I wanted to be sure they were real before telling you.
[It's pointed out calmly, as she sits on the floor at his side. The papers are taken from his hands and flipped through, so she can point out the section that talks about the doors unlocking with a code that's unique to each door, and mentions something about a crew manual.]
I need to be positive this will lead to something before I go public with the information.
[She can't make a fool out of herself. Not when she's trying so hard to fit in here.]
[ he looks over the section she points out, taking the sheet in both hands and staring close to the page like he doesn't understand what he's reading. ]
How did you confirm it?
[ she's the journalist, and she actually... sounds like one now. something that briefly warms his breastbone though the reality of the situation quickly shoves any positivity down. ]
Well, let's try to find the panel. That at least proves there's a code to input, right?
[She doesn't want to be the reporter that has false information. Getting people's hopes up here is dangerous, not to mention cruel. She may be careless with other people sometimes, but she doesn't ever want to intentionally be cruel to others. ]
But I think they have to be real. They were torn out of something, part of a bigger picture. It's just a matter of figuring out who left me the lead and why.
[Which means they need to try and find the panel, just like he's said. Her eyebrows arch and she glances toward the door. Want to have an adventure, Frank?]
[ he's up within ten seconds at that look, and max doesn't even complain at being displaced just gets ready for action himself. ]
We should start with a nonessential door. ...Just in case. [ he thinks it goes without saying he's the only one who gets to fall in this time!!!! stupid karen ]
[Karen still has trauma from her door incident and doesn't want to admit that's why she's hesitant to really explore this lead. But she knows her fear is stupid, especially with Frank there.]
We could always go back and visit the door we tried opening before...
[That's a joke. Mostly. Karen is just determined to best that door someday ok.]
[She thinks it's a little more creepy and complicated than that, but she's not going to turn down a good lead. ]
As soon as we get the station opened up, I'm punching whoever thought it would be a good idea to leave pieces of the puzzle without a way to contact them.
[With a smirk that says she knows he'll probably disapprove but doesn't care, she brushes past him with Max at her side and makes her way out of the room.]
[ he can't help but feel a little dejected when max ditches him for karen's side, and he lags behind them a little as a result until he can get over himself. ]
Deal, you get the first hit. [ cause once it's frank's turn whoever they are isn't getting up ]
[She spares a glance back at Frank once or twice in the midst of his sulking, but lets him have his space. It's only after he's caught up and speaks that she lets herself relax, because she typically always has to brace herself for an argument when it comes to doing things with him.]
Why only the first hit? What if I manage to knock them out?
[Despite her noodle arms, she balls up her hand into a fist and makes a play swing to hit his shoulder. The contact makes Max huff out a soft bark and she laughs because she isn't sure if the dog's protesting or encouraging her.]
[His response is predictable, and in turn her eyes rolling is probably pretty damn predictable too. The urge to shove him is strong, but she opts to give Max an affectionate pet to the top of his head instead.]
I've been working out. I'll be able to knock you on your ass in no time, Frank.
[Oh, he thinks she won't be able to do it. That's exactly what his taunting says.]
Once I gain some weight back, you'll regret teasing me.
[The fact that she's smiling probably ruins the effect of her trying to act tough. They've walked a short distance but they've already reached a door they can mess around with, and she slaps at his hand to get him to pay attention as she nods over toward it. This is as good of a place as any to start, right?]
[ he glances up when she slaps his hand, then beelines for the door and gestures for karen and max to stay behind him. once he's sure no one's getting any stupid ideas, he approaches and starts feeling along the seams of the door to try and get the panel to pop out. when he doesn't find anything immediately, he kneels down and looks a little closer. ]
You been eating okay? I could teach you my workout if you want to put back on some muscle.
[She keeps back for about ten seconds before crouching and leaning over his shoulder to watch what he's doing. It's a miracle she doesn't shove her hand toward the door, but her door fear keeps her from doing that.
For now.]
I've skipped a few meals on days I didn't feel well or got caught up with work. Are you sure you don't mind teaching me?
Keep Max back. [ he warns, knowing she won't heed his warnings for her own sake for long. he starts to nod to her question when he hits some invisible button or lever. and just like the panels in the wall, a panel opens out of the door with a keypad and frank gasps softly. well, there we go, her lead was true. ]
Sure, um. I mean, yeah. [ he wets his lips and starts thinking of likely codes. birthdays and stuff like that, but he knows nothing about these people. where does he even start? ]
[Karen definitely won't heed his warnings for her own sake. But Max she loves about as much as she might her own child, so she grabs hold of his collar and very gently keeps him back far enough that harm won't come to him if something happens. That grip on his collar loosens when the panel with keypad comes out of the door. She gasps along with him, and very nearly pushes his hands away so she can mess with it herself.
Stopping short of doing that, she tries to think quickly about numbers and combinations that might have some meaning to the station.]
We need to find the rest of the manual. All the codes are probably listed in there.
[She's guessing they're random computer generated access codes.]
What if the manual is inside the doors? [ that's what he's convinced of anyway because it sounds confident. ]
If we know how many digits they are, we can try every possible combination and start to narrow it down. But if there's a lock-out protocol- [ they have to be careful. he's just thinking aloud at this point. ] Or it decides to eat us again. [ he shoots her a look, noticing how she keeps getting closer and just barely holding back his sigh. at least this doesn't seem as dangerous as trying to force the doors open. ]
[She insists on it after hitting at his shoulder for even daring to suggest a door might eat her again. Just because she's edging in close doesn't mean the door will try killing her again. She hopes. But she can't let her fear keep her from being the one that cracks this case.
Not that there's much of a case, but getting a door open manually and finding the manual would help her mood and feelings of worthlessness. ]
Don't press anything yet. Just...let's stop and think for a minute. Can you remember seeing any series of numbers posted on the walls or anywhere on the station?
I'm not. [ he assures, still squintly at the display as he moves over so she can get a better look too. ] A pin is usually 4 or 5 digits, that would make the most sense, probably.
[ she knows he has a good memory, but he has to cycle back through it a moment. he shuts his eyes to facilitate remembering, but nothing is springing immediately to mind. after a pause, he shakes his head and opens his eys to look at her again, suddenly much closer than she was a moment ago. ]
We don't know for sure if it will lock us out for trying. So, I don't know, just try 1-2-3-4 and see what it does.
[Failing's important because they can learn from it and see what happens. If they input enough wrong codes and the system doesn't shut them out, it means they can try as many different conversations as they want.
Her excitement about that shows on her face as he looks back to her, and she realizes just how close they're pressed in together. Whatever she was about to say dies on the tip of her tongue, but she's able to shake herself out of it and reach over his shoulder to try putting in the combination of numbers herself.]
[ he nods, about to obey her when she leans over his shoulder to do it herself. that works too. the system lights up red - wrong code. but it doesn't give them any other warnings. ]
[Nodding, she types in four random numbers without even looking to see what they are. That too blinks red and she huffs in frustration. Like the door is obligated to open after two tries.
Three attempts later, and she's frowning in deep concentration.
She keeps trying, one hand wrapped around Max's collar while the other plugs away at the keypad. Eventually something has to work, right? She loses track of how many different attempts she's made when finally the system doesn't light up red.
Wait -]
Does that mean we're in?
[He can try to open the door. Like hell she's going to push her way through it.]
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no subject
[It's pointed out calmly, as she sits on the floor at his side. The papers are taken from his hands and flipped through, so she can point out the section that talks about the doors unlocking with a code that's unique to each door, and mentions something about a crew manual.]
I need to be positive this will lead to something before I go public with the information.
[She can't make a fool out of herself. Not when she's trying so hard to fit in here.]
no subject
How did you confirm it?
[ she's the journalist, and she actually... sounds like one now. something that briefly warms his breastbone though the reality of the situation quickly shoves any positivity down. ]
Well, let's try to find the panel. That at least proves there's a code to input, right?
no subject
[She doesn't want to be the reporter that has false information. Getting people's hopes up here is dangerous, not to mention cruel. She may be careless with other people sometimes, but she doesn't ever want to intentionally be cruel to others. ]
But I think they have to be real. They were torn out of something, part of a bigger picture. It's just a matter of figuring out who left me the lead and why.
[Which means they need to try and find the panel, just like he's said. Her eyebrows arch and she glances toward the door. Want to have an adventure, Frank?]
no subject
We should start with a nonessential door. ...Just in case. [ he thinks it goes without saying he's the only one who gets to fall in this time!!!! stupid karen ]
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We could always go back and visit the door we tried opening before...
[That's a joke. Mostly. Karen is just determined to best that door someday ok.]
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As for who... I think it's self-fulfilling. We gotta open the station up to find out what the hell is happening, right?
[ so let's do this thing ]
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As soon as we get the station opened up, I'm punching whoever thought it would be a good idea to leave pieces of the puzzle without a way to contact them.
[With a smirk that says she knows he'll probably disapprove but doesn't care, she brushes past him with Max at her side and makes her way out of the room.]
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Deal, you get the first hit. [ cause once it's frank's turn whoever they are isn't getting up ]
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Why only the first hit? What if I manage to knock them out?
[Despite her noodle arms, she balls up her hand into a fist and makes a play swing to hit his shoulder. The contact makes Max huff out a soft bark and she laughs because she isn't sure if the dog's protesting or encouraging her.]
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You're gonna have to work on that swing if you wanna put the lights out on something bigger than a kitten.
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I've been working out. I'll be able to knock you on your ass in no time, Frank.
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[ like no actually that sounds like his idea of a good time. ]
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Once I gain some weight back, you'll regret teasing me.
[The fact that she's smiling probably ruins the effect of her trying to act tough. They've walked a short distance but they've already reached a door they can mess around with, and she slaps at his hand to get him to pay attention as she nods over toward it. This is as good of a place as any to start, right?]
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[ he glances up when she slaps his hand, then beelines for the door and gestures for karen and max to stay behind him. once he's sure no one's getting any stupid ideas, he approaches and starts feeling along the seams of the door to try and get the panel to pop out. when he doesn't find anything immediately, he kneels down and looks a little closer. ]
You been eating okay? I could teach you my workout if you want to put back on some muscle.
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For now.]
I've skipped a few meals on days I didn't feel well or got caught up with work. Are you sure you don't mind teaching me?
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Sure, um. I mean, yeah. [ he wets his lips and starts thinking of likely codes. birthdays and stuff like that, but he knows nothing about these people. where does he even start? ]
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Stopping short of doing that, she tries to think quickly about numbers and combinations that might have some meaning to the station.]
We need to find the rest of the manual. All the codes are probably listed in there.
[She's guessing they're random computer generated access codes.]
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If we know how many digits they are, we can try every possible combination and start to narrow it down. But if there's a lock-out protocol- [ they have to be careful. he's just thinking aloud at this point. ] Or it decides to eat us again. [ he shoots her a look, noticing how she keeps getting closer and just barely holding back his sigh. at least this doesn't seem as dangerous as trying to force the doors open. ]
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[She insists on it after hitting at his shoulder for even daring to suggest a door might eat her again. Just because she's edging in close doesn't mean the door will try killing her again. She hopes. But she can't let her fear keep her from being the one that cracks this case.
Not that there's much of a case, but getting a door open manually and finding the manual would help her mood and feelings of worthlessness. ]
Don't press anything yet. Just...let's stop and think for a minute. Can you remember seeing any series of numbers posted on the walls or anywhere on the station?
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[ she knows he has a good memory, but he has to cycle back through it a moment. he shuts his eyes to facilitate remembering, but nothing is springing immediately to mind. after a pause, he shakes his head and opens his eys to look at her again, suddenly much closer than she was a moment ago. ]
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[Failing's important because they can learn from it and see what happens. If they input enough wrong codes and the system doesn't shut them out, it means they can try as many different conversations as they want.
Her excitement about that shows on her face as he looks back to her, and she realizes just how close they're pressed in together. Whatever she was about to say dies on the tip of her tongue, but she's able to shake herself out of it and reach over his shoulder to try putting in the combination of numbers herself.]
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Try another.
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Three attempts later, and she's frowning in deep concentration.
She keeps trying, one hand wrapped around Max's collar while the other plugs away at the keypad. Eventually something has to work, right? She loses track of how many different attempts she's made when finally the system doesn't light up red.
Wait -]
Does that mean we're in?
[He can try to open the door. Like hell she's going to push her way through it.]