2024.02.18: Bob and Viktor discuss devices

Bob and Viktor discuss devices
Bob discusses phone upgrades to Xiu's phone with Viktor
IC Date	February 18th, 2024
IC Time	Afternoon
Players	Bob,Viktor
Location	Obok Suites
Spheres	Mage

Viktor is sitting at a small table, sipping on a fruit smoothie and flipping through something on his phone.

A man in a wheelchair ides down the lift, doing a quick wave to Viktor before joining him at the table. This twenty-something man wears a thick black wool turtleneck, with a black blazer over it. He's also wearing black Levi's jeans, and brown loafers. A small tray connected to the wheelchair has a couple drink holders. The tray is empty. A security chain connects the wheelchair to a closed messenger bag on the right side. The man is tall, perhaps 6'1", with an oval face and no discernible muscle definition. Light stubble and a mustache with no gray are framed by shoulder-length dark brown hair.

"Hey Vik, how are you doing today?"

Viktor sets his phone down on the table and raises a hand in greeting. "Doing well! Exciting times, isn't it? A new team, or cabal, or whatever you want to call it. Team sounds less sinister than cabal though, doesn't it?"

Bob chuckles, "So true. Always wondered about the word 'cabal'. My guess is, the stuff Hermetics cam up with it. I mean good on them for taking the effort to name and classify everything, but..stuffy latin stuff. I'm fine with Team, Research Group, or whatever the team wants. I was hoping for a Etherite and Virtual Adept focused group, but better to include more people I imagine."

Viktor nods, leaning back in his seat and looking at ease. "Sure, why not. Is this Grayson guy a good sort then? He looked... Maybe a bit stuffy?"

Bob grins, "He's a Hermetic. Stuffy kind of comes as a package deal, right? I mean those folks are too uptight. But if he's willing to join a non-all hermetic Team then maybe he's not as stuffy as some of them. But each Tradition has their own quirks. S o Es have weird machines, C o Xs are high half the time, Thans always seem broody, and so on. Even we are often anti-authority and distracted by heaving our attention in the Digital Web." He shrugs.

Viktor smiles back, nodding along. "Ok, fair enough. We've all got our things, right? Oh, by the way, I don't mean to be rude, but I feel like I should ask... Why the wheelchair? Injury? Is it maybe something I can help with?"

Bob sighs. "It's not rude. It's a question that's come up before, and will again. So, I have a bunch pf psychological trauma because of my parents death, how they died, and the accident. My inner psyche feels I deserve being punished, so is fighting any healing. I am working on it, and once I've resolved myself that it wasn't my fault, Steele has agreed to heal me the rest of the way. I expect another two months will see me walking again, though perhaps with a cane - in part for appearances to the Sleepers, at least for a while. I appreciate the offer though."

He pauses, then continues. "There is something though. Xiu asked me to see if you and I can look at her smart phone, maybe either upgrade it or make her a new modern phone with appropriate leet enhancements."

Viktor nods somberly at the explanation. "Alright, sounds like you've got a plan then. And I guess I'm not surprised there's others around offering to help with something like that. Ok then, a phone? Sure, I can help with that. Did she say what she wanted from it?"

Bob ponders. "She was a little vague.", a smile, "Surprising, non?" He continues, "I think she wants protection on the phone from snooping and hacking, maybe some cloaking, maybe something else. I was thinking the ability to upload into the Digital Web, and download back from it, would be good - an emergency failsage thing maybe. What do you think?"

Viktor thinks that over, rubbing his chin. "Well, full upload and download isn't that simple, is it? The rest should be, I think, but escaping into the web? That's... tricky."

Bob nods, "It is. It would take disciple level of Correspondance I think, right, to physically get there. And its vulgar as all get out. But we could format a simple room attached to his phone, something like a forest clearing."

Viktor squints a bit, mulling it over. "But what would happen to the phone? Just drop to the ground?"

Bob smacks his head. "Great point. I thought it might be uploaded as well, but I guess not. Maybe something else then as the new special feature?"

Viktor chuckles, spinning his own phone on the table. "I guess it depends on what she wants? I never really messed with mine that much. I most use it for internet access, like it's intended."

Bob nods, "I am looking into how to modify the supernal code underlying a thing to make an elightened Device, though not there yet, I think I'll crack it soon. But my other magics aren't great, so I could use a team effort."

Viktor gives Bob a smile. "Well, I'll help if I can. I'm not sure I know more than you do though.

Bob shrugs, "We each know different things, which is why teaming up is a good idea."

Viktor nods and gives a thumbs up. "Yeah, teamwork is always key to everything, right?"

Bob smiles, "That is the truth. So, other than the Team and helping with the phone upgrade, what are you working on now, if I can ask?"

Viktor grins sheepishly, fidgeting with his phone again. "Well, mostly, I've been trying to analyze the cellular code that causes cancer, so I can fix it. For everyone. Which is a scale that makes it really difficult."

Bob smiles, "That's right, I had forgotten. How is is going? Yeah, fixing it for everyone would be huge."

Viktor shrugs, running his hand back over his hair. "It's not going nowhere, but it's not going as quickly as I'd like. Not only is it polymorphic, finding a way to cure it that everyone will accept is extra challenging."

Bob nods, "I can imagine. I wonder if you could create something that cured cancer and spread itself. Like an anti-disease virus in the code. You could try it on something small, like eliminating the common cold."

Viktor chuckles. "Ok, well the cold is a headache in itself, but it doesn't kill people like cancer does. One problem at a time, right?"

Bob thinks, "True. I was thinking though that something trying to kill a cold going wrong is less likely to kill the patient than something trying to kill cancer going wrong, right?"

Viktor's face twists a bit at that. "Well, it's not about killing anything, it's more about correcting bad and out of control code. I guess a cold fits that too, a bit."

Bob shrugs, "I mean, it's your project. It's just when I do projects I try to make a string of little problems leading to the solution of the big problem. So if you find something that works as a vehicle to cure the cold in a small sample size, say a city district, then you can scale it up to cure cancer, and then scale it up to bigger areas. Starting small also minimizes your risk, right?"

Viktor sighs, his shoulders lowering. "Yeah, you're not wrong. I just don't want to start small, even though... Yeah, it makes sense. But goddamn it, fuck cancer."

Bob nods, "Fuck cancer. I lost a childhood friend to oesophageal cancer. So I'm there. But we are working with the base code of reality here. We can't afford to release something with bugs, because the results - they could be worse than cancer. Let's say you went straight for Cancer right, found a fix, tested it on a few people - works, release it. A year later you find out you accidentally discovered an effect that in 99 of patients cures cancer, but in 1 awakens the spirit of Cancer. Can you imagine an awakened Cancer spirit and what it could do? We've got to be careful."

Viktor looks a bit glum. "Sure, that would be bad... On the other hand, there is a case to be made that saving 99 is worth having to deal with that 1 in a hundred problem. Because right now, cancer is..." He pauses, taking a deep breath. "Sorry, I know, you get it. It's just hard to be objective about."

Bob nods. "Don't be objective about it. That's not human. But be careful and cautious. Also, the bigger you go, the more paradox you risk and the more attention from the Technocracy. Heck, for all we know Cancer is something they created. Ok, so back to Xiu?"

Viktor shakes his head, clearing his thoughts. "Right, sorry. How'd we get on that tangent? Nevermind. So, new cellphone, secure, maybe a hidden trick or two then?"

Bob nods, "I think that'd be best. Xiu is not digital minded. Something for a..hunter. That'd be best for the special trick or two. Food for thought. Let's talk to Xiu and schedule a time when we can take a look at the phone directly. You agree?"

Viktor nods back. "Yes, that would make the most sense. We can't decide that for her. Wait a second, does she even actually carry a cell phone? She doesn't even have pockets."

Bob shrugs. If he knows, he isn't telling.