Chapter 316: Strawberry Parfait
After the plans for the plane were finished, after the plans for their living accommodations were finished, and more importantly... After Miriam Eversoul and [Eleanore] left. Ale remained a few minutes setting up some final details.
The usual stuff, ensuring the numbers and contact info she had of Big Sister and [Golem] were up to date. Ensuring she remembered everything all right, ensuring her credentials worked. The things that she had never done before for some forsaken reason. All responsible stuff.
Things that it was a surprise hadn't biten in their back, Ale had never thought of checking if her credentials were up to date (Main Core checked, they weren't), or to check if the numbers were up to date (They also weren't).
As it was, part of the usual cycle information security included a change of contact information for all devices assigned to them by Haephestus' Forge. In practical terms, it didn't change anything, as everything was done at a software level. You still needed to go to the base before the shift in the software to present your mask so it could receive the update.
[Elder] still refused to spread the update via wireless connection, something that Ale could respect. Why?
Well, to put it plainly.
"The security over wireless data is a joke." Ale sighed as she moved from the apartment building towards the street level.
Thanks to Main Core and the data sensors she had on her, she could download, peruse and in some cases even alter the information that was around her.
People accessing their banking apps on the streets and sending their (Albeit encrypted) data... People sending messages to their families, to their work, to their schools... All kinds of data just up there, floating around her.
And all it would take for Ale would be to reach into it to access, edit, and even break entirely if that was what she wanted.
[This is only possible because the nature of our Core Power Mistress. The average Core user can't do this.]
"Unless they are a tinkerer Core, or a core user related to technology." Ale said as they continued moving on the street level, the access point she was moving towards was set up in one of the nearby restaurants.
Apparently, there had been more than one access point that they could use. They weren't supposed to use the apartment entry that often. Since that one was reserved for emergencies and urgent deployments.
In normal visits, or in normal, unscheduled visits, one needed to go out and towards one of the external entry points.
"Welcome!" Someone greeted Ale as she walked in, "Pick a table and the waitress will get to you, bathrooms are at the back if you want to wash your hands."
One of the workers greeted Ale as she walked in.
[Correct. A Technopath Core User would be able to detect, edit and alter the data. But it seems most banking apps and other similars have a limit to transfers of money. One can only transfer a low amount of money to other accounts before they need to go to the bank physically and set up for larger money transfer.]
That was a good way to stop people from stealing big amounts of money, but it was annoying when dealing with bigger bank transfers. Was that why the concept of Bank Heists still existed even though the world's technology was advanced enough?
Ale was noticing these small weird jumps on technology all around that no one spoke about.
She knew there were advanced replacements for body parts, she had seen them, and could even built them, she knew about exosuit armor, body armors and even fully functional android bodies to replace activities.
And yet, she could see people on the street using wheelchairs, people using prosthetics that were akin to plastic and bolts. There was no reason why that should still be around.
The Saintsworths had the technology, and it was not paywalled or anything, so why was this the case?
She had seen holoprojectors, holopads and even teleportation artifacts, but at the same time, on her way here she had seen payphones on the street, telephone boxes that had no rhyme or reason to be.
Everyone had a cellphone or a device to speak to some degree.
So why was it that people didn't use the holopad or holoprojectors more often?
There were consumer grade of these going around, both Vivian Kellet and Miriam Eversoul had used them, and yet... When Miriam Eversoul visited them at Big Sister's apartment, she had used a normal tablet. It was not till Ale called for Albireo that a hologram was used.
And not a second before or after.
"What can I get you?" Someone asked to Ale after she sat at the back of the restaurant, she had picked an isolated cubicule. It was almost impossible for people to see or even notice her in this part. It was very private and more importantly, very comfy.
"I'll take the strawberry parfait, a banana split and for drink strawberry milk." Ale had picked the options on the menu that called to her. "Also tell the chef to ensure it my meal has enough Iron to keep the blood forge going."
That one last bit was very weird, but apparently it was the phrase that she was supposed to say.
"...I..." The Waitress that had come to check on her seemed stun locked, "... Will it be to go...?"
"Yes," Ale said nodding, "I'll wait for it. Make it so I can eat the parfait while going. The Banana split and strawberry milk I'll eat later."
"...Will it be cash?" The Waitress said pulling a terminal and offering it to Ale, "Or card?"
Ale then put her right hand above the terminal, getting her bracelet close enough for it to beep once. The fact that she could pay with this thing was a lifesaver.
She would regret not being able to use it in Aquila... Or the fact that she hadn't used it that often before, but before they hadn't really needed to buy things, or even thought about doing this kind of thing.
"I'll have your things in a moment." The Waitress bowed to Ale before leaving.
[She seemed distressed. Was there a hidden code in the order Mistress?]
"No," Ale said shaking her head, even though Main Core could not see her doing so, "I just wanted to try these things. Alexa only eats mango flavored things, so I want to test other things."
[Noted.]
The wait was not that long, and the Waitress returned with a small box that had a cup with a sealed lid atop and another not so small cup with her parfait.
It looked to be made of glass, which was a surprise, Ale had not expected that.
"The chef said you can just leave the cup in the cafeteria down there or finish it here." The Waitress said as she put the things on the table, "They have been notified and you can go down there as soon as you push the button. If you want something else please call us."
And like that the Waitress left, pulling at the wall and pulling out a sliding door, soon enough Ale's cubicle was closed. Now Ale had to decide, did she want to eat this here... Or on the way as she had originally intended.
"A minute or two can't be that bad." Ale decided to finish her parfait now, she didn't want to have to go to the cafeteria just to leave a cup. Besides the little box that was storing her banana split seemed to have a cooling effect going for it.
[Analyzed, it has a simple mana circuit to reduce the exchange of temperature between the materials stored within the container. As thus the stuff inside will keep the temperature as loong the containment is not breached.]
"Can we copy it?" Ale asked as she enjoyed her parfait, Alexa was ri ght, there was something going on with the strawberries. She had gotten more interested in them when Alexa faltered at breakfast that morning.
At the end of it Alexa had decided to stick to Mango though. So perhaps Ale could have a thing for strawberries now?
More food for thought.
[It is possible, but there are no advantages to it at the moment, as all designs using this would require a setup containment field to exhibit the desired effect.]
"We can use it to ensure our gas cannisters remain pressurized, right? The gases need to be cooled off in some cases." Ale pointed out.
[I shall start the blueprint test in the virtual machines.]
"Okay, thank you for the hard work Main Core." Ale continued enjoying her parfait as the calculation and blueprints carried on, she could take a peek and see a few of the iterations, there was some interesting variations to the design that Main Core had come up.
But nothing that interested Ale or piqued her interest for now, she felt as if she could focus on it and improve it, but something told her that it wouldn't come cheap, so she decided to not dwell too much on it.
And when she was finally done with the parfait, they had managed to narrow down a couple of prospective models for Ale to test later, she would try it when she arrived with [Elder].
"Then we push the button." Ale said as she extended her hand and pushed the button in question. As soon as that was done, the seat she was in started going down.
And before she forgot, she picked up her refrigerated Box and let herself go down. She felt kinda bad for leaving like that, but then again, she was supposed to go this way, so nothing for it.
The time going down wasn't that long, unlike before it only went a couple floors before stopping. Leaving her with a door to open and a poster beside said door that reminded her to don her mask.
Something she did quickly enough.
[Detected data upstream...]
[No confidential data detected, allowing data upstream.]
"... And what was it?" Ale asked mildly confused, before Main Core always would give her the data or at least tell her.
[It was a security handshake, your Mask was now highlighted to security and they will know to give space. There are some extra data embedded to make any allowances needed, but nothing too overt Mistress.]
That was... good to know.
"Okay." Ale nodded and moved on, now with the mask atop her face she wouldn't be able to eat though, not unless she dislogued the lower part of her mask to eat, but to be honest, that kinda ruined the mysterious vibe of having a mask.
So she would do her best to not do that again, Alexa could pull it off since she was kinda cute, but Ale was going for the cool vibe, so that was a no for her.
The other minions were walking around the base going about their normal lifes, some training, some bickering, a few training even. But not many gave Ale a second glance.
Well, not beyond the surprised stare, but then again, Ale was way younger than the average Minion. Thanks to [Eleanore] that is. Funny how that had went, if she had gone for an older example, Ale would not have been created in this body. But it was also her irresponsible statement that had allowed Ale to exist.
Ale couldn't help but think on that sometimes, she existed because of the irresponsible statement from [Eleanore], so she ought to be thankful, but she wouldn't, she would never look at that woman with anything but contempt.
A pitiful excuse of an adult, with more power and ideals than she could deal with. Besides, it was laughable her power.
The ability to ensure something is true?
There was no worse curse that one could give to themselves. But that was besides the point, and Ale was about to arrive to [Elder]'s Workshop.
The place was closed off with a heavy double-sealed metallic door (Some kind of alloy), the other times that she had come here they had taken a more direct approach, or arrived using the private elevator that [Golem] had access to, so this was her first time coming from the front door.
"Reason of visit?" And as soon as she got closer to the door, a Minion at a desk near the door asked that of Ale. "Do you have an appointment? Who is the Minion you have come to visit? Their workshop table number?"
They had a notebook with numbers, nicknames, and specialties for the minions inside the Workshop.
"I am coming to speak with [Elder]." Ale answered.
"Elder? Do we have someone with that codename?" The Minion said scratching the back of his head, "Do you know their workshop table?"
Ale was not sure about that, to be honest, she had never had the need to elaborate on anything, usually people just answered with the correct answer and helped her move along. But was this a side effect from the fact that she was no longer that entrenched in the ND0 System?
"He goes by [Hermes]." Ale elaborated, "And I imagine his workshop table should be the first? Or perhaps the one that is more important?"
"... Are you kidding me?" The Minion sighed, "Now why would [Hermes] even see you? Are you one of the newbies? I know you all think you are hotshit because he gave you your first gear, but everyone gets their first gear from him. Unless it is important or an order from a Lieutenant, no one is able to bother the owner of the Workshop. Even lieutenants don't see him for repairs."
Oh, really?
"That's a problem." Ale said nodding at the new information, she had hoped to see him, "Who can I see then? If I want help with an issue that cropped because my Core Power then?"
"The hell would I know?" The Minion answered, closing the notebook, "We aren't charity or a school. Ask your team leader for help if they use a similar Core Power, if not go and bother your parents or HR."
"... I don't have either of those." Ale answered, "I was told to check with [Elder] if something arose."
"Fine." The Minion grumbled, "Give me your code name. I'll stick it to the system and we can see who is open to help you. I'll just put general help so you can flag as many minions as possible."
"[Rhapsody]." Ale said nodding at the Minion, "That's my codename."
"...I beg your finest fricking pardon?" The Minion said surprised, "I'll need to scan your mask for confirmation."
"Why?" Ale was surprised at that.
"Because if you are impersonating a high-ranking Minion, I can know who to screw over." The minio said as he pulled a scanner from under his desk, "And if you are indeed Rhapsody... Well, then I need to know how badly I screwed myself over."
"Oh," Ale was surprised by the change in the tone, "Then go ahead."
That ought to be interesting if nothing else. Wonder how that would ned.