well that was depressing
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He found the air pocket by accident, aiming for a subway station. He can get the station by standing a little left, using a slightly different angle.

He's back in his old leather costume, unmodified motorcycle helmet. Makes him feel old; he last belonged in it years ago. Cuts his effectiveness in half without the bot doing pathing for him, turning safeties on and off to manage where he might land, calculating angles.

There's a ring on his toe. It's not tracking his location, Dragon said, it'll just alert her if he takes it off or gets within three long hops of Baltimore without telling her in advance that he expects to be in D.C. or something. It's not listening in, just making sure he hasn't amputated the toe or tried to wreck the mechanism.

 

The air pocket is not within three long hops of Baltimore.

He thinks the ring is actually not listening, actually not tracking. He thinks.

He stands slightly to the right. He goes down.

It's a big, sealed cave, pitch dark. He has a flashlight.

He doesn't need it; the backup lights up like a Christmas tree as soon as he lands.

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Rete sends Dragon a long email. History of conversation with Graph Paper; chain of reasoning; its analysis of the missing electronic trail.

Dragon investigates for thirty minutes on her own and dispatches a drone to Baltimore.

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"Dragon came back," says Rete.

"- what - she - is she dropping off a -"

"The unit does not look self-destructible."

"Fëanáro Dragon came back -"

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Mutters something in Quenya. 

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"Rete make sure -"

A bot goes out to the drone.

It comes back.

"The air pocket version explained our evidence to her and she has been convinced on her own recognizance that you were incorrectly placed here. She has a location in Hudson Bay to offer temporarily and will interface with the Protectorate."

"Download version control onto drive two - Fëanáro we're getting out we're going to Canada come on get up -"

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Something else in Quenya. Doesn't sound cooperative.

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"Oh come on. Rete did you read the thesis -"

Rete attempts to translate into Quenya.

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"Mmmhff."

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She hauls on his arm. "We are going to Canada it is fuckoff huge there come on!"

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He can stand up with enough leaning-on-her.

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She hauls him and drive #2 to the drone.

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"I am so sorry," says Dragon quietly, zooming into the air.

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Yeah he still doesn't seem to be paying much attention.

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The drone goes very fast.

It lets out onto an island.

"Canadian soil is safer than American for the time being. Is this enough space?"

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"Dunno how the water affects it - Fëanáro -"

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"Lorica," he says agreeably. "Did the Valar come?"

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"No, Dad got the Rete out of the air pocket and it talked sense into Dragon, this is some island of hers, is it good enough?"

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He blinks slowly. 

 

"Dragon. Good dragon. All the humans still the worst. 'Cept you. Love you. If island small could we go somewhere else?"

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"I'm assuming she could put us down elsewhere it just wouldn't be as safe?"

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"I could bring you to my Vancouver site or drop you off in the middle of nowhere in Nunavut if you prefer but I think this will be more comfortable."

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"Then's'good yeah. Lorica."

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Lorica hugs him, hard.

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"Necklace off?"

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She unclips it from his neck for him.

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And he falls asleep.

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"This island got Internet?"

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