Emails: Various

[x-cypher.livejournal.com]

To: [wytchbrat]
From: [human decoder ring]



Okay, so Pete wants me to create a database of information, and a rudimentary AI to do the work of a team of researchers and analysts. My brain is already trying to dribble out my ears.

Curry on Friday? I could use the relaxation and maybe celebrate my first week as an official working stiff.

You okay with that thing about Meggan? Anything I can do?

-Doug


To: [Marie]
From: [Doug]



Yeah, I'm running away. What of it? It's my life, and it's my decision.

I'm sorry I missed you leaving the country. I'm glad you got back safe.

-Doug



To: [Wisdom, Pete]
From: [Ramsey, Doug]



So, I've done an inventory, and basically it can be summed up as follows.

What we have: not a hell of a lot.
What we need: a whole crapload of stuff.

First things first, we need a proper climate-controlled server room. Second, we need, y'know, servers. I'm thinking Oracle running on some Sun servers because they're less buggy than anything The Gates puts out. It's more of an up-front investment, but I think it'd save us money in the long term on bug fixes. I had a vague thought of seeing if I could work some sort of deal with Forge on a custom rig, but that's assuming he'd give me the time of day. Ah, what the hell, the worst he can say is no, right?

Regarding the AI, what's your feeling on subcontracting? I'm only one guy, though admittedly my mutant power gives me an advantage. If you're game, I'll see if Shadowcat Enterprises (i.e., Kitty Pryde) wants the job. Lord knows she saved my bacon more than once when we put the Jetstream 'ware back together.

Re: the moon on a stick, that'll have to wait. The difficult I do now, the impossible takes a team of mutant geniuses.

-Doug



To: [Forge]
From: [Doug]



Assuming you're willing to give me the time of day, I could use some help.

I'll pause for you to wipe your screen off.

I'm in NYC, working for Pete Wisdom and that Snow Valley whatchamacalit (I'm not even sure we've got a letterhead yet). Pete wants me to put together a database of world happenings, and then create a rudimentary AI to duplicate what the CIA, NSA, Servizio Segreto, Deuxieme, etc. pay teams of analysts very large sums of money for. Now, I could go through a catalog with my not-so-large budget and try and get the best I can for my buck, but I figured I'd take a stab at seeing if you'd be willing to give me some help. It'd be all official and subcontractor-y, and we can negotiate a fee.

Let me know if you're interested. You can say 'bugger off', and that's okay too.

-Doug



To: [kit]
From: [doug]



So, as you know, I'm working for Pete Wisdom. He wants me to put together a database of world happenings, and then create a rudimentary AI to duplicate the analysis work that intelligence agencies pay teams of people to do. I'm seeing if Forge is willing to even talk to me about putting together the hardware side of the equation, but I figured I'd take a stab at subcontracting to Shadowcat Enterprises (i.e., you) for help with writing the AI, considering how you saved my bacon a couple times when we were attempting to write the entire Jetstream AI from scratch while Mr. al-Rashid was on the operating table.

Interested?

-Doug

Comments

Reply to Doug

[xp_daytripper]

To: [he who makes my printer work]
From: [techno-moron]

Subject: Re: Curry?

Sounds like you'll be in your element. You'll excuse me if I keep my computer-fucking vibes elsewhere, yeah?

And I'll have to take a raincheck on Friday - I'm already going out with someone who wasn't happy at all to find out you'd taken off without saying anything. *smacks you across the back of the head* For fuck's sake, Doug, even I had the balls to tell people I was going before I did. I'm not pissed off at you, just... frustrated, is all.

You are such a pillock sometimes, you know?

But - and this is where you aren't a pillock - thanks for asking about the Meg thing. I'm not in a good place right now. Just when I think I can put things behind me and move on, there's a bloody great reminder. And maybe that's how it should be, I shouldn't forget just how much I fucked up some people's lives. All I need now is for you know who to turn up on my doorstep to point out that there's no 'get out of jail free' cards in life.

Angelo's coming over, tho', which is good - I think he's just as rattled by the whole thing.

A.

Re: Reply to Doug

[x-cypher.livejournal.com]

To: [Research Lass]
From: [Computer Boy]

I'm only one guy. Granted, the mutant power gives me a leg up, but I've gone to Forge and Kitty with hat in hand to see if I can get some help. We'll see if Forge will even give me the time of day.

Shit. Dammit. Fuck.

Yes. Yes I am.

You know who? Would that be the 'six feet under' one, or the 'Castillian cockroach' one? Either one comes back, they get to deal with the rest of us first.

And Angelo coming over is good indeed. You two wacky kids go do something to take your mind off things. Tell him I said hi or something.

-Doug

Reply to Doug

[xp_daytripper]

To: [Computer Boy]
From: [Junior Watcher]

I'm impressed. Seriously. It's good that you can ask for help, especially from Forge - I know you and he don't get on. Can't have been easy.

*nods* Yeah, that's about it. You buggered that one up right and proper there, Doug.

Rack's dead and gone. So yeah, it'd be Manuel I'm talking about. And I'm not worried about him hurting me - after what I did to him, I think he's pretty much due a shot. And I don't want anyone else getting hurt on account of my fuck up.

We'll probably end up watching a movie or something - you want to come over once the freakout's done?

A.

Re: Reply to Doug

[x-cypher.livejournal.com]

To: [Cuter than Ripper]
From: [Broods like Angel]

*shrug* It's not a job I can realistically do myself, I think. I'm going to have to get help from somewhere. And if you think Forge and I get on poorly, you should see this jackass in one of my classes at Westchester U.

Tell me something I don't know.

I'd say that you shouldn't think that "he's due a shot", but hell, who am I kidding, I'd just be being a giant hypocrite. But some people are willing to care enough about you to be there through the hard times, Amanda.

Nah, you two should have some time to relax, not have to deal with my panic-attack-prone sorry butt.

-Doug

Re: Reply to Doug

[xp_daytripper]

To: [as bad as Spike]
From: [punk tweed]

Oh? Got yourself a mortal enemy? *grins* In the Simpsons sense, that is.

I know there's people who will stick by me. Just... a lot of the people who got close to me have been well and truly fucked over - Manuel, Meggan... Charlie. It scares me sometimes, makes me worry who else is going to end up in the firing line. Even Angelo's had more shit in his life than he should because of me.

And speaking of, that's the door. Catch you later - curry Saturday night?

A.

Re: Reply to Doug

[x-cypher.livejournal.com]

To: [You? In tweed?]
From: [brooding blondie]

I think we're past the Simpsons sense. He hates my guts, I hate his.

And you don't think that those of us who will stick by you will stick by you even through the hard stuff?

You two wacky kids go have fun. Shoo. Saturday's fine by me.

-Doug

[x-forge.livejournal.com]

To: [Ramsey, D.]
From: [Forge, JH]
Subject: Not surprised.

You're not an idiot, of course you know when to ask for help.

The Snow Valley Memorial Research Center? What do they need a world database and a search analysis AI for? What kind of research are you guys doing?

JHF

[x-cypher.livejournal.com]

To: [Forge, JH]
From: [Ramsey, D]

Maybe not about asking for help, but I've been an idiot about plenty of other things.

Snow Valley Memorial Research Center for Mutant Affairs. Research would be about 'mutant affairs', natch. We're on the short-handed side, so having the AI would really help out. Reading the papers will only take you so far, you know?

-Doug

[x-forge.livejournal.com]

To: [Ramsey, D]
From: [Forge, JH]

I wouldn't even know how to comment there, as has been repeatedly pointed out to me, so I won't.

What I do know, however, is that my AI design skills are not up to par with yours or Kitty's. I can design a hardware infrastructure that'll handle it, true. But at the moment - don't take this the wrong way - I'm not really feeling conducive to collaborative work.

In addition, I'm not a complete idiot. I know full well what you can do given mass amounts of data. You find patterns, and I'm sure you're going to try and use this to assist in some sort of predictive analysis. Since you're playing the vagueness game, and since you're working for Mr. Wisdom (who, I might add, was persona non grata less than a year ago), I'm assuming this is something I'm better off not knowing the details of.

I can give you some recommendations, but that's as far as I'm willing to dip my foot into whatever you guys have going there. I already have one lucky "get out of jail free" card with the feds, I'm not willing to risk needing another in case my name pops up in conjunction with the words "aiding and abetting".

JHF

[x-cypher.livejournal.com]

To: [Forge, JH]
From: [Ramsey, D]

*shrug* It's just me being melodramatic. Take it with a grain of salt and move on.

Yeah, I was already tapping Kitty to see if she'd help with the AI writing.

I never said you were an idiot. And yeah, I told you the truth, but I did sorta tapdance along the top of it pretty fast. I wouldn't ask you to risk your neck for me, and as I said to Pete, the worst you could say was no. We can make do like the rest of the world does without mutant supergenius inventors designing their hardware. Recommendations would be great if you're feeling up to it. I sort of know my way around hardware, but there's plenty of room for me to learn there.

-Doug

Re: Status Report

[x-pete.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I knew I was handing you a massive job when I thought of it. Talk to Betsy about buying the servers, and Emma's people about getting a room set up for them. Do not worry about the cost - you're right, I'd rather spend the money now and do it right.

By all means, get Pryde in. Forge, well, if he's interested, great, if not, well, to be honest, I can live without talents like his being used for this sort of thing. Which I know sounds strange coming from me, but all I can think of is what certain former employers of mine would do if they could hire someone with a talent like his. I'd like to encourage him to stay well the fuck away from anything that smacks of governement work, you know?

Pete

Re: Status Report

[x-cypher.livejournal.com]

You're all heart, boss. Will get with Betsy and Emma.

Forge is willing to give me some recommendations (he's stronger on the hardware side than I am), but he's not willing to stick his neck out further than that, given he naturally assumes he's better off not knowing all the details.

Kitty I haven't heard back from yet, I'll let you know when I do.

-Doug