Ring ring!

Natalie picks up on the third ring, sounding faintly exasperated. There's no sound in the background for once, no audio clues to her location. "Hello, Natalie."

A familiar, computerized voice responds. "Good evening, Ms. Baker. How are things?"

"You went a hell of the way out of the way to place this call if it's evening where you are." She hesitates before adding, "I'm not too bad. Yourself? To what do I owe the honor?"

There's a pause as a response is typed up and then executed. "The early bird gets the worm." Perhaps an intentional or unintentional double meaning on that last word? "Checking in to see if there have been any developments I should be made aware of that could ruin a potential solution to your kinds' recent gang problem."

Silence. After a second Nat returns, baffled, "---What? Wanna try that again? It was all English but it didn't make any sense."

"Understandable. It's early. Have you been doing anything with the gang since we last spoke a few weeks ago? If you have plans underway, or a solution in the works, I don't want to step on them accidentally."

"It's evening," Nat tosses back tartly. "And no, nothing. Why? What were you planning on trampling with?"

There's another pause as a longer, calculated (or more calculated than usual) response is entered. "I have enlisted some assistance from an associate. Together, we believe that we can blur the memories of certain individuals, making them disbelieve what they saw, and basically defusing the situation that arose from seeing some of your kind on a bad hair day. There will still be a gang, but they will doubt what they saw and will explain it away as something else. Provided that it works and there is no interference. Obviously, you would need to cooperate by keeping your kind away from them until we are finished. That is, if this all sounds reasonable to you?"

"Huh." Then she's silent for a short time. "--That might work, yes. What about our two snowflakes? Think that'll work on them too?"

"Three. A new snowflake has joined them from afar. They'll be about as difficult to mentally adjust as the others. There is no guarantee that this will work. And, obviously, we would like to know what you intend to do with them after they have been altered."

Natalie drawls a sarcastic, "Wonderful. --Well, that depends on if it does work, doesn't it? How will we know if it does? I don't want to find out it doesn't by having my hair parted with a bullet."

"We will be able to tell by changes in their mind. Our concern is that this could be taken as an excuse to attack an unprepared group rather than a means of backing off and de-escalating the conflict. It's pointless for us to fix what is simply going to be broken again."

"I'll have to think about it. Give me... forty-eight hours. I won't do anything against them in that time." She continues curiously, "If they just forget everything, what are you going to do with their stockpile? That's some pretty unusual ammunition. Are they just going to forget why they have it? Try and take it back to the store? What?"

"They'll probably feel a little silly that they have it afterward, so I imagine they'll eventually get rid of it or keep it around as a novelty. Depending on how difficult this is, I might be able to do something about getting rid of the unusual munitions. Possibly make them believe that it is unreliable and very prone to misfires. And if they believe they have no need for it and that it misfires, I don't imagine they'll have it around very long."

Natalie agrees, "That's very true. Then what about our snowflakes? It's likely that those three will have to go. At the least, I want a closer look at them."

"We intend to take a closer look at the snowflakes to better determine what they are. And if they are salvageable."

"It'd probably be wise of you to have backup."

"By closer look I mean look at them more closely rather than as a group. We will be some distance away. Backup is not necessary. Unless you want to send someone to fetch coffee and give foot massages?" The last bit is probably a joke, but again, it's so hard to tell with a computer speaking.

Natalie hmms. "Let's leave those three out of things for now. Like I said, give me a couple of days to think over your offer. Do you want to call back or should I make arrangements when I'm ready?"

"Make arrangements. Also, you should be aware that my associate is a relative of your kind and far more open about interacting with you folks than I am. Needless to say, if she is harmed or threatened while interacting with your kind, I will at the very least withdraw all support immediately. Forever. I'm sure you can understand my concern for her safety. She will likely be getting in touch with two elders very soon. Are you an elder?"

"I'm sure you can understand my concern for our safety," Natalie returns, keeping her voice even. "And your question is getting into need to know territory. If I give you that you give me something."

"Perhaps later. I must go now. Goodbye." *click*

[End of log]