[09.09.2021 20:05:18] Ridge: Hawkins?
[09.09.2021 20:05:42] Ridge: You're not Hawkins, are you?
[09.09.2021 20:05:56] Vigil-1|S8: Stand by. Transferring comms to the CO.
[09.09.2021 20:06:14] Vigil-1|S8: Mister Abrams, this is Captain Hawkins.
[09.09.2021 20:06:33] Ridge: ...I would say it is good to hear you, were the circumstances different.
[09.09.2021 20:06:46] Vigil-1|S8: Indeed.
[09.09.2021 20:07:06] Ridge: L-Look. Promise me this before we start. I beg of you to not spread any word about this.
[09.09.2021 20:07:23] Vigil-1|S8: And if I refuse to make such a promise?
[09.09.2021 20:07:40] Ridge: It'll be your funeral as much as it'll be mine.
[09.09.2021 20:07:50] Vigil-1|S8: Is that a threat, Mister Abrams?
[09.09.2021 20:08:09] Ridge: ...no...no. You get it all wrong!
[09.09.2021 20:08:22] Vigil-1|S8: Then, please. Enlighten me.
[09.09.2021 20:08:35] Ridge: It's a warning.
[09.09.2021 20:09:12] Vigil-1|S8: A warning about what?
[09.09.2021 20:09:29] Ridge: There are things hiding in the dark, watching. You think you know it all, but you don't! I'm being- I'm being. Uh. Watched.
[09.09.2021 20:09:43] Vigil-1|S8: Watched by what?
[09.09.2021 20:09:49] Ridge: You know...
[09.09.2021 20:09:56] Vigil-1|S8: The Nomads.
[09.09.2021 20:10:01] Ridge: They could be...you know. Even now.
[09.09.2021 20:10:08] Ridge: Even back in Hudson.
[09.09.2021 20:10:45] Vigil-1|S8: Then perhaps you should start giving me reasons not to give this operative clearance to eliminate you on the spot.
[09.09.2021 20:11:19] Ridge: Because I know something you don't.
[09.09.2021 20:11:48] Vigil-1|S8: That being?
[09.09.2021 20:12:08] Ridge: Whatever is going on in Kepler is so...so much more.
[09.09.2021 20:12:27] Ridge: That Vagrant I first met with your Scout was only the start.
[09.09.2021 20:12:33] Vigil-1|S8: And what exactly -is- going on in Kepler, Mister Abrams?
[09.09.2021 20:12:56] Ridge: Something, S-Someone. I- I can't find the right word to explain.
[09.09.2021 20:13:38] Ridge: Look. My theory is that there is a certain point in the system that the Nomads have interest in, or through which they manifest
[09.09.2021 20:13:45] Ridge: At the same time, I still don't think they do.
[09.09.2021 20:14:27] Ridge: Ghost signals, random impulses to act out of the sudden...that - thing.
[09.09.2021 20:15:11] Vigil-1|S8: Kepler is covered entirely in a dark matter storm. Strange signals are to be expected, and so are stellar phenomena.
[09.09.2021 20:15:19] Ridge: It isn't just that.
[09.09.2021 20:15:29] Ridge: The Dark Matter Storm is something unnatural.
[09.09.2021 20:15:37] Ridge: Well, what's in it.
[09.09.2021 20:15:53] Ridge: Have you ever explored it fully?
[09.09.2021 20:16:03] Vigil-1|S8: Of course not.
[09.09.2021 20:17:06] Ridge: I advise you to keep away from the northern regions, then.
[09.09.2021 20:17:48] Vigil-1|S8: You are offering me a lot of vague advice without any sort of concrete context.
[09.09.2021 20:18:34] Ridge: Were I to give you the full context of it, we would be both be knee-deep in feces! T-Trust me. I'm trying my best to give you-
[09.09.2021 20:18:41] Ridge: -all I can without causing that.
[09.09.2021 20:18:55] Vigil-1|S8: Then it seems you can't give me much.
[09.09.2021 20:19:14] Vigil-1|S8: Look, you have made it this far without dying, so you are clearly an intelligent and capable person.
[09.09.2021 20:19:28] Vigil-1|S8: The Order could take you in, protect you. And perhaps make use of your skills.
[09.09.2021 20:20:10] Ridge: The Xenos are defending me. I trust them with my life.
[09.09.2021 20:20:38] Vigil-1|S8: The Xenos are no doubt quite good at what they do. Commit acts of terrorism. I would not rely on them for protection from -
[09.09.2021 20:20:41] Vigil-1|S8: alien threats.
[09.09.2021 20:21:06] Ridge: They haven't threatened me with termination as many times as you have, however. No offense.
[09.09.2021 20:21:38] Vigil-1|S8: Eliminating alien threats to humanity happens to be my duty. And you are acting like one. No offense.
[09.09.2021 20:21:46] Ridge: I want to prevent whatever is going on in Kepler from spreading. I really do. But if I tell people, I risk doing the opposite.
[09.09.2021 20:22:27] Vigil-1|S8: You have been sighted collaborating with Auxesians - known Nomad sympathizers - and the Nomads themselves.
[09.09.2021 20:22:28] Ridge: Back then I didn't have much to lose. Now? I can't just go back.
[09.09.2021 20:22:38] Vigil-1|S8: Why would I believe you when you say you want to -stop- whatever it is the Nomads are doing?
[09.09.2021 20:22:46] Ridge: I was not collaborating with them, Hawkins.
[09.09.2021 20:22:58] Vigil-1|S8: Evidence suggests otherwise.
[09.09.2021 20:23:04] Ridge: I was, in fact. Even shooting one of their infected Donau cruisers.
[09.09.2021 20:23:15] Ridge: And I have solid proof of that.
[09.09.2021 20:23:32] Ridge: Hybrid technology, a Nomad Power Cell on board...all that.
[09.09.2021 20:23:57] Vigil-1|S8: Yes, and we have proof of you employing adapted Nomad technology yourself, Mister Abrams.
[09.09.2021 20:24:16] Ridge: I scavenged those weapons off of ships I downed in- well...
[09.09.2021 20:24:27] Ridge: A place much worse than Kepler.
[09.09.2021 20:24:33] Vigil-1|S8: That being?
[09.09.2021 20:24:42] Ridge: The origin.
[09.09.2021 20:24:52] Vigil-1|S8: The origin?
[09.09.2021 20:24:59] Ridge: The source, per se.
[09.09.2021 20:25:28] Ridge: Think. Where did the Dark Matter Storm come from initially?
[09.09.2021 20:25:37] Vigil-1|S8: The Alberta system.
[09.09.2021 20:25:46] Ridge: Good. Now forget that.
[09.09.2021 20:26:35] Vigil-1|S8: You are telling me that you have been to the Alberta system?
[09.09.2021 20:27:05] Ridge: And survived. Several people know of that.
[09.09.2021 20:27:20] Vigil-1|S8: And how, exactly, did you manage to enter the system?
[09.09.2021 20:27:31] Ridge: How I got there? That is one thing I cannot tell. I told you at the start of this conversation why.
[09.09.2021 20:27:47] Ridge: They are probably watching. Most definitely.
[09.09.2021 20:27:53] Vigil-1|S8: Mister Abrams, you are making it exceedingly difficult to trust you.
[09.09.2021 20:28:45] Ridge: C-Can you not see I'm trying t-to tell you all I can as subtly as possible?! I'm- I'm trying to stay off the grid. Somehow...
[09.09.2021 20:29:14] Vigil-1|S8: Very well. Let us-...
[09.09.2021 20:30:30] Vigil-1|S8: Now. Let us circle back to that topic later.
[09.09.2021 20:30:52] Vigil-1|S8: Instead, would you care to elaborate on your relationship with the Auxesians, Revenant in particular?
[09.09.2021 20:31:04] Ridge: ...that I can do. Kind of.
[09.09.2021 20:31:14] Vigil-1|S8: Hardly surprising.
[09.09.2021 20:31:31] Ridge: John has introduced me to Revenant a day or two after I met your scout in Kepler.
[09.09.2021 20:32:26] Ridge: She's been helping me with the situation in Kepler, kind of.
[09.09.2021 20:33:35] Vigil-1|S8: The Nomad sympathizer is helping you counteract Nomad activity? Assuming that is what you are doing in Kepler.
[09.09.2021 20:33:59] Ridge: Revenant is helping with research to various degrees, but that is all there is to it. I stood independent all the way.
[09.09.2021 20:34:29] Vigil-1|S8: You -are- aware that the Auxesians cooperate with alien elements?
[09.09.2021 20:34:39] Ridge: Not one bit, actually.
[09.09.2021 20:35:01] Vigil-1|S8: Is that you denying that you knew or that they do as claimed?
[09.09.2021 20:35:32] Ridge: I actually don't know what you mean by them actively cooperating with the Nomads. Strap me to a lie detector, if you want.
[09.09.2021 20:35:42] Ridge: F-For real.
[09.09.2021 20:36:36] Vigil-1|S8: Well, now you have been informed.
[09.09.2021 20:37:01] Ridge: I-I guess.
[09.09.2021 20:37:17] Ridge: It would be rude to ask for such kind of proofs to it, since I couldn't help much here in turn.
[09.09.2021 20:37:43] Vigil-1|S8: Consider it a warning. The Auxesians are not to be trusted. They are a danger to humanity.
[09.09.2021 20:38:11] Vigil-1|S8: Which is why I will reiterate that, for your own sake and safety, you should distance yourself from them.
[09.09.2021 20:38:43] Ridge: I suppose...but please do keep me away from your beef with the Auxesians. My methods are unorthodox, true.
[09.09.2021 20:38:52] Ridge: But as I told Cobra at some point.
[09.09.2021 20:39:26] Ridge: Whatever theory that has enough proofs behind, I would gladly share. Provided I don't risk dying in the process.
[09.09.2021 20:39:43] Ridge: It wouldn't be of much use for me in the grave, either way.
[09.09.2021 20:39:51] Vigil-1|S8: I am afraid Section 8 can not simply ignore those who collaborate with humanity's enemies.
[09.09.2021 20:40:03] Vigil-1|S8: If you work with Auxesia, you are a threat.
[09.09.2021 20:42:03] Ridge: ...then just go ahead and kill me. Really. I'm trying my best to see what the Nomads are hiding and prevent them from-
[09.09.2021 20:42:13] Ridge: -wiping us all out, despite my methods.
[09.09.2021 20:42:44] Ridge: Or you could admit that someone else aside from The Order is fighting to give Humanity a chance.
[09.09.2021 20:43:19] Vigil-1|S8: One would think that you would be more willing to cooperate with the Order if our goals indeed align.
[09.09.2021 20:43:33] Ridge: Our goals align, Hawkins. Our methods don't.
[09.09.2021 20:44:15] Vigil-1|S8: Do your methods pose a threat to the people of Kepler, Liberty, or Kusari?
[09.09.2021 20:44:43] Ridge: They never have.
[09.09.2021 20:45:15] Ridge: I could prove you that They are watching. But then I am unsure we would survive.
[09.09.2021 20:45:20] Ridge: Would you take that risk?
[09.09.2021 20:45:47] Vigil-1|S8: I had hoped that coming out here would remove us from any such threat.
[09.09.2021 20:46:11] Ridge: Hawkins. I'm dying anyway. Best I could do is not take everyone else down with me.
[09.09.2021 20:46:32] Vigil-1|S8: You are certain you will die?
[09.09.2021 20:47:05] Ridge: My expeditions in Kepler left me with various cancer-related illnesses. I was risking my neck every time to for good reasons.
[09.09.2021 20:47:31] Vigil-1|S8: I see.
[09.09.2021 20:48:03] Vigil-1|S8: Mister Abrams, I can only say that I do wish you had turned to the Order for aid instead of the Auxesians.
[09.09.2021 20:48:37] Ridge: I intended to turn to The Order, however...well. Your methods wouldn't provide me the necessary tools to reach this point.
[09.09.2021 20:48:44] Ridge: Despite the downsides.
[09.09.2021 20:48:53] Vigil-1|S8: Indeed.
[09.09.2021 20:49:16] Vigil-1|S8: Please stand by, Mister Abrams. I will confer with my superiors.
[09.09.2021 20:50:01] Ridge: If you know what's right, I would recommend you just say that I am no threat, and leave it at that. Provided you believe in me.
[09.09.2021 20:50:05] Ridge: Even a little bit at that.
[09.09.2021 20:51:00] Vigil-1|S8: Congratulations, Mister Abrams. Section 8 has decided not to terminate you at this time.
[09.09.2021 20:51:10] Ridge: ...but...?
[09.09.2021 20:51:32] Vigil-1|S8: You will remain a person of interest and under close scrutiny. What information Section 8 has on you, this conversation -
[09.09.2021 20:51:43] Vigil-1|S8: included, will also be relayed to Overwatch.
[09.09.2021 20:52:15] Ridge: I suppose...doesn't seem like I pissed Them off with anything I've related to you. So I guess that is alright.
[09.09.2021 20:52:39] Vigil-1|S8: May I give you a personal word of advice, Mister Abrams?
[09.09.2021 20:52:45] Ridge: Sure...
[09.09.2021 20:53:02] Vigil-1|S8: Carry a cyanide capsule with you from now on.
[09.09.2021 20:53:16] Ridge: Why is that?
[09.09.2021 20:53:48] Vigil-1|S8: I assume you will come into contact with Nomads again. Suicide is preferable to anything they may do to you.
[09.09.2021 20:53:59] Ridge: I can agree with that, at the very least.
[09.09.2021 20:54:20] Vigil-1|S8: Vigil One, disengage. Transmit logs and return to base.
[09.09.2021 20:54:28] Ridge: Fair enough.
[09.09.2021 20:54:43] Ridge: H-Have a good one, I suppose.
[09.09.2021 20:54:50] Vigil-1|S8: Tread carefully, Mister Abrams.
[09.09.2021 20:54:57] Ridge: You know I will.

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Pub: 10 Sep 2021 09:27 UTC
Views: 133