Ætherglow #150

Approaching unknown girls in strange places has never yet failed you. You sit down across from her. She looks up at you for a second, then back down at nothing.

“Здрасьте,” you say.

A public key exchange request appears in your vision. She glances up at you again. You accept.

[Exchanged public keys with Électricité]

2254-08-02 18:08:44 Électricité > my Lunar Russian pronunciation is terrible, I’m not gonna subject you to it

2254-08-02 18:08:55 Aydan > that’s okay, a break from verbal talking is welcome

2254-08-02 18:09:01 Électricité > we’re the Electrical System. I’m Trisha, I think. she/they. hi

2254-08-02 18:09:07 Aydan > I’m Aydan, well, clearly. every pronoun for me

2254-08-02 18:09:15 Électricité > so this sucks, huh. all these corpo high society normie types. glad there’s at least one technopath here who isn’t just some elite’s body guard

You glance back to the entrance where your family’s bodyguard Natali stands with her back to the wall, scanning the room and glancing back and forth between you and your parents.

2254-08-02 18:09:24 Aydan > yeah I hate these things

2254-08-02 18:09:31 Électricité > you’ve been to these before? and I thought I was unlucky getting picked for this on mid-term break

2254-08-02 18:09:38 Aydan > ah, I was wondering if you were a candidate too, or a recent cert

2254-08-02 18:09:49 Électricité > oh yeah, I’m third year, Cislunar Institute. must’ve impressed them pretty good with my exam since the corpo rep himself picked me to come to this thing to show me off like some piece of choice lab meat

2254-08-02 18:10:03 Aydan > ah, I got dragged into this by my parents, who are also my contract sponsors... and I’m a first year at Translunar Academy

2254-08-02 18:10:08 Électricité > I see, a private student, so you’re used to this

2254-08-02 18:10:16 Aydan > wouldn’t quite say I ever get used to it. I’d rather be anywhere else

2254-08-02 18:10:25 Électricité > hard same

2254-08-02 18:10:29 Électricité > well I’m bored. wanna go walk around and look at stuff?