Gyrini knew the communicator belonged to Pearla. She was looking for Pearla and it stood to reason that they’d be looking for Mira and TO as well. The three of them had been together all this time and even if Vik had edited the surveillance, simple questioning would link them together.
“How do they know?” Mira snapped. “Was it the guard?”
“No,” Vik said. “Look, I still can’t access Gyrini’s communicator, but I have access to everything going to the primary communication systems in the center there. Now, I'm assuming that whoever reported her went right to Gyrini because the data I have simply shows me the results. Pearla’s description, her name, and ID got put into the system-“
“How did they get my name?” Pearla asked, panic flooding her voice.
“Your government records, probably.” TO said, remembering what had come up when they first looked into Pearla, “You’re not listed as a criminal. You have no flags in your file, but they listed you as someone to watch; A person of concern.”
“What?” Pearla’s gaze snapped to TO. “How would you know that?”
“Well… after we met you, we looked you up. We had access to all civilian files-“
“And you never once thought it was important to mention that to us!” Mira hissed.
“Well, I’m mentioning it now.” TO said with a huff, “Forgive me, but it’s been busy since I ended up with the insurgency. That Pearla was someone Arkanian law enforcement keeps a stray eye on didn’t seem to be particularly concerning a piece of information!”
“So, what?” Mira glanced back to the Communicator. “You said the guard didn’t inform them?”
“Well, there’s no report here saying specifically who reported the information…. However, they fired that guard and Gyrini took him into custody today according to the center logs. Shortly after they logged that, there was one indebted person who had nearly half their debt wiped.”
“Beck.” TO said. “Everyone said that she’d not say anything. She said she’d not say anything, but she saw Pearla get her phone taken. She knew about the guard-”
“Uh, not someone named ‘Beck’” Vik said, “The Person’s name was… let’s see here…”
“Outis.” DH said. Apparently, they were in the background listening and only choose now to chime in. “I remember the name.”
“I told you they have great memories.” Pearla said.
Despite their apparently great memory, it took TO a moment to remember who Outis was. “Leanaran’s messenger.” TO said. “The one who brought us our communicators!”
Mira cursed, “Shit. What were they thinking? They smuggled the communicators to us! They could get in so much trouble for that!”
“Only if they’re reported.” Vik said. “Right? And who's going to report them, you? Leanaran? You all have lots to lose if Outis gets caught for that, right? Besides, if they brought you the communicators, then why didn’t they report you and TO as well?”
“No idea.” Mira said, “I don’t know what they were thinking! Things never work out well here for snitches.”
“Chances are they didn’t realize that someone was checking the reports.” Vik said, “Likely, they felt they’d be safer and get more if they reported directed to Gyrini, not to the guards.”
“Right.” Mira said. She put her head in her hands and gave a mighty groan of frustration. “So, first, I’m going to tell Leanaran. Second-“
“I’d say not to tell Leanaran, but if you need him to help you with everything else, then it might be best to let him know so he doesn't rely on Outis for anything else.”
“What did they even tell her!?” Mira snapped, “Oh, yeah, I brought her friends their communicators, so since she didn't have one-“
“They’re tiny.” TO said, “Maybe they saw it happen, and we just didn’t notice, or maybe…” They stopped and looked around the laundry room. They had checked for cameras when they first came in, but that was it. They had paid little attention to anything else given that whenever they came in here their head and eyes were aching. Now as they looked around, they could see the vents in the wall. A muttered curse left their lips, and they started sending a message on their communicator to Mira, Pearla, and Vik.
==Outis is small, and when they approached us on the rooftop they came through the drain, remember? What are the chances that he wanders around in the vents too? Maybe that’s why Leanaran uses them for those things; they can get around without being noticed.==
“Fuck me dead.” Mira muttered before sending a message of her own.
==That means that they might know so much. They might know you’re a synth. They might know our entire plan!==
TO shook their head and sent a message back. ==If they knew, I think they'd be more interested in getting involved. Clearly they want to get out if they reported us for a reduction of their debt. If they knew everything we’ve been talking about, then they’d probably have demanded that they come along in return for their silence. If they know what might happen to the planet, then why would they bother with just reducing their debt to get out faster?==
==A good point. == Vik sent back. ==as a tiny creature capable of hiding in unexpected places as well, I can confirm that often you just hear interesting things here and there.==
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==We still need to be careful and watch what we say. == TO messaged, ==and we need to get out of here as soon as possible.==
Mira gave an irritated sigh, looked for a moment like she was going to snap something at TO, then instead went back to furiously typing something out. ==We can’t. Gyrini is specifically looking for Pearla. Until she has her, nobody is leaving the center and you don’t even think we can use the shipping bay to get out.==
==Mira is right. == Vik responded, ==Nothing’s left the center since earlier today. Normally they at least send out the used shipping crates they receive supplies in.==
==See! We can’t leave!==
There had to be a solution. Again, this was just like a simulation where TO had run back in training, with an objective and limited resources. It was their job to come up with a plan to meet the objective. There had to be a solution; there had never been a situation in the simulations that was unwinnable, and TO refused to believe that there was one now.
Pearla was watching TO’s communicator, watching the conversation continue. She kept silent, but after reading the last message she gently tugged the communicator from TO’s hands. TO let her take it, unsure what she was doing. She shifted back to her seat and began typing out of TO’s sight.
==This is Pearla: Maybe I should turn myself in. Right now, we can’t even get out. I’ll get caught eventually, and if they discover you’ve been hiding with me, then we’ll all get taken in. If I turn myself over to Gyrini, then she’ll open the center back up and you three can continue with the plan. You can even get people out then.==
TO took the communicator back instantly and started typing furiously. Mira and Vik sent a simple, almost simultaneous ‘no’ before TO could properly form their response.
==Absolutely not. That is not a solution in my mind. It would devastate GiDi, and I won’t let that happen==
==If we need to, we’ll find someone else to pin it on. == Vik said, ==Maybe I can find a lookalike in the files, and we can set them up.==
TO didn’t know if they’d find a lookalike. There were plenty of Nagarajin, yes, but not necessarily ones with Pearla’s coloration, or the mass of curly black hair. Even if they found one, that meant putting a lookalike at Gyrini’s mercy and she’d question them ruthlessly, torture them, for information. Either Gyrini would question them until she believed they were innocent, or until the lookalike died. Though, if Gyrini was good at ‘questioning’ people then it was unlikely that anyone would die until she was done with them. There was no point questioning a corpse.
The solution to the issue suddenly sparked in TO’s head, and a plan came into existence. There were questions of course, some of which TO had an answer for and some which didn’t. Still, it seemed like the best solution so far and with the help of their friends and allies TO felt certain that it would work.
They started typing, explaining their plan and hoping that everyone would be alright with it.
======
There was a lineup waiting to see Leanaran when supper came around, but even so when he saw TO and Mira he waved them up. TO sat down, and Mira stood between the two.
“I’m guessing you need something?” Leanaran asked as soon as they sat, “Nothing has changed yet. Lockdown is still in place.”
“It’s fine.” Mira whispered. “Don’t worry about that for now. But we need to tell you something.”
“Shit.” Leanaran said, dropping their spoon into their bowl, “I hate it when someone tells me that. That means something problematic happened, and it’s something I need to fix.”
“Yes, you do.” Mira whispered. She paused and peeked under the table.
“What, you drop something?” Leanaran asked.
“No.” Mira whispered back, “I’m looking for Outis.”
“Outis? They’re not here.” Leanaran said, “I don’t think so anyway.”
“Good.” TO whispered. “Did you tell them the plan?”
“I have told no one anything yet.” Leanaran said, “It’s too risky yet. I need to know that things are going ahead before I start anything.”
“Get people ready then.” Mira said, “If things go right, tomorrow morning is when everything will happen.”
“Meantime, you have to be careful of Outis.” TO said, keeping their voice as low as possible; they couldn’t see Outis, but they didn’t want to take the chance that the small creature might be around. “They found out that the communicator was Pearla’s and reported it to Gyrini.”
Leanaran fell silent, their eyes almost glazing over. After a few agonizing moments they put on a forced smile and focused on their bowl.
“I’ve been working with Outis for years.” They said, “You know, there’s very few people I trust.” They shrugged, “Been burned a lot. Been hurt a lot. The list of people on my trust list is tiny. My wife, I trust absolutely. My mother, before she died, was also on the list of people I trust. I’ve worked for years with Outis, and they’ve made their way onto that list. I don’t know if I’d believe evidence of a betrayal from pretty much anyone except for another person on that list…” He paused her, and looked at Mira, “... And you’re also on that list, Mira.”
“I’m glad to hear it, because I’m telling you the truth.”
He shook his head and looked away. His coloration turned to a dull blue, and the movement of his tentacles slowed. “... and you’re sure it’s not a misunderstanding?” He asked, “Maybe you saw or heard something, and misunderstood it. I just can’t see them reporting anything to anyone! If they did… well, if it got out, nobody would trust them, nobody would work with them, and I couldn’t work with them anymore!”
“Look, it’s not impossible that we misunderstood our evidence, but what we have is pretty damning.” Mira said, “I can show you.”
“... You will.” Leanaran said, “And not only that, but you’ll tell me everything that’s going on.”
“I don’t think that’s a good-”
“It’s non-negotiable at this point.” Leanaran said. His voice suddenly went cold and firm, his words more pronounced, his color turning icy. “Either you show me your proof, and you tell me your entire plan and what’s going on, or I won’t be helping you anymore. And nobody else will help you.”
Mira looked up at TO, “... What do you think?” She asked.
“You know him better than I do.” TO said.
“I know… despite that, what do you think?”
“I think we have limited options and need the allies we can get at this point.” TO said. They wondered if they could make their plan work without Leanaran. Maybe they could, but it would be faster and easier if they had him to help.
“Alright.” Mira said, “We’ll show you what we have, but we need one thing to make our plan work.”
“And what’s that?” Leanaran asked.
“Sea berry juice.” Mira said, “Not from the canteen though. Someone has to be distilling it themselves here, right?”
“... Yes, but I can get you the canteen stuff, it’s safer-”
“I know. I need the knockoff stuff, and I need it strong.”
“That’s very dangerous.” Leanaran said, “Can knock a person right out. I know it’s a stressful time, and normally I’d not be too worried about how a person choose to cope, but if you end up too drunk to pull things off, or if you end up dead-”
“It’s essential.” Mira said, “Please. And I’ll give you any information you want.”
Another sigh as they looked around. “... Fine.” they said. “But tell me everything.”