was going to interact with Vi using my powers, and I did. I have no idea what that looks like for someone watching." She took a sip of her drink, watching him carefully.
"I saw the system run without an operator. So please tell me that was your powers. Because if not... fuck, if not..."
"That was Vi and I working together as a system, yes. Vi guiding me through the layers of electronics and devices on the network. Well, most of them. There was a section I was pretty sternly warned away from prodding into beyond making sure the defenses were sound." She paused. "I say sternly, but it was more the impression that if I pushed it then Vi would treat me as a hostile and act accordingly." Darcy took a long sip of her drink and looked out over the yard where Wolfie was sitting. "I deal with enough hostility there without actively pissing off the smart house too."
"I didn't even know that was possible. Which means you know you're going to get sat down with Storm, Pryde and all the much smarter computer people than me to look at how you are interfacing with it and how we stop other people from doing the same." Kane said, his tone light but clearly serious.
Darcy blinked. "You've never been in the house with a technopath before, or you've never been in the house with one that wasn't afraid to show you how deep they could integrate? Because –" she bit her lip, trying to figure out what she wanted to say. "When I told Doug, I got the impression that the mansion had experience, but that it hadn't always gone well. But yeah um. Not a big fan of everyone and their brother knowing how in depth I can go because it's a pretty big ace up my sleeve, but I'm not really hiding it either? I don't mind if I need to sit down with the rest of the tech team. They already know I can do a lot, even without the technopathy."
"We've had technopaths. They all interact with the mansion systems differently. And we never had VI before." Kane said. "Sorry, I get not wanting to reveal your ace up the sleeve, but the reality is that I will always push to know as much as is possible that might compromise us one day. And what might be a strength in the same way."
Darcy gave him a sideways glance. "Garrison, if I didn't want you to know, I wouldn't be practicing that skill in the Danger Room. I don't care if you know the extent of my abilities. I don't care if Sue, Kitty, Doug, and Natasha know. Having a counter for hostile systems is smart, I'm not going to deny you that. That's part of why I wanted to interact with Vi like that, so it knows my signature when I'm. Not possessed, or mind whammied, or anything like that. And there are definitely people I don't want knowing because I think they'd use it against me. Or use it to turn others against me."
Kane gave her a considering look but didn't say anything for a moment, instead taking a long sip from his pint. "I'll talk to Scott. I mean, I know we don't have specific leaders and all that, but this is something that I think he'll want to discuss with the Professor. If they're fine, I'll connect with the tech group about the best way to proceed. Regardless, whatever testing we do in-house doesn't need to go beyond that group if you're not comfortable with it."
Briar was a welcome interruption. A fresh drink for Darcy, and the garlic knots and chicken she'd ordered. "Thanks Briar," Darcy said with a grateful smile. She focused on chopping up the chicken - Wolfie probably didn't need it cut into small pieces, but it made her feel better. She pushed the garlic knots in Garrison's direction as she stood, taking the chicken over to Wolfie herself. "That's fine. I don't - Scott, I'm pretty sure the professor already has an idea, if he peeks in on us. There's a broad group that knows I can do minor things. Have my phone talk without touching it, send texts through it, that sort of thing. I don't see the point in hiding what I can do, just.. would rather keep the extent of how deep that could go to a smaller group. Kevin and Ange get regular updates from me."
"Sounds good. You know me and security, eh? You can take the Mountie out of Canada but you can't saw logs with a chicken. Or something. I never get that saying correct."
"Nerd." Darcy's voice was affectionately teasing. "I thought you'd understand my wish for a limited group just fine. Three can keep a secret if two are dead, right? But I'd rather not have to go to those extremes, so all I can reasonably ask for is a small group that understands Op Sec and doesn't broadcast their thoughts easily enough for every telepath on the planet to pick up. I mean, not that I can throw stones there, I'm still working on getting my shielding back. Keeping holed up in my room works wonders for not being a blaring menace to folks that could pick up every thought or emotion."
"Op Sec? Secrets? I'm just a simple country lawman, ma'am." He said in what was not an authentic Western accent in any way, shape or form. "But yeah, I can keep it to a small group."
Darcy leaned forward from her place next to Wolfie and flicked Garrison in the knee. "And if you believe that bullshit coming outta your mouth, I've also got some prime real estate in Brooklyn to sell you." She tipped her head back against one of the slats of wood as she sipped her drink. "Hand me a garlic knot, please."
"Being fed? How fancy." He said, flicking one of the knots in a high arc so she could easily snatch it out of the air. "I know it all, but I'm happy to hit your buttons. You know I'm not going to broadcast stuff about you without your say-so."
"Totally not being fed if you're throwing it at me." She grinned as she caught it, popping the treat into her mouth. "Garlic knots are maybe not the treat I'd choose for hand feeding either, regardless of how tasty they are. And I know you're not. It's other people I worry about. I mean, if you thought I was doing something dangerous or threatening to the safety of the place aside. Then I'd fully expect you to spill your guts." She tilted her head to look at Wolfie, reaching out and running her fingers along his back. "I don't know if I trust people would listen to you, but I know you'd put your duty to the mansion first. You have so many times, after all. What's a bit of a friendship in the face of everything you've already sacrificed to this place?"
"I can be surprisingly persuasive. I mean, I got this place to put five pounds of fried food on the menu and it turned into the hottest food item since they realized that buffalos had wings." He joked.
"Yeah, but that's different than convincing people their friend is a bad idea," Darcy countered. "Or simply that something's wrong, sometimes. Then again, if it's subtle enough it's hard to tell."
"Fair enough, I guess we'll roll with it when it comes up." He said with a nod, leaning back to fish out the jerky for the wolf.
"Best we can do is prepare for the worst, yeah?"
"Yup. Usually by drinking." He said with a wink.
Darcy gave Briar a wave as she entered Harry's. "Kane and the wolf on the patio?" she asked politely, getting a grunt and nod in return. "Great! Uh... pitcher of whatever he's drinking, captain and diet coke for me, plain grilled chicken for the wolf. And a basket of your garlic knots. I'll take the drinks, if you've got time to pull them now."
Pitcher and glass in hand, she made her way to the patio, bumping the door lightly with her ankle and then hip so she could squeeze through. "I brought your three drink minimum and a little liquid courage for myself, soon to be followed with snacks for all three of us," she said grandly as she placed the pitcher on the table. Her glass followed, but she detoured away from the table to give Wolfie an affectionate kiss on the forehead before scritching behind his ears. "Plain grilled chicken for you, cutie, because you're a big, bad carnivore that doesn't need garlic knots."
"He'll try, the greedy guts." Kane said sourly. He poured a pint, drained it in one motion and poured another. "So, want to explain what the fuck happened?"
"Well, he'll have to make do with the plain grilled chicken," Darcy said. She gave Garrison a squeeze on the shoulders as she moved past him and finally took a seat. "Be specific. I told you I was going to interact with Vi using my powers, and I did. I have no idea what that looks like for someone watching." She took a sip of her drink, watching him carefully.
"I saw the system run without an operator. So please tell me that was your powers. Because if not... fuck, if not..."
"That was Vi and I working together as a system, yes. Vi guiding me through the layers of electronics and devices on the network. Well, most of them. There was a section I was pretty sternly warned away from prodding into beyond making sure the defenses were sound." She paused. "I say sternly, but it was more the impression that if I pushed it then Vi would treat me as a hostile and act accordingly." Darcy took a long sip of her drink and looked out over the yard where Wolfie was sitting. "I deal with enough hostility there without actively pissing off the smart house too."
"I didn't even know that was possible. Which means you know you're going to get sat down with Storm, Pryde and all the much smarter computer people than me to look at how you are interfacing with it and how we stop other people from doing the same." Kane said, his tone light but clearly serious.
Darcy blinked. "You've never been in the house with a technopath before, or you've never been in the house with one that wasn't afraid to show you how deep they could integrate? Because –" she bit her lip, trying to figure out what she wanted to say. "When I told Doug, I got the impression that the mansion had experience, but that it hadn't always gone well. But yeah um. Not a big fan of everyone and their brother knowing how in depth I can go because it's a pretty big ace up my sleeve, but I'm not really hiding it either? I don't mind if I need to sit down with the rest of the tech team. They already know I can do a lot, even without the technopathy."
"We've had technopaths. They all interact with the mansion systems differently. And we never had VI before." Kane said. "Sorry, I get not wanting to reveal your ace up the sleeve, but the reality is that I will always push to know as much as is possible that might compromise us one day. And what might be a strength in the same way."
Darcy gave him a sideways glance. "Garrison, if I didn't want you to know, I wouldn't be practicing that skill in the Danger Room. I don't care if you know the extent of my abilities. I don't care if Sue, Kitty, Doug, and Natasha know. Having a counter for hostile systems is smart, I'm not going to deny you that. That's part of why I wanted to interact with Vi like that, so it knows my signature when I'm. Not possessed, or mind whammied, or anything like that. And there are definitely people I don't want knowing because I think they'd use it against me. Or use it to turn others against me."
Kane gave her a considering look but didn't say anything for a moment, instead taking a long sip from his pint. "I'll talk to Scott. I mean, I know we don't have specific leaders and all that, but this is something that I think he'll want to discuss with the Professor. If they're fine, I'll connect with the tech group about the best way to proceed. Regardless, whatever testing we do in-house doesn't need to go beyond that group if you're not comfortable with it."
Briar was a welcome interruption. A fresh drink for Darcy, and the garlic knots and chicken she'd ordered. "Thanks Briar," Darcy said with a grateful smile. She focused on chopping up the chicken - Wolfie probably didn't need it cut into small pieces, but it made her feel better. She pushed the garlic knots in Garrison's direction as she stood, taking the chicken over to Wolfie herself. "That's fine. I don't - Scott, I'm pretty sure the professor already has an idea, if he peeks in on us. There's a broad group that knows I can do minor things. Have my phone talk without touching it, send texts through it, that sort of thing. I don't see the point in hiding what I can do, just.. would rather keep the extent of how deep that could go to a smaller group. Kevin and Ange get regular updates from me."
"Sounds good. You know me and security, eh? You can take the Mountie out of Canada but you can't saw logs with a chicken. Or something. I never get that saying correct."
"Nerd." Darcy's voice was affectionately teasing. "I thought you'd understand my wish for a limited group just fine. Three can keep a secret if two are dead, right? But I'd rather not have to go to those extremes, so all I can reasonably ask for is a small group that understands Op Sec and doesn't broadcast their thoughts easily enough for every telepath on the planet to pick up. I mean, not that I can throw stones there, I'm still working on getting my shielding back. Keeping holed up in my room works wonders for not being a blaring menace to folks that could pick up every thought or emotion."
"Op Sec? Secrets? I'm just a simple country lawman, ma'am." He said in what was not an authentic Western accent in any way, shape or form. "But yeah, I can keep it to a small group."
Darcy leaned forward from her place next to Wolfie and flicked Garrison in the knee. "And if you believe that bullshit coming outta your mouth, I've also got some prime real estate in Brooklyn to sell you." She tipped her head back against one of the slats of wood as she sipped her drink. "Hand me a garlic knot, please."
"Being fed? How fancy." He said, flicking one of the knots in a high arc so she could easily snatch it out of the air. "I know it all, but I'm happy to hit your buttons. You know I'm not going to broadcast stuff about you without your say-so."
"Totally not being fed if you're throwing it at me." She grinned as she caught it, popping the treat into her mouth. "Garlic knots are maybe not the treat I'd choose for hand feeding either, regardless of how tasty they are. And I know you're not. It's other people I worry about. I mean, if you thought I was doing something dangerous or threatening to the safety of the place aside. Then I'd fully expect you to spill your guts." She tilted her head to look at Wolfie, reaching out and running her fingers along his back. "I don't know if I trust people would listen to you, but I know you'd put your duty to the mansion first. You have so many times, after all. What's a bit of a friendship in the face of everything you've already sacrificed to this place?"
"I can be surprisingly persuasive. I mean, I got this place to put five pounds of fried food on the menu and it turned into the hottest food item since they realized that buffalos had wings." He joked.
"Yeah, but that's different than convincing people their friend is a bad idea," Darcy countered. "Or simply that something's wrong, sometimes. Then again, if it's subtle enough it's hard to tell."
"Fair enough, I guess we'll roll with it when it comes up." He said with a nod, leaning back to fish out the jerky for the wolf.
"Best we can do is prepare for the worst, yeah?"
"Yup. Usually by drinking." He said with a wink.
