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2254-12-10 14:01:55 Aydan > they have ÆON.

2254-12-10 14:02:01 Zeta > *what?!*

2254-12-10 14:02:03 明子 > who’s they??

2254-12-10 14:02:07 Aydan > I don’t knowww it happened while I was ætherside and I surfaced and the device is gone!!!!

2254-12-10 14:02:11 明子 > Aydan, calm.

You feel the emotional data attached to the message, a blanket of serenity washing over you--not enough to lose yourself in, just enough to think clearly and without panic.

2254-12-10 14:02:18 Zeta > what do you remember? search every layer of your memory

2254-12-10 14:02:22 明子 > sensory memory and hardware logs especially

You breathe deep and call your terminal to list your recent logs. The files feel distant, shrouded in fog like Korolev City at dawn. You find the timestamp when ÆON’s device was disconnected from your system. Cross-referencing your sensory memory, you make out a few words through the mist:

2254-12-10 14:02:36 Aydan > “an Admin’s needs are absolute”

2254-12-10 14:02:39 Aydan > that’s what I heard...

2254-12-10 14:02:48 Aydan > I’m in an exam room. I was supposed to test with prof Kitov but instead Admin Vanitas was there. but when I opened my eyes, she was gone, and ÆON too

2254-12-10 14:02:54 明子 > ok. so she has the device in hand, and she’s an Admin, that’s already bad enough. is there any chance she has the encryption key?

You reflect deeper down, in the disjointed fragments you can remember from your time in the æther.

2254-12-10 14:03:01 Aydan > the scenario...she almost got it, but I didn’t give up the key. every lock can be picked, but this buys us time

2254-12-10 14:03:06 Zeta > then we still have a chance to save Ær!

2254-12-10 14:03:10 明子 > what does an Admin want with ÆON?

2254-12-10 14:03:15 Aydan > I’m guessing the same thing everybody else in space and Earth wants with Ær, which is whatever power fantasy they think Æ can make reality for them

2254-12-10 14:03:18 Aydan > and I guess Synth is still in their exam...fuck! what do we do?

2254-12-10 14:03:22 Zeta > you’re the Messenger, or so you keep saying, what do you think we should do?

2254-12-10 14:03:27 Aydan > I have to recover ÆON. but I can’t hope to defeat an Admin. maybe with ÆON I could, but now I’m alone...

2254-12-10 14:03:31 明子 > getting ready now. you’re not alone Aydan!

2254-12-10 14:03:33 Zeta > same! we’re with you Aydan!

2254-12-10 14:03:34 Aydan > <3

2254-12-10 14:03:36 Aydan > alright, let’s get to work. we’re now on an op to recover my exopath. switch to ops channel.

2254-12-10 14:03:39 Ætherglow > so it’s just the three of us against insurmountable opposition. on top of that, Admin Vanitas is an expert at obfuscation, she could have hidden her identity from me if she wanted

2254-12-10 14:03:45 暁 > I agree it’s suspicious, it had to have been deliberate

More fragments of your experiences ætherside start to fall into place as you analyze your logs.

2254-12-10 14:03:49 Ætherglow > also it’s not a problem we can confront ætherside, we have to physically recover ÆON’s root device, and we don’t know where it is

2254-12-10 14:03:54 Ætherglow > luckily I think I turned the device off before she took it, as well as not giving her the encryption key. but that also means we can’t track its location by the network access points...

2254-12-10 14:04:03 Protogen > Aydan, remember ÆON’s device was built in the mid 20th century

Memories from the class you took on primitive devices flash to mind.

2254-12-10 14:04:09 Ætherglow > the technofascist era. transponders. all devices could be tracked even if they’re powered off.

2254-12-10 14:04:13 Protogen > and I remember the transponder number of that device, I was stimming with it a lot during break before I gave it to you

2254-12-10 14:04:16 Protogen > it’s on the move! in the residential block, headed for the engineering elevator

2254-12-10 14:04:18 暁 > we could make it there, maybe in time to intercept!

2254-12-10 14:04:24 Ætherglow > she’s far stronger and smarter than us. but if we take her by surprise...if I can just get my hands on ÆON’s device for a few seconds I can sync with ÆON and have the power to contend with an Admin

2254-12-10 14:04:34 暁 > then that is what we will do. ready to deploy

2254-12-10 14:04:36 Protogen > ready. awaiting orders, Messenger