Seeking the Source [Cas - Mission Set-Up]

"Doctor, with all due respect, you sound... menacingly pleased to 'trap' someone who would help with our cause against the D-Reaper." Vigilant gave a nervous chuckle to Cassandra's smile, as Emma waved off the tone, the pair looking back to the code as well.

As for Cassandra's theory, Emma gave a short nod. "I'm not going to pretend to understand biology - that's closer to your field, not mine - but as a sentient program that might make sense. Based on those plants you've been looking into, we already know that the D-Reaper can both adapt and take on peaceful forms if it has no reason to act." If it could evolve to be a non-violent, seeding, invasive plant, then surely it could also evolve back to violence. "Now that I think about it, the D-Reaper's actions in the desert were entirely reactionary. Until things got out of control, there were a few Digimon peacefully interacting with its agents."

Theories aside, Cassandra pushed for action. "Mm? Sure, go ahead." Emma was already set up to a VPN, and with a setting or two added to put in the filter, she stood up, offering her chair to the doctor. "Just don't expect an ongoing conversation - put everything you want to say out at once. Who knows how long its going to be until we get a response."

"Oh I'm sure I can call it something..."

Past that, Vigilant really didn't have a comment, the holosuited Digimon simply giving a nod to the doctor. Emma gave the doctor a small glance as she called the D-Reaper her 'fore-bearer' of all things, returning that thought with a shrug. "You could hardly call that the case now, though... but yes. Let's get his attention."

And it wouldn't take long for that message to be sent, posted right on top of that message board straight out of the early 90s. Naturally, there wasn't an immediate response, and at least for the next several minutes, the screen would stay un-moving. "I'll send you the link to give a response if we see any updates. For now..." Sitting in front of that test console, Emma started clicking through a few files, seeing how this early version of the D-Reaper affected this poor, unprotected copy of Windows 98.

"I'm starting to get an idea of how he managed to code this, but I'm still wondering how he tested the parameters. Let's see... basic programs still work, and I still have Word, but its cleared out about half of the font types-"

She clicked a few keys on the keyboard, seeing it default to green text, bold-faced Wingdings at 18 font.

"... Never mind."

"Oh, trust me, it's not saying anything other than what I type into it. It's just unfortunate that this is turning into less of a proper case study and more of me torturing old electronics."

Still, that didn't mean that there wasn't nothing to be learned from this escapade - all it meant was that Emma didn't exactly know how to go about it yet. She did share a chuckle with Cassandra, though, as the hacker pulled open a DOS window to play around with the disc itself.

"I'm not going to say if it was unnecessary or not - honestly, I don't know enough about the old Digital World to make that kind of call. It could have turned out that way, or maybe it already had its own fail-safe and the D-Reaper subverted the program's intended path to another result. If that's the case - or if the D-Reaper was the correct answer in either circumstance - is not something I can really make a call on." That was Emma's view as a computer expert, anyway - though at those trailing words, a 'ping' game from the other desktop, Vigilant giving a blink at the screen.

"... Seriously? What was that, fifteen minutes - does this guy just live on this site?" The Knightmon sighed, as Emma provided more insight.

"More likely he just put a notification on it to ping him if it was ever updated. What's it say?"

"Um... let's see..."

Admin: Oh, someone's still banging at this old door? Interesting... coordinates follow.

"... And then its listing something around the edges of the Dark Area. Weird, though, its not near any landmarks or even a Trailmon Station."

"Interesting... someone trying to fly under the radar wouldn't take it that far. Does he mean to show us a direct example of something?"

"Well, I did say 'Old Digital World' data." Emma gave a small smirk, starting to run a few simple commands to see just what was happening on the fringes of the system. "Using Sakkakumon more-or-less allows me to re-write the basic data in my 'area', which means I can see a few layers deeper into code than most other Digimon. If that failsafe ever existed, it's no longer there."

"... Or, at the very least, its not transferable inside your space. Emma, it's a stretch to say that technique is even part of the Digital World."

"Semantics. It's similar enough." Emma's retort more-or-less brought an end to that conversation, especially with the 'Admin' giving the lead. Cassandra was cautious as she ever was, and Emma was already looking into the source code on the page.

"If it's a trap, its a trap that's been set up since the 90s. The IP of the newest post matches close-enough to the original ID of the site - he's using a new computer, but hasn't changed his access point all that much. I'm not seeing any signs of tampering either." So it was likely legit?

The doctor's next point was a bit more interesting. And Emma considered it for a moment: "... I'll do you one better. I'll scam the mission board to make a full deal out of it."

"The least I can do is give you some cover. As for the topic..."

'Diplomatic Investigation', in the middle of the Dark Area? This might take a draft or two, and it would definitely involve calling at least one favor to head the investigation. In the midst of her thinking, what caught Emma off-guard was Cassandra's sudden declaration.

'She didn't want him hurt'.

"... Honestly, it was not my intent to try and start a fight if we can avoid it. But if push becomes shove, we might not honestly have a choice." The spirit wielder considered the facts for a moment.

"He's a tamer, or at least an equivalent, whose survived in the Digital World for several years, and he seems to be able to make this sort of invitation with little hesitation or planning. On top of that, we don't have the faintest clue of what he can pull off."

Emma gave a 'tsk' between her teeth. She didn't like any bit of this, but it was about the only lead they had.

"I'll take care of setting it up, and I'll make sure that the mission operator has enough red cards to go around. That's about as much support as I can provide... like this."

The wielder cursed herself again, under her breath, as Vigilant gave a sigh. "Emma..."

"..."

For a while, Emma didn't answer, but she listened. Even as she typed, her ears were open to the doctor, absorbing every word that she had to say, even as the hacker continued to link the thoughts in her head and spin together her scheme. She considered everything: font type, paper quality, dialect, everything that would make this seem as legitimate a request as possible.

As desperate as Cassandra's request was, all Emma could do was put forward her very best. And, eventually, she found the words to say:

"There's nothing wrong with being selfish."

The sound of her heavy typing filled the room.

"... When my brother and I first arrived into the Digital World, honestly, I was scared out of my wits. Unlike Japan, London doesn't have an easily accessible portal to-and-from this place, and where we landed wasn't exactly the most kind to humans. But my brother just met it head-first like anything else, even managing to make friends with a feral Devidramon in less than a week. When we finally made our way out, the only thing he wanted to do was go back, to invest himself in this 'wonderful world we found'."

Honestly, Emma wasn't exactly sure why she dove into this story in the first place - but knew where she was at the end. "If this 'Admin' is as dedicated as he seems, he might be a lot like Oliver. He's invested his whole life to seeing it through to the end... anyway. Let me know how this looks."

Pushing back away from the screen, she would let Cassandra review her image, with a nice, empty line for that familiar Wizardmon to sign.

"No intended violence. Just a dedicated group wanting to see this through to the end."

"Trust me, I was right along with you for that phase." Emma gave a chuckle, sharing a silent nod as Cassandra okayed Emma's draft. She went through it once or twice more herself, patiently listening to the rest of Cassandra's outpouring.

Though, she couldn't help but smirk at a certain point. "I doubt you would have even met Denryu if not for what had happened. Whatever that 'other' Cassandra would have been doing, I don't know." And maybe things would have been different on this end. Maybe Metal Drive would not have been bold enough to go after the statue - or maybe the events in the forest would have gone the other way.

It was all speculation. Giving a nod to the screen, Emma would both make a printout and load the document to a USB, handing them both out to the disguised Knightmon. "Plant this. You know what to do."

"Understood." Dropping his disguise, he took both items in hand - and as Emma opened a portal, the Knightmon stepped right on through, leaving Emma alone with Cassandra on this side.

"Well, the cat's definitely got a bit of 'greed' going on with him, one way or another, so he knows how to treat himself. Honestly, being selfish is the most natural thing for him."