0A. [video]

[ifightfor]

[Rinzler is in the infirmary when the video comes on. He looks ... about as healthy as can be assumed for someone who normally goes around in full-body leather and is suffering a Death Toll. He offers the camera a polite nod, then cocks his helmeted head back to expose his throat. Enough of his suit has been derezzed to make the scarring and

Comments

Spam

[hopeless_hacker]

[The first thing Tosh does at the end of the flood is check the network, starting with its most recent updates - so of course it's Rinzler's she comes to first. He killed himself and she wasn't even aware of it. Perfect.

When she comes to the Infirmary, she kind of looks like she should be a patient - wavering on her feet, with bruise-dark shadows under her eyes from three days and nights of unsleeping hypervigilance combined with a bewildered, frightening ignorance of where she really was or what was going on. She's wearing her typical everything's-fine expression but it wouldn't fool a child.

She finds her way to her Inmate's bed and cracks open the curtain.]

Rinzler.

Spam

[ifightfor]

[He'd picked his method of suicide well, at least. Other than wanting to spend the upcoming week hibernating there was little a ruptured throat could do to him that Clu hadn't already done.

The sound of someone approaching jars the Program out of a sound sleep cycle, his circuits flickering into life as he pulls himself upright.

Toshiko. Of course. Rinzler lifts his head at the sound of his name--then unfolds himself carefully from where he sat on the bed, approaching his Warden and attempting to herd her over to take his place on the bed. Good User, she looks worse than he does and he's Death Tolling.]

Re: Spam

[hopeless_hacker]

[She shifts away and makes a hand gesture vaguely translatable as 'down, boy'.]

Lie down. I know what the death toll's like - you're recovering, you need to rest. I just wanted to check in with you before I did anything else.

[I.e. hibernate for a week.]

Spam

[ifightfor]

[He obstinately does not move, going so far as to shake his head in a firm "no" as she speaks. And then try to get around her again and actually push her toward the bed, echoing one of her words back at her:]

Rest.

[Come on. He's actually talking in the attempt to get his point across, regardless of how it hurts to do so. And the fact all this physical exertion is way too much right now.]

[Private]

[majorum_pride]

Inquiry related to self-termination. A possible attempt to end discomfort?

[Because that's why he tried it.]

[Private]

[ifightfor]

[The new-message chime wakes Rinzler up out of hibernate mode long enough for him to attempt a coherent reply.]

Attempt to remove JA307020 as hostage objective for remaining duration of flood. "Discomfort" inexact but adequa

[A couple minutes' worth of nod-off delay.]

inexact but adequate approximation.

[Private]

[majorum_pride]

Was it's efficiency worth it? [This is a genuine question.]

[Private]

[ifightfor]

Initial assessment: Yes.

Unplanned second- and third-order conse

[Another nod-off delay.]

consequences reduce effectiveness of solution.

[needshumility]

You... [pause, awkward.]

Why? [tact is not high on Eddie's list.]

Text.

[ifightfor]

[Quite all right. Tact does not really exist in Rinzler's neck of the woods, either.]

JA307020 performance levels fell below tolerable threshold. Suspect influence of flood, which rendered combat subroutines in self-defense nonoperable. Self-termination determined as only option to prevent prolonged hostage situation, waste of resources.

[And terminal embarrassment.]

Re: Text.

[needshumility]

You self-terminated because you couldn't defend yourself?

Did you think you were going to die anyway if it carried on?

[Someone's world is very chill about killing one's self. Sort of. Ish. He still worries.]

Re: Text.

[ifightfor]

Yes.

Hostile intent of potential captors made death likely outcome. If not death, extended torture and/or captivity. Removal of JA307020 from situation nulled possibility of these outcomes. Death on Barge nonpermanent, associated with minimal long-term consequences.

[He's downright chatty right now.]