>>974045
"Is there anything we can do... well better put, should do? How did you manage to get your broadcast through Trash? Do you know of any sort of evidence that might have been left behind by the person who really enabled white's transmission?

Perhaps it's best to just leave the politics to Difos and focus on getting the final interviews done. We'll need to get a hold of Lumina so we can ask her about what to put on the mechanics portion, and get things set up for the combat and piloting portion. if we have some paper and pens I can start writing out some of the exam questions myself... anything I'm forgetting?"

Also we've recharged Nielly haven't we?

>>974112
You let your elbow over the table and your tilted head over your open hand. Looking away. "Is
there anything we can do... well better put, should do?"

"Do the interviews at Captain's pan, before they turn the eggs into souffle." It's the voice across
the static, overlapping Trash's as the templar shrugs and moves her lips. Turns out, Nielly
eats a lot of batteries. "If any psycho tries to get in, we'll get to see how Vaal makes sashimi."

"World to Toasty, did it fry now?"

"Nielly's back." you nod at Trash, she opens her mouth in comprehension. The black
headset is so big it feels like your head is being biten by puffy pillows. "Trash?" She looks at
you again. "How did you manage to get your broadcast through?"

"In ways none of those fucks could dream to mimick."

"She blackmailed everyone." Vaal interferes, grinning.

Trash glares at her. "Oh come on what the fuck!"

"What!" Vaal jumps, pouting. "She needs to know, and for your information, you aren't the
only one who can do that."

Trash grumbles.

"Do you know of any sort of evidence there might have been left behind by the person who
really enabled White's transmision?"

"Forget it, out of your reach." Trash says. "If there were clues or leads they would have
been broadcasted to fuck Captain in the horns. Most likely they don't have a clue, either."

"As for the ones in charge of the screens, they've sent some to jail on the same charges
as Captain." Even if slightly, Vaal grimaces. "This is the kind of things you don't have to
hear about, Roomba."

"Like what?"

Vaal glares at Trash across the table, yet without hostility. You stand your chin over your
palm, now looking at the table.

"Perhaps it'sbest to just leave the politics to Difos-"

"WAH?"

"-and focus on getting the interviews done." You close your eyes in a mini nod. "We'll ned to
get a hold of Lumina so we can ask her about what to put on the mechanics portion, and get
things set up for the combat and piloting portion."

"Pff, easy as shit." Trash says.

"If we havesome paper and pens I can start writing out some of the exam questions
myself... anything I'm forgetting?"

"Ask our candidates for their mottos and what would they like to have in the Friend." It's the
voice across the static, you open a palm towards the talking Vaal as your eyes flicker
upwards. "Personality profiling is very important, sometimes even more than skill. A
strong gun won't matter if we can't aim it."

"Hmm, sounds good." You nod to nowhere. "Any other ideas, Nielly?"

"Start with Vaal. She seems interesting, and she's already here. How does she look like?"

"Anything else, Toasty?" You turn you head to Trash, who's already standing. "Can't believe
my head's still fucking bloody."

"Those red stripes on your hair look good on you!"

"Vaal what the FUCK."

>>974218
Go over and help Trash get all the blood out of her hair, and double check to make sure it's not her blood. A little head wound can case a lot of blood loss.

"Nielly is right though, we didn't get around to interviewing Vaal after Trash did we? And Nielly, did you want me to describe her appearance to you?"

>>974310

"Trash," you start, smiling at her, "come with me."

She turns from Vaal to find you going to the bathroom. You watch the girlfriends share a
look, but then the templar clumsily steps over the table and you both head inside the
bathroom.

"Put your head in here and kneel."

Her cheeks puff. "Forget it, it's just a little blood."

"Vaal," you say out loud, "could you-"

"Yes?" you hear from outside.

"Nevermind, we found it." Trash's voice echoes from the bathroom as she covers your mouth.
Her grasp is brute, but you are a Fake and it seems she didn't notice. Sighing at you, the
templar kneels and gets her head into the sink. You wonder if templars age slower, somehow;
Trash told you she was thirty-two? Gently, you move her hair to the sides with your fingers,
moving upwards from her nape, expecting her to flinch. Yet even as you the tip of you index
slips in something wet, she doesn't.

"Hurry it up," she says, "I don't like to feel like I'm about to get fucked."

Slowly, with all your extreme Fake precision, you tear the bloody gap just a little bit open; it's
deep, and she doesn't even whimper.

You notice some little black horns barely leaning from behind the bathroom's door.

>>974346
We should reassure the Hornmother that its ok.

Also berate Trash. This is how you get infections! Extra squicky ones.

>>974346
"Yep, seems you've got a little cut here. That's why you can't get all the blood out, it keeps re-opening and bleeding even more onto you. Didn't you think it was kind of odd that it was still so bright after all this time?"

Do we have some super glue handy? I doubt we have clotting powder and the last thing I want is for Vaal or worse yet Trash herself to try cauterizing it. Still we should give it a gentle rise, make sure there isn't a bit of glass in there or something nasty like that, and give her a cotton ball (rag assuming we have none) with some rubbing alcohol on it (or vodka, almost the same) to try to sterilize it. Absolute worst case we can grab a needle and thread and put in some stitches but lets try to avoid that if at all possible.

As if we where just talking to ourselves: "Good thing it's not too big or it might have become something ot worry about. Just have to clean it up then seal it and you'll be impromptu highlight free <3" Making it sound trivial to let our hornmother relax a bit.

>>974402
You stare at the wound in frozen awe. "...Yep, seems you've got a little cut here."

"What? Yeah?"

"Yep. That's why you can't get all the blood out. It keeps re-opening and bleeding even more
onto you. Didn't you think it was kind of... odd, that it was still so bright after all this time?"

You wait up her answer, it doesn't come at once. "Eeeeh, I kinda suck at cleaning I guess.
Thought it dried or something."

You look around for super glue handy. Nope. Clotting powder? Nope.

"Stay still." Your warm voice is firm.

"Ok."

Fully focused, you move the wound with almost chirurgical precision, trying to figure out some
small piece of glass or something among the flowing blood. Nothing; it's clean cut. Yet again
you check the furniture for cotton balls or packs, but it's just starting to seem that this
house is very poorly equipped. You tell her to get, walk past the tiny hornmother and Vaal's
quizzical stare towards the kitchen, grab a rag, the vodka among the rows of colorful bottles
on the fridge, walk back towards Trash's ass and /very/ carefully rub the wet rag in her
blonde head. By now, Vaal is watching from the door as well, a hand up her mouth.

"Awawawaw, tickles."

"WAH?"

"Good thing it's not too big or it might have become something to worry about," you say to
yourself, still cleaning Trash's hair. "Just have to clean it up then seal it and you'll be
impropmptu highlight free."

You glance at the hornmother; it seems she's buying it. As for Vaal...

"She... she's so bad at bathing, and I was just joking but..." both hands cover her mouth. Even
like this, everything she does has this sly air to it... as if she always knew, somehow, as if she's
never surprised.

Yet you know she is.

>>974442
"Hmm, next time we go out remind me to get some proper first aid supplies and some superglue too. I'm sure we'll need them in the future. So Trash, up to you: I can try bandaging you up and you'll have a nice bandage hat to wear till it heals or would you rather I try my hand at stitches?"

Using a bit of skill transfer here, the sewing stuff she knows from general knowledge (and uniform maintenance) as applied to first aid (stop the bleeding, keep them breathing) to produce acceptable stitches.

>>974485
"Hmm, next time we go out remind me to get some proper first aid supplies-" 'ayayayay'; now
she's whimpering, "-and some superglue too. I'm sure we'll need them in the future."

"Did she crack her head?" you hear from the speakers.

"No." Concize, yet your reply isn't dry. "So Trash, up to you: I can try bandaging you up
and you'll have a nice bandage hat to wear till it heals or would you rather I try my hand at
stitches?"

"Wait." the static persists. "The first aid test. You know..."

You glance at Vaal, who's eyes are fixed on the slim line of blood that goes though Trash's
neck, straight to the sink.

Hmm.

>>974543
"I was thinking the same thing, now that Vaal is here. So, assuming I hadn't done anything yet what would you do in this situation Vaal? If you don't mind Trash I might let her try bandaging you to check her technique but if a Fakes precision available then there is no reason not to use it."

>>974585

You glance at the headset and wink. "I was thinking the same thing, now that Vaal is here.
So..." You turn to the older blonde, who in turn looks at you as the hornmother peeks from the
other corner. "Assuming I hadn't done anything yet, what would you do in this situation, Vaal?"

"I am seriously-not good at this." She shakes her head and long golden hair, worried, her
eyes fixed on your hand over her cutie pie's head. "Like, seriously." she nods, hands still in
mouth. "Seriously."

"If you don't mind, Trash, I might let her try bandaging you-"

"No!"

"to check her technique, but if a Fakes precision is available then there is no reason
not to use it."

Trash sighs loudly. "Well, hovercrafts are deployed with first aid kits under the main
seats. And you and Nielly won't be there. So, if it's bandaging, it can't go that fucki-"

---------------------------------------------------------

Trash's wound is completely bandaged. Not only her wound, and not only her head; her
eyes, nose, and half her mouth are hidden. As if her mouth and chin were the game, and the
rest of her face was behind paywalls.

"I'm a fucking mummy." she states, matter-of-factly.

"Did," Vaal looks at you from behind Trash, as you sit next to them by the side of the table,
"did I over-do it?"

The hornmother's cheek are about to blow.

"Yes." Trash says, harshly removing the bandage, then brutally wrapping it around her
head like a bandana. "One thing less for the interview; she's not good at this. I've got a
Moody to fetch, anything else or can we stop fucking around while the world is sinking?"

>>974662
Headpats for the Hornmother. She's right, Vaal is hilariously bad at this.

>>974662
"Well, at least we can say that you clearly know your limits Vaal. I think we're good Trash, thanks for playing along <3

The idea Vaal is to only stop the blood flow at the injury site, if you make it too tight they'll loose circulation and if you use too much they'll end up bumping it on things. If the bandages soak through pile more on top instead of removing them, by leaving it in place you avoid disturbing the clotting. Got it? I'll have you practice on me next time ok? <3"

We got to take care of someone finally, +10 Roomba happiness points

>>974714
You giggle, harder than you intended. "Well, at least we can say that you clearly know your
limits Vaal." Looking at the templar from the side, you can't help but have your lips shrink. "I
think we're good Trash, thanks for playing along!"

"We might need a fucking... how were those called?"

"Which ones?" Vaal replies, as Trash stands.

"The ones with the pointy thing that the... The triangle..."

Vaal nods, smiling. "Pyramids. Get the fuck out."

Trash goes away, giggling as well. Once the door goes "bum!", Vaal's sly eyes focus on you.

"The idea, Vaal, is to only stop the blood flow at the injury site." You tell her, suddenly very
concerned with not seeming mocking. "If you make it too tight they'll lose circulation, and if
you use too much they'll end up bumping it on things." By the look of her face, it seems to be
working flawlessly. "If the bandages soak thorugh, pile more on top instead of removing
them, by leaving it in place you avoid disturbing the clotting. Got it?"

She shakes her head. "Yup!"

You give the blonde a half-hearted pout."I'll have you practice on me next time, ok?"

She tilts her head to the side. "But sweetie, you are..." Vaal pauses to think. "Harder. Aren't
you?"

"So?" You tilt your head, as well.

"Nevermind." She smiles widely, her eyes closed. "All right! Shall we?"

>>974787
Well while she's practicing lets see if we can get some interview questions in too, beyond just the ones we asked Trash, let's ask Nielly's questions too:
>"Ask our candidates for their mottos and what would they like to have in the Friend."

As for what Vaal could practice:
"Pretend I was spinning in an office chair and gouged the skin of my elbow on a sharp desk corner, show me what you would do"
"Pretend I was spinning in an office chair and fell, stabbing my arm with a horn, show me what you would do in that situation"
"Pretend I was spinning in an office chair and knocked over a mug of very hot tea burning myself, what would you do?"
"Pretend I was trying to get a running start to spin faster in an office chair and was thrown off, spraining my ankle. What would you do then?"

"Lets!" you blurt out, eagerly, as you position yourself on the other side of the table. Then you remember. "In this interview, I'm going to ask some rather tough questions that might bring up bad memories for you. Out of anyone I will treat you with the greatest kindness and sympathy possible, but-"

"I think I heard this one before." Vaal cuts you off, grinning with her eyes closed. "Let's just say I'm very aware of the consequences."

You nod. "I see!. Then... without further ado..."

"You walk into your apartment, Leateli is sitting down to a cup of tea with a side of armed hostage-taking. What do you do?"

Vaal winks at you.

"A stubborn horn mother is on the radio insisting she can drive the ship just fine... right after you tell her how to get it out of reverse. It hasn't crashed yet, but the odds aren't good. What do you do?"

"I'd yell: 'Oh my god!! You are heading straight to a Hand!'." She grins to herself. "Oh no, I think I need to do that now."

"That's mean." the hornmother points out, biting a carrot.

"A ship calls in requesting some Anima to fuel their ship after forgetting to activate hover mode over night. What do you do?"

Vaal blinks. “Well, there’s stupid and then… what can you do, just give them some fuel, let them go back to the Second to restock.”

"What is the biggest problem you've had to face and how have you overcome it?"

Vaal’s gaze strays to the glass table, and it stays there. “That’s quite the question, Roomba. Well... I'm actually paralytic!" She nods and nods, serious. "Honest! I can move and all, but, you'll see!"

"What is less stressful for you: working on your own or having someone work with you?"

“Oh, I work alone. It’s hard focusing on both friends and foes, and telling them apart before slicing them.”

"What approach do you prefer to problem solving: the tried and true approach you know, or trying new ideas and adjusting them as you go?"

“I’m more of the “true and tested” type; it just works. Why change what works?”

"What would you rather have to deal with (non-violently): A hornmother's tantrum or a radar malfunction?"

“Hornmothers are pretty cute, don’t you think?” she pats the hornmother, as this one chews as usual.

"What are your motivations for joining me, Money? Fame? Boredom? Altruism? or perhaps something else entirely?"

“Well, you are taking my girlfriend away from me, and I think that’s quite mean.” she takes out her tongue at you.

"At what point does making money outweigh having a meaningful job for you? Assuming you have a roof over your head at least."

“I have money, I don’t need money. Some things you can’t get with money; the rest, I already have.”

"Have you experienced someone dying? Can you recover from it relatively quickly? Can you handle someone who is dying with compassion?" You grip the horn of the Leaderhorn's plushie under the table.

She just stays in silence for a while. You let her. “I guess not, sweetie.”

(Cont!)

"What is your greatest strength, what is your greatest weakness?"

“Oh, this one’s important!” She points upwards, looking straight at you. “There’s something you
really need to keep in mind about me; I’m only good at killing. I’m /extremely/ good at it; I’m
the single most over-powered character you’ll ever meet, but I just can’t wrap my head about
the rest of things. I just can’t.” She grants you an honest sad smile. “I’m not smart, Roomba. I
don’t know how to cook, I don’t know how to heal, I don’t know how to drive, how to fix
things, I forgot phone numbers, sometimes I leave the key in the keyhole… and I’m not
good at learning either. Trust me, I’ve been with me a few years.” She giggles. It’s a sad laugh,
but also peaceful.

"Would you rather be respected or well liked?"

“Liked! Most people tell me I should tell Trash off with the way she treats me; but she can’t do
better, and I know she tries. And that’s what I like about her.”

"What's your favorite dessert?"

“You cook really nice!”

"Do you know if there are any kind people you don't get along with easily?"

“As ironic as it seems, I am really averse to violence.”

"Fill in the blanks: violence is blank, kindness is blank, fame is blank, money is blank"

“Violence is a means to an end, kindness is nice, fame is a hassle, money is water.”

"Someone says to you that this is all pointless because everyone will starve eventually and
humanity will be destroyed, how do you respond?"

“I’ll die anyway someday.”

"Are you OK with hugs and similar contact?"

“Absolutely NOT. Unless… you hug me right here, right now. Then... I'd talk it up with my
higher-ups, see if something can be arranged.

>>975057
"Sarcasm really doesn't suit you you know"

Of course give her that hug, If she'll let us spend the rest of the interview in her lap!~

"Everyone says they like everything I make. It's nice, but also kinda disappointing in a way."

Continue on with the interview.

You gently smirk at the blonde as she does her best mafia impression. "Sarcasm really doesn't
suit you, you know?"

"It doesn't?" She blinks as you push yourself upwards, but only a bit, and walk towards her
on all four like a cat, your eyes fixed on hers at every moment. Once near, Vaal opens her
arms wide and you drop yourself on her lap, letting the blonde embrace you tightly as you
sit over her. She even gives you a swift peck on the lips, to which you respond with a
confused look as she grins madly.

Yet, you put slightly. "Everyone says they like everything I make. It's nice, but also kinda
disappointing in a way."

Vaal tilts her head, "accidentally" brushing her cheek against your head. "How so?"

Yet, you clear your Fake throat.

"How are your people skills? Can you bluff your way out of a bad situation? Can you calm
somebody who is panicking or angry? Can you tell when a fight is likely to break out? Can you
spot when someone is trying to con you? Can you bargain for a good deal?"

“I’m an actress, as you already know.” She smiles. “For me, it wasn’t a luxury for
entertainment, but a tool of survival. As for the bluffing, well…” She blinks, again. “I’m good at
making people the things I want; psychology and assassination are my two only fortes, but
they are very well developed. Um, what was the other…?”

“Can you tell when a fight is likely to break out?” you repeat.

“Yup. Positive!” She nods.

“Can you spot when someone is trying to con you?”

She nods, over and over. “Yyyyyyeeeeeeeeeeeeeennnnnnnnnnoooooo
ooooooooooo, actually…” that last word came almost in an agonizing whisper.”

“Can you bargain for a good deal?”

“Oh, usually. I’m not that good at numbers, but I can make people feel either pity or guilt. I
guess that works!”

"How are your emergency skills? Can you bandage a wound and splint a broken limb?
Does the sight of blood make you feel faint? Can you do basic ship repairs?"

“Oh, I’m used to blood.” She stops to caress your cheeks, then kisses you fully and longly.
As she stops, a faint silver thread lingers from Vall to you. “I’m also terribly impulsive.”

You nod, your eyes wide. “I can see that."

(Cont!)

She “hmms”. “Well, my emergency skills could certainly use some help, I guess… and I think I
could bandage a thing or two, yeah.”

“I don’t.” You hear, across the static.

“I can’t do anything ship-related that’s not sleeping on them or infiltrating them through
halo-jumps and well-aimed torpedoes…”

"Do you have any piloting skills? If so what kinds of ships?"

“Er…” she scratches her hair, then laughs nervously. “No.”

"How are your combat skills? What kinds of opponents would you feel confident fighting?
What kind of opponents are you poorly matched against?"

“Oh, anyone.” This time, she’s nodding frantically. “I can’t kill Hands or Armas, but you
can bet I can even stand my ground to a small ship. I told you, I’m over-powered!”

"Do you have any other unique skills you haven't been asked about yet? What skill would
you say that you are best with?

“Acting, and assassination. Keeping feelings aside, I’m honestly not much good at anything
else.”

"Show me what you can do, impress me"

She blinks at this. “Oh, I thought we had done this already? Is there something you want to
see in particular?”

The static grows stronger. “Two things; tell me how she looks like, ask her plainly what maker
her happy, and we still don’t know how she actually kills things. I’m really starting to get
curious, damn I need some eyes!”

>>975236
"Vaal? Long blonde hair with these black teardrop shaped hair accessories, silvery grey eyes,wears lots of black with fuzzy trim, a bit taller than average and has a balanced, feminine figure.

I'm pretty confident she kills things with a small armory of custom AD weaponry. correct?

And last but not least what exactly would make you happy? Anything you'd like to have on-board The Friend?"

And before letting her go any further physically she needs to answer two very important questions: Is Trash going to be OK with this? And are you aware of my hardware limitations?"

Yet you do have two eyes, currently fixed on those things on Vaal's head. "Vaal?" You say
as your eyes dart upwards, letting the former know you are talking to the headset. "Long
blonde hair with these black teardrop shaped hair accessories-"

"Those are AD's!" She points out, poking at one.

"-silvery gray eyes, wears lots of black with fuzzy trim, bit taller than average, and has a
balanced, feminine figure."

"Muscles?" asks Nielly.

"Muscles?" You blink, then look at Vaal.

"Oh, I do a lot of yoga." She says. "Not much in bulk, but I'm quite elastic!"

"There you go." You say, looking up. "I'm pretty confident she kills things with a small armory of
custom AD weaponry, correct?"

Vaal shakes her head, kinda close to your face. "Those are mostly for utility. I use a variety of
circumstantial AD's to adapt to a particular, specific range of situations. The only ones I
use to kill are these."

Vaal raises the back of her hand near your face; you don't fail to notice a ring on her middle
finger. It looks... technical. As if no piece of the small, complex device was for show.

"This is a RIGI," Vaal says, then you follow her hand as she stretches her arm outwards. And
you flinch, as a faint sound is born at dead almost at the same time. As if the air was cut
apart. Then you notice it as Vaal slowly moves the RIGI up and down; it's as if there was an
impossibly thin line and reality was slightly sucked into it by all sides.

"RIGI's can't cut Armas, but that's it," Vaal says, your eyes drawn to the micro-horizon. It
reminds you of the blurriness that happens when you look far on a very hot day. "They go
through anything else. The only way to stop a RIGI is to focus most of your anima in your
main EKE field, and barely anybody does that because it's not power efficient unless they see
it coming. Simply put," Vaal is looking at it as well, "RIGI's are not tools for intimidation, they
are tools of killing. If they know you have one, they become nearly useless. Besides the ones
in my hands, I have seven more in the small balls that float around me." She makes them
visible for you to look at them, then each spawns a RIGI of their own. Vaal throws a
cookie upwards and it's sliced countless times, the small pieces falling straight into her hand.
"They are completely, absolutely Illegal. Oh," she pauses, then turns to you. "There's
something I wanted to do, I think this is a good time. Stand, and look at my eyes."

You do. Vaal kneels in front of you, then grabs your hand; you feel some pressure in your
middle finger. You look at your hand, then at Vaal through your fingers.

"I hope you never have to use it."

(Cont!)

"Last but not least," you resume, still looking at your hand, "what exactly would make you
happy?"

"I really, really like people." Vaal drags down your hand and sits you next to her. "Some
people learn to cook, other to sing, some others learn to make funny games that you can
nag your friends to play forever. My craft is assassination." Her smile is faint but firm, and
she's looking straight at you. "I don't consider it any more or less valuable than any other, but I
found no one else willing to do it. I spent most of my life traveling across the endless black
sea in the Sixth. In there, a prevailing sense of humanity impeded execution, and we lived in
danger of those either poor or too rich. The father of my best friend used to make her drink
boiling water after I murdered him no one treated her that badly. And no one ever
noticed." Vaal caresses your hair. "I hope you will know to appreciate this token of
confidence, my anonymity is all that allows me to do my work. Nobody ever thanks me for
them, but seeing people grew happy and safe is thanks enough."

"...woah." you hear, across the static.

"Some say all lives are worth the same; I disagree. Some people make more people
happy than others, and that's a cold, hard fact. Whenever I kill, I try to open more doors than I
close, and so far it has been working wonders." She smiles truly. You think this kind of feeling
can't be faked. "I pretended to go dancing and get wasted with the money my family gave me
and spent it in tools and training from a very young age. I was so good at faking accidents,
everyone started to say an angry god was exacting justice."

"Oh, j-just to let you know," you manage to say, "before going any further with... physical
things..." you get a hand behind your nape, smiling, "Is Trash going to be OK with this? And
are you aware of my hardware limitations?"

"Oh, we have an agreement." Vaal raises a finger. "If I ever go with anyone called Marco
Antonio, it's all over. I made her see some very antique Brazilian novels and she hated the hell
out of them. As for your hardware limitations... what do you mean?" She raises an eyebrow.
"Oh, I almost forgot to ask." Vaal returns to her usual gesturing demeanor, smiling as well.
"What do you think of me now?"

"Sorry to drag that answer, but..."

"Shoot, it's ok."

"Is there anything you'd like on-board the Friend?"

Vaal "hmms", then giggles. "I love to sit down on my couch with something hot to drink and read,
even more,, when it's raining. A small library should be enough.

"What's your motto?!" Nielly says.

"Oh, and, what's your motto?" you repeat.

Vaal pauses to look away, then looks back at you. "No one is evil."

>>975482
"No one is evil. Huh. I like it.

But thats good to know that you can Trash have your understanding. I may have more girlfriends around than we can count on our fingers and toes combined, but I make sure that they don't have the wrong idea about me and our relationship. I hate seeing people ruin perfectly good relationships just because I was nicer to them than they where used to.

As for the hardware well.. I was built for himehorns, and I'm built like one. Nothing down there but a backup charging port in case the inductor fuses get burnt out for whatever reason. It'd be like sticking your fingers in an electrical socket, so I make sure to warn anyone well beforehand. You can pat my head though if you'd like, I imagine it feels just as nice if not better <3"

>>975527
"No one is evil. Huh." You close your eyes and smile at Vaal. "I like it."

Vaal just waits you up, almost eagerly.

"But that's good to know," you take the cue, "that you and Trash have an understanding. I
may have more girlfriends around than we can count on our fingers and toes combined, but I
make sure that they don't get the wrong idea about our relationship."

"Does it work?" Vaal asks.

"Absolutely not at all." You deadpan, smiling, and even somewhat bitterly. "I hate seeing
people ruin perfectly good relationships just because I was nicer to them than they where
used to."

"Oh, it's just... some people need to feel that they are the best." This time it's Vaal that gets a
hand behind her nape. "As for me, I've seen so much pain I think getting upset over something
like that is, well... quite cruel. But you got to forgive them, most don't really know how dark it
can get. They never got used to."

"As for the hardware, well..." you resume, "I was built for himehorns, and I'm built like one."

"I can see that." She's looking a bit above your glasses, nodding.

"Nothing down there but a backup charging port in case the inductor fuses get burnt out for
whatever reason." You clarify, grimacing more than slightly. Somewhere, Preah is laughing.
"It'd be like sticking your fingers ni an electrical socket, so I make sure to warn anyone well
beforehand."

"Well thank you," Vaal adds.

"You can pat my head, though, if you'd like." You smile and look at her from below as if
inviting. "I imagine it feels just as nice, if not better."

"I'll be keeping that in mind, then." Her usual sly demeanor is now thoughtfully explicit. "So!"
she retorts, "What do you think of me now? Roomba; I kill people."

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>>975565
"I think you give your acting skills too little credit, even though it's mostly used towards assassination you certainly do have more skills than just being deadly.
It seems your relationship with death is rather unusual though... but I'd rahter not probe that too deeply right now.
In your own way you seem to be motivated primarily by the idea of doing good, perhaps not as generally as White Walker is, but more towards a smaller circle of those close to you. If he's a paladin, then you're a guardian angel.
I think that your abilities would overlap a lot with Preah while having less maintenance which gives you an advantage over her in practical terms.
I feel that your understanding of kindness is like my understanding of violence. We get that it's useful at times, even necessary, but we don't seem to understand the unifying philosophy the other has in regards to it... if that made any sense.
You feel like you're a cozy, mischievous person without being undisciplined and are someone who could handle a wide variety of situations with or without direct supervision.
Like me you have a heart and pay attention to your emotions, and you know that some times you need to set them aside for a time, and deal with the fall out later. That's a valuable skill to have in an emergency.
My initial prediction is that you above average resilience to mental trauma, but that will be re-evaluated as real threats are posed...
Oh, and though you've probably never had one I'd place a 87% probability that you would absolutely love a chocolate chip cookie made with a mix of dark and milk chocolate chips."

Grin. "So, how'd I do?"

"I think you give your acting skills too little credit, even though it's mostly used towards
assassination you certainly do have more skills than just being deadly." You state, directly. "It
seems your relationship with death is rather unusual, though... but I'd rather not probe that
too deeply right now."

"I just don't want you to think I enjoy the act," Vaal says. "I bear the burden of all the choices
the rest could not make, but also the rewards. Like you will."

"In your own way you seem to be motivated primarily by the idea of doing good, perhaps
not as generally as White Walker is, but more towards a smaller circle of those close to you. If
he's a paladin, then you're a guardian angel."

"...awwww!" without the most minimum show of hesitation, Vaal grabs your cheeks and kisses
you on the forehead.

"I-I think," you struggle, until the onslaught of kisses ends, "that your abilities would overlap a
lot with Preah while having less maintenance which gives you an advantage over her in
practical terms."

The murderer stops, then goes into thinking mode, still looking at you. "Hmm, I'd put it
somewhat... differently, based on Trash's description. Preah can /not/ kill her enemies. I
can't." She rises a finger, giving you a serious stare. "I think, however, that I could take care of
enemies more dangerous than she could. She's a one-trick mutt, and while it's a very
good one, it's the only one. If this Preah can't use her force, then there's nothing else she can
do." Vaal pats you in the head. "I would really /really/ understand if you don't want to kill, so
bear that big difference in mind. I'm not good at saving people unless someone is trying to kill
them."

You nod, then go on. "I feel that your understanding of kindness is like my
understanding of violence. We get that it's useful at times, even necessary, but we don't
seem to understand the unifying philosophy the other has in regards to it... if that made any
sense.

She goes into thinking position again. It's subtle; her eyes dart upwards and her fingers
start to subtly scratch her other arm. "Sorry, I don't really get it." Vaal shrugs, laughing a bit.
"Let's just say my smarts are elsewhere."

"You feel like you're a cozy, mischievous person without being undisciplined and are
someone who could handle a wide variety of situations with or without direct supervision."
You resume at once, pressing onwards while actually leaning closer to her. "Like me, you
have a heart and pay attention to your emotions, and you know that sometimes you
need to set them aside for a time, and deal with the fall out later. That's a valuable skill to have
in an emergency."

Vaal tilts her head to the side, grinning. "Guess my whole life was one big emergency."

"My initial prediction is that you above average resilience to mental trauma, but that will be re-evaluated
as real threats are posed... "

"Oh, don't worry." She smiles widely, almost like a shark. "Had plenty of those before."

(Cont!)

"Oh, and though you've probably never had one I'd place an 87% probability that you would
absolutely love a chocolate chip cookie made with a mix of dark and milk chocolate chips."

"If they feel like you do." She says this while caressing your lips, not breaking eye contact. "It
has been a very... very long time since I can feel someone is really willing to help." Her hand
goes across your cheek, you close your eyes. "That I can blindly trust someone else's
motivation. You make me feel that, and it's as tempting as it's scary believe." You open your
eyes, her hand rests over your ear. "It's what everyone wants; something in what they can
fully, completely invest themselves without bothering themselves with working out the
dangers. You scare me, Roomba." She lifts your chin. "And I like it."

You grin. "So, how'd I do?"

She leans away and starts clapping slowly, you laugh out loud as she does. Vaal then looks
around, and you do so too; not the hornmother, nor the What are in sight.

And that's when you hear a snore. Vaal's eyes slowly move from the door, across the room, to
you.

"Can we pause the interview for a while?" She says, eagerly. "My girlfriend might take a while
yet- and I'm not sure if I'd forgive myself for wasting this chance."

>>975781
"Chance?"

>>975794
Vaal winks at you.

>>975804
"Oooh, well that was all I had for questions besides the practical stuff and I think I can take your word for it on how those will go so..."
Pick up Vaals hand,
Place it on our head,
Smile.

>>975816

You pause, blinking as you wonder. "Oooh, well that was all I had for questions, besides the
practical stuff, and I think I can take your word for it on how those will go so...".

"Just assume a few disasters-"

You cut her off by grabbing her hand, keenly looking at her in the eyes. Then slide it across
your face, carefully trying not to bump it on the frame of your glasses...

And then you rest it over your head. Right between the horns.

You smile.

Vaal's face is a mix of things; an odd concoction of pouting, confusion, and also
genuine interest. Slowly, her hand starts going up and down, up and down, and soon she's
smiling widely as well.

---------------------------------------------------------

>>975846
Omake: Furry Pests

"The Red Disaster is a very powerful What. Is a very big ship with a very powerful weapon that used to be the biggest Pulsar Sniper Rifle we ever mounted in a ship as far as I know. Now it works slightly different. And by slighty different I mean we have no clue how it works but can destroy Hands easier than you can pop a water balloon with a needle. And while we have yet to see her take on an Anything alone, she can greatly damage them. My point is gentleman, that we do not want to piss that ship off!"

"But the money-"

"Yes making that Arma of an already enlaced individual was more expensive than the regular thing. But do you want to be the one to tell the Red Disaster we want Cat the Arma back?"

Everyone in the room stood in silence.

"That's what I thought. Now there is something positive about this, the Red Disaster loves cats."

Everyone stared at the Commander in confusion.

"And... that's good, why?"

"The latests observations show that both the Red Disaster and Cat the Arma are way more likely to take care of Hands and even Anythings in places with a high concentration of felines. And were the Red Disaster goes, other Whats follow."

"So... you want to waste our money and resources in... feeding cats?" One of the businessmen sat in the meeting asked incredulously.

"Unless you have a more effective way of dealing with Anythings, and I must remind you, everytime we try we end losing a research center, yes."

*****

"And that's why is obligatory for everyone in this ship to take care of at least two cats." The Captain said while the Fake in front of him almost crashed. Sadly she had been built to deal with stuff like that since she was a Naval model, so she just got angry instead.

"Okay... fine. So I have to be your secretary, actually do all your work and take care of four cats because you won't take care of the two cats you are supposedly responsibible for. How are you the Captain again Lady Robbins?"

"Because I am the only human crazy enough to have a crew mostly made of Fakes and I also keep surviving all the assassinations attempts."

"Are you aware that all the people who tried to kill you are actually Fakes, right?"

"Yes, what's your point?"

"Nothing sir... I will just go to feed those furry pests and then bang my head to the wall repeatly."

"Very well, just remember to bring me my tea when you are done."

AN: Meet Captain Lady Robbins, such a charming woman.

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>>976308
Wait. Are we talking about an actual cat with GOG gas and a metal plaque over its forehead spelling "CAT"?

>>975846
"So Vaal, about this... ring? What exactly is it? Is there anything important I should know about it?" Try taking it off to look at it in detail. Assuming it's a RIGI device like I think it is then she should probably give us a bit of an explanation about how it's used and all.

Once Trash and Moody get back we can interview Moody, and have her demonstrate what first aid skills she knows then have her help write up a mechanical skill test. After that we can try and think up a good way to do a basic hovercraft piloting test without too much cost and hassle and if that's impossible then scrap the idea. Most people who are bad drivers know they're bad drivers, and if they don't then their friends can probably tell you. I was thinking of trying to fit them in as fast as possible by having multiple go at once, but I think the should be done one by one. Assuming Vaal agrees it's a good idea I think we should take Nielly's suggestion from >>974218 and do the rest of the interviews at Cap's cave as a bit of extra muscle around besides the neighbors.

That should get us to the good stuff (ie. interviews) I think.

>>981014

Catgirl, an actually cat was too small and expensive to do the conversion process. But yes her plaque does say "Cat".