Poking at Alexis. Shielding Val.

[nick_garou]

Friday afternoon I got around to poking at Alexis. Used some Correspondence and Forces to take over her computer, open up a chat window, and start up a conversation after I'd scoped out her place: she had one room that seemed warded similar to how I'd ward something. (I opted not to break through the ward as those can be a bitch to set up and I wasn't trying to be rude.) Started out by saying I was playing nice via an IM, but that got her to call on Glados (the AI from Portal--it talked in a HAL voice) to assess who'd hacked her computer and it said it was coming from inside the computer. (Interesting.) Glados talked using a bunch of pseudo-scientific gobbledy gook. (Virtual Adept? Son of Ether? Technocrat?) She then panicked, made a break for her warded area, and I waited for her to calm down. She must have remote-accessed the machine as she carried on the conversation from elsewhere. I told her I (Lincoln Wilson Jackson--a trio of US presidents as I was not feeling terribly creative at the time) was a mage. She claimed to be a scientist. (Son of Ether? Technocrat?) I asked about her intentions with the Walkers. She said she was family and was hoping that she'd be able to help get some vengeance for her family's death at the hands of some BSDs when their sept fell. She wanted to meet and that she'd leave her gun behind. I told her nope. (Not knowing who I am is my best defense against pretty much everything, and what guarantee would I have that she wouldn't use that knowledge against me?) She got snippy and said Osprey Circle in 1 hour. I told her nope and asked her if she'd told Mouse about herself yet (because Mouse hadn't told me). She clearly hadn't and was remotely closing up windows to shut the computer down. I told her that maybe I'd tell the Walkers about her instead. She claimed she was a Walker and that if I was allied with them then I was allied with her--and then shut the computer down.

I spent some time debating whether or not to tell Mouse about this. I'm still debating. All the while, I bet Alexis is debating something along the same lines: Do I out myself to Mouse or do I keep quiet with the realization that if Mystery Mage Walker Ally tells Mouse about me and I keep my mouth shut, it might be worse.

Alexis'll probably be losing sleep over this. Good. Maybe she'll be more amicable to my suggestions the next time I contact her. I'll just keep my cell on and nearby, and I'll enjoy some cougar time. Meow.


Val dropped by Saturday afternoon to ask if I'd do some mental shielding for her while she investigated an abandoned candy factory. Naturally I agreed to lend her a hand. I'm not sure if she realizes I could have scouted the area for her or not, but I'm glad I wasn't asked as I'm doing a lot of theorizing about the fundamental nature of reality and magick's interactions. And I don't want to become the guy everyone comes to to do scouting stuff. I think that undermines those who make a career out of scouting, plus I don't want to be annoyed regularly for my assistance. 

At the appointed time, I reached out and focused all my attention on shielding Val from Mind effects. None came at her, though. It was a waste of my evening and time, but I'm sure it made Val feel better. That counts for something, though. I was so focused on shielding Val's mind that I wasn't looking around for her. Something--I don't know what--got the drop on her as she was leaving, but it looked and sounded like it let Val go on purpose. Whether the entity was bluffing or just so powerful/cocky it didn't care to bother killing Val, I simply don't know.

Regardless, I'm taking a long nap on the futon. Tomorrow I plan to do more thinking.