Scene #3096: Job Skills Test

Owner	Pose
Guest Psyber	Psyber had told Duet he'd need a demonstration of her skill some time back before he could confirm her abilities and leave her unattended in the vault. Thusly, he was usually hanging around in some capacity unless he was busy when she needed to be down there. Today, though, he had finally managed to come up with a suitable test of her sealing abilities and given her enough warning to arrange a test. Thus, he is wheeling an arcade cabinet into the sub-basement via a hand-trolley and some amount of minimal effort. It looks fairly plain, but despite the machine being unplugged, it's still running and playing a game on it. Watching the screen too long produces an unsettling sort of mentally unstable feeling. "Heeeey, finally got that thing for you to seal."
Duet Fortuna	Duet is once again dressed... surprisingly casually! The only odd thing is that she's wearing some lacy gloves, and the hints of bright pink marks peeking out around the elbows say that she may have burned herself. It looks like it's healing, though, so this probably isn't a scarring situation. The video game is getting a tilt of her head and a stare though. "Well, that's... certainly a different take. I haven't done too much work with technological devices, so this may take a few minutes longer than I thought. I work better with more information. You're probably familiar with how Terra Majoran Binding works, at least generally, so know this. Lady Fairchild is strong enough to do this sort of thing with minimal effort, but I'm afraid I have to work at it most of the time. Can you place it somewhere open so I can get to work?"
Guest Psyber	"Mm. Your arms okay?" Psyber asks, tilting his head and looking at the edges of her gloves to catch sight of the marks. If she doesn't give him a detailed explanation, he won't pry too much into it. Instead, he leaves it be as her own private business, mostly. He crosses his arms and then nods at her following statements. "Sure, lemme get it out into the open," Psyber notes as he wheels it the rest of the way into the vaults. He pulls it into a pretty open area meant for incoming shipments, giving her plenty of room to work, "And yeah, I know she is. Admittedly, I'd have put her down here, if it wouldn't have been such a controversial decision for others. You seem pretty on point, even if you claim to be less talented." He waves at it vaguely, "Take your time. So you're a Terra Majoran native?"
Duet Fortuna	Duet wriggles her fingers. "They're fine. I already saw a doctor about it. A good one, too. I should be healed up in another week or two, no worry." Which is true, she did see a doctor! As Duet kneels down to start drawing a large circle around the machine, she continues chatting, apparently not needing too much attention to do what she's doing. "It would have been. She has trouble even when she has good intentions, I think. It's hard for her not to... well... use people, even if she doesn't mean to or want to. Everyone is right to be wary." She stands up as she finishes the outer circle, stepping in to start some intricate drawings next. "Sorry if that's hard to hear. I know you feel strongly about her, and I think she is trying. Ah... sort of. I can't entirely call it home, but enough that I'm concerned about what goes on there? Especially with the whole war thing and what's coming."
Guest Psyber	"There are few people who confuse me so much as Elliana, but never tell her I said that," Psyber says with a gentle smile to Duet. He places his hands into his pockets and then watches her work, "She is one of my best and most trusted friends, but at the same time I see her struggle with trusting people. I have things I want to tell her, but I doubt she'll ever..." He takes a very long pause, "Be able to understand them the way I'd like. But maybe some day." He shakes his head to Duet, not stopping her from her work as he scuffs his foot on the ground away from the circle, "It doesn't bother me as much as you'd think. I have my opinion of her, others are allowed to have theirs. I've heard much worse said about her than that and weathered it. You won't upset me," He assures her before thinking. "Her war worries me, but I agree the Emperor needs to die."
Duet Fortuna	"My lips are sealed," Duet says immediately. "If it helps, I think that she trusts you as well, despite... well. Everything." She scribbles some ornately-curved runes down the outer ring, slowing as she nears where she started so she can double check and make a small correction. "Hm. Mind-affecting device, right?" Work question asked, she continues with an offhand statement, "I'm sure the Emperor will die, but..." She sighs, finishing her designs and stepping from the circle. "You know she's up to something, right? I mean... it's not malicious but you know she has plans, right?"
Guest Psyber	"Yeah, it was made as an experiment on mind control enchantments in repetitive activities," Psyber explains to Duet as she works, taking a few moments to think about what she said and using the explanation as a subtle cover. He watches her work for a while longer before adding, "I know she trusts me. I still kick myself for that shit where I let her down a few months back. And I appreciate your discretion." The second part, though, "She always has plans. It vexes me at times, but..." He furrows his brow, "For all they frustrate me, I don't think she'd use me in a plan she didn't think was necessary and that she wouldn't... well... use me as a part of a plan that was something I'd hate. I can trust her that much." "All I can do is play out my part and believe in her. She asked me for that much trust, so I'll give it to her. Elements bug me, but I'll live." He lets out an awklward laugh, "How do you know so much of her plans, anyway? So as to say they're not malicious."
Duet Fortuna	"It's good that you do," Duet says, kneeling outside the circle and pressing her hand to the edge. It starts to glow brightly, 'charging' up and starting to swirl lights around the machine in the middle. This takes a bit of concentration, so she's silent while she does this. Eventually she finishes her thought though. "She cares for you in her own way. I know that for sure. And... I know more than I care to admit about what she's planning. I'd appreciate you not telling her how much, though. I want to stay out of the way, not attract her attention. I can't... really say much more unless you promise not to ask how I got the information. And even then I'm not sure how much I could tell you that's useful."
Guest Psyber	"I know she cares. Whatever else happens, I like to think she and I will always be close. Even if she became some crazy shit like a Confederate Field Marshal, in the back of my mind I hope we'd still be friends despite it. Heck, I'm even growing fond of that stupid wingsnake in her head," He lets out a more gentle, but slightly more genuine, laugh, "Ahh... but." "I promise that, whatever you share, I won't ask how you know. I won't tell her what you know. I know about how discretion works," Psyber comments in an even tone, "I'm no Nathan Hall, but I can keep a secret and I can run a plan when I need to."
Duet Fortuna	Before she says anything more, the machine sparks, flares with light, and then dies down to a low hum. It's still 'on' but the odd swirls and patterns are no longer displaying, like the tube is blown or something. It isn't, but it's like that. "That should keep for a while, so long as no one goes fooling around with it too much. You don't need to keep these intact or anything, they're just to focus it." She gestures at the scribbled runes. Sighing, she turns around and stares for a long moment, the reflective plates of the eyes of the mask somehow not hiding that fact. "I... can tell you that you have a difficult time ahead. A difficult decision. Perhaps the most difficult in your entire life. Not the most /important/ one, perhaps... I know a little more about what you've done than you realize, and I know there are some very monumental things that you've had to decide on. But this is different, and you need to trust her and think of her when the time comes. On par with Annu, Lordran, or the Alloran Necropolis. It isn't as life-changing for the world or yourself as some of those, don't worry, but it will be /hard/ and I think reminding yourself of what you just said will help."
Guest Psyber	"Oh hey! Awesome job with that," Psyber says as he inspects the machine, "I'll get it tagged and filed away," Psyber notes, writing some information on a clipboard and smacking a sticker onto the side to mark it, "You can keep the runes on the floor of you need. This is pretty much your new office now. Don't let anyone else in without clearance from me first." "I am used to difficult times. I've been shouldering that sort of stuff more and more lately," Psyber confesses, slowly responding to each part of her statement, "Decisions, in particular. I'll do my best, try my best, to do what she needs me to when the time comes. I don't want to disappoint her. And I will definitely try to remember that stuff, like you said. It's good advice to think on." And then there's a long pause. "... the fuck is the Alloran Necropolis?"
Duet Fortuna	Smiling, Duet looks satisfied at first... and then she suddenly stiffens. "Ah... it was... actually, you should probably forget I mentioned that. In fact, maybe I should just... get going for a bit before I say too much. How embarrassing... I'm kind of an amateur at this being all mysterious thing, I guess." She huffs, pulling out her smartphone and quickly turning aside. "A-anyway, Psyber, just remember... after all this is over, even if it seems bad that it maybe is for the best and I'll be around after I've worn through my blush here!" It looks like Duet intends to just... bolt for the elevator, though she can be followed if Psyber wants, and won't even attempt to stop him.
Guest Psyber	Psyber won't chase after Duet as she heads out. If there's anything he's learned about teenage girls, it's to give them some space when they say something embarassing, "You're doing fine at the mystery. Very intriguing. Are you a time traveler?!" He notes, voice edging towards teasing. As she heads into the elevator, he starts moving to put the Polybius machine back on the handtruck to store it, "Hey Duet. I'm actually pretty glad you're gonna crash here. And I look forward to you working for me. You're pretty interesting, all told." He waves after her, "Take care and have a decent night."