Social Networking (Kuro)

A noticeable shake in her hands as she sipped on the coffee that had gone cold an hour ago, Elisabeth was engrossed in a computer screen. Her left hand clacking at the keyboard at an incredible speed, something that often led to many typos - especially combine with the sleep deprivation. A glance at the clock made her pause half a second. Had it really been that long?

It didn't matter. Time wasn't relevant when the genius had a new idea, and it happened often.

"GIR, do a data check. How much space is available? You've begun the cloning process, I'd hope."

"Cloning?"

"How did I mess you up so badly? Yes. Clone your assisted combat AI, obviously. Did you not see where this was going?"

"You think you'll get away with that, madam?"

Elisabeth only responded with a scuff. Was it likely they'd let her arm them? No. Not at all. Was it smart for them to say yes? Of course, but people were hard to convince sometimes. Especially that Kuro. He didn't like the billionaire at all. He didn't have much taste for PR though. Waller was usually the reasonable one.

"That agent should be here soon. Is the demonstration ready yet, at least?"

"It just finished. As you predicted."

Elisabeth would grunt again, finishing the coffee and standing up. She'd spin on her heel and head to the front of the large garage door for the warehouse. Kuro was told about a meeting with her, and she was expecting him soon. The door would open as he pulled up, and Elisabeth would be on the other side with arms crossed waiting. Inside was very strangely cold, something Elisabeth preferred. This whole state was too warm for her tastes. When Kuro walked in, he'd definitely notice the temperature.

Kuro was reading a file on his way to their designated meeting place. A warehouse. She had just purchased it recently from demolition and it was recently remodeled to suit her purposes. His expression was stoic as always. The vehicle that he was in was a black Ford Crown Victoria. They were readily available at the police department, where Kuro had been spending a good amount of his time when not out conducting operations. He looked over the details on Elisabeth herself before leaving it in the car.

He got out, standing straight, his hands finding their way to his back. As he approached the garage door, it opened, and it appeared Elisabeth was waiting for him. He approached her in his trench coat, but without his mask worn. Perhaps this would be the first time that she had seen his face, unless she paid attention to the news. He didn't suspect anyone with a right mind actually followed the Masters Report, though.

He approached Elisabeth respectfully. At least, as respectfully as an emotionally dead soldier could. The restraint exercised by his will was plain by his face. She could see the tempered steel of his mind. As he came within one and a half meters, he dipped his head in greeting. "Elisabeth Delacroix. You wish to speak with me?"

Elisabeth greeted him with a smile that seemed well practiced as well, but far less cold. Her social ineptitude mixed with his emotional stunting made her read his posture negatively again. He seemed to be a cold person. That, or she was off. She usually was when reading people. She was about to offer her hand when he approached, but the man bowed so she did a similar curtsy that was much more European that traditional Japanese.

"I'm glad you could find the time."

She said with an eager pitch, though he'd be able to tell by the gruff in her voice and darkness around the eyes that she'd been up for a substantial amount of time. Her brain still seemed to be working fine, though.

"I have toys for DOMA, I was hoping you could find a use for. Follow me, yes?"

Before he could answer, she'd be spinning on her heel and headed deeper into the factory. Everything seemed extremely high tech, and there wasn't a single worker in sight. In fact, everything seemed automated and clean, with the pallet mostly electric blues and hot rod reds. It was pleasing to Elisabeth's aesthetic.

"I've been looking into your polling, Kuro. It's on the low end, if you weren't aware. This is something I want to remedy. Jump City is in love with me, after the mass cleanup of Midtown, and I want to spread that goodwill over to your people."

If it sounded like bragging, that was probably fair. Elisabeth said it with indifference though, as she was more one for stats than anything else. Numbers would do the talking for her.

"High complaints about the militarization of your units. Armed DOMA units on regular patrols make people feel like they're in a military state. It lowers moral, I'd say to simplify it... not to mention it's inefficient. Spreading an army out makes you lot easier targets. Have you heard of the prison incident? The two vigilantes escaped. Forces were much too spread. They still haven't been found either."

She'd spin on her heel and snap her fingers. Machines would whir to life behind her, a lift being lowered. On it, there seemed to be a normal looking high school student.

"I've thought of a solution, if you'd agree that these are issues DOMA would like to resolve."

Kuro didn't seem too entirely concerned with the nature of her returned greeting posture. Not happy, not agitated- just...nothing. Rather, he walked with her as she turned heel and began leading him further into the warehouse. "I am always available to speak," he said, rather lifelessly.

She spoke of his polling ratings. Something that he not rarely, no, never paid attention to in the first place. It was never his priority until someone else found it important enough to bring up to him. And one of those people wasn't her. Nevertheless, he listened to her as she spoke. He wasn't eager to get a word in edgewise. Genuinely listening to everything that she had to say. Whether that had any impact on what his decision would be remained to be seen. He was literally neutral the entire time in terms of facial expression. And emotion, at that.

She talked about their current methodology and what the public thought of it, as well as the incident of the prison attack. He cast a glance at the girl on the lift before returning his gaze to her. "It was never my concern or Waller's what the people think of me. I am more suited for stealth operations and tactics. And her issuing order is that I do what is best to complete the operation. Even if the people of Jump City do not like it."

He turned to the schoolgirl. "Our units on patrol are no different from the police force that we have assimilated. They are ready to deal with metahuman threats."

"Yes. The incident was under Nomad's lead. But even I do not have a 100% success margin. Mistakes are made. Plans go awry. Perhaps if you truly wish to help DOMA, you would tell us where the suspects are?" Kuro turned his gaze upon her meaningfully.

Elisabeth gave weird looks to the man as he explained his lack of concern for the court of public opinion. She hadn't thought she'd hear him say that, not in a million years. The United States Government was apparently incredibly short sighted. No matter, it's why Elisabeth herself decided to get involved.

"If you don't care about the opinion of the people, then you're a fool. I don't think you are, so I'll assume it's some form of... strange tactic. To seem disinterested. Amanda Waller's reputation is not one of a blundering idiot. I'll explain for the sake of it though. You bureaucrats are slaves to higher ups. Officials voted in. If you're on the wrong side of the people, those officials put pressure on you and Waller. They'll shut you down, and all of this will be for nothing. You follow that?"

Her voice would be condescending as she walked towards the human looking, but very robotically postured school girl. Kuro said the units assimilated were the same as the police of staff before and she let out a sharp laugh at the thought.

"Yes, they are! Those officers that needed the Titans to be functional. I'm not sure how you're not keeping up with this, here..."

She tapped the shoulder of the girl.

"Introduce yourself."

The bot tensed to life, saluting and straightening it's back.

"Misaka Network Unit Number 113. Reporting for duty."

Elisabeth smiled and looked back to Kuro like a delighted child.

"You took the Titans away, and replaced them with the cops that were already there. It's like you gave criminals an early Christmas, and they're eager to take advantage. The Misaka Network is a way to monitor and report crime as efficiently as possible, and allow for your elite strike teams to use the appropriate force and be better prepared for every situation."

Kuro, again, showed a lack of any emotional response to the words she was saying. The idea of emotion in that body had never even sprung, it was like. Even with how off-putting her words usually were to other people. He stared into her eyes and absorbed every word that she said. Then, "You misunderstand me. Amanda Waller did not receive her position because of the public. She acquired it through her results. You have a severely misguided perception of the United States government. I follow the mission objective. And maintaining a positive social standing is not a part of my objective."

"So, too, do you misunderstand the position of local law enforcement officers. A large bulk of them were retired, and what trustworthy officers were left were offered an opportunity to join DOMA. The process by which will vet out any so shortsighted as their predecessors. My meaning was that local law enforcement officers were also armed units on regular patrols."

He watched the android introduce itself. His expression remained stoic, unchanging. "If you wish to keep DOMA informed, you are welcome to do so. Just as any citizen would an ongoing crime."

Kuro again seemed to not understand politics or what Elisabeth was trying to explain. That or this was just how DOMA would be running - answering to nobody. That wouldn't be ideal. She decided to let it be for now, settling on just explaining more to him. If it continued this way, she'd be on her own with this project.

"I plan on doing that either way. I brought you here to see if you wanted to present it as a partner project, and be connected directly with it. If you guys think you'll never have to answer to elected officials, though, you don't need the PR of it. Instead, I have some other programs that can be uploaded if you request. These would most likely require special permissions, though."

Elisabeth explained, snapping her fingers again. Misaka nodded and spun on her heel towards another spot where there seemed to be a long hallway set up.

"I have created my own artificial intelligence system. Standard Information Retrieval unit, or GIR for short. It has basic combat abilities. Accurate with firearms."

Elisabeth pointed and Misaka picked up an obvious paintball gun and shot at targets that were down range. The bullets all hit dead on.

"Of course, they'd never engage in combat without permission. I plan on installing GIR into each unit. I have 1,000 units ready for building. They could be better armed, if DOMA needs soldiers."

Kuro regarded Elisabeth as she said that she had planned on offering the project to him as a partnership, and said that even if he didn't like the public image aspect that the project would bring, that she had alternative programs to use with the models. He followed her to a hallway of sorts that he would recognize as a shooting range. The android picked up the gun and nailed targets perfectly with it. He tilted his head slightly.

He considered her words once more. "It is a valuable proposition. There would be clear benefits to partnering with you. However, this also means that you would have an army of machines that you control, all to yourself. And at any point, could seize control of them in our operations for whatever you so choose." His eyes locked onto hers. "How am I to trust someone with that responsibility when they will not reveal the location of her former comrade?"

Of course there would be reservations about arming the bots, everyone that wasn't Elisabeth could see that clearly. She was just too quick to overthink and get passed the ethics of it all and zero in on the logistics. Admittedly, his concern was something much stranger than a normal human would expect. He directly accused her of hiding Rico and Suzuki, which he'd implied she'd been doing earlier and she brushed off. This made her give him a strange look.

"I've been here for the last three days, Agent. Why would you think I know where the fugitives are? You've never even asked me to find them, really... but implying I just know where they are and aren't telling you is a bit of a leap, isn't it? I'm offering you a surveillance of the entire city, in a sophisticated network with facial recognition and all connected together. I'd argue I've done nothing but get you closer to finding them."

Certainly her Misaka network had a higher chance of spotting Rico than DOMA would. Especially since the agents hadn't spotted hide nor hair of either girl, surprisingly. Elisabeth had made it a point not to look so she didn't have to lie. She also wouldn't admit the fact that she'd uploaded a school picture of Rico to the facial recognition. Something that was very obviously outdated.

"They'll be more effective against metahuman threats armed. Especially that new gang of them, the one that that other agent clashed with. What were they called again? The shadow ninjas. They have numbers, even more than you seem to have on the force it seems. This could even the odds a bit."

Elisabeth crossed her arms and looked expectantly at the man, thinking he'd see reason now.

Kuro's expression, as anyone who knew him was sure to be surprised to know, remained unchanged as she replied to him. At the very least, she hadn't shown any visible signs of lying about Rico's or Suzuki's whereabouts. "Perhaps you are right. Forgive me for making such a bold assumption. As someone who shared a school with one of the fugitives, with a relationship that everyone recalls as a rivalry, you know her better than anyone we can talk to. And with your memory, you would recall every behavior she displays from early development."

Again, she asked to arm the Misaka Network with weapons to help secure peace. Kuro bent an arm out from his waist to gesture to the android. "With such intelligence and resources at their disposal, the Misaka Network is an extension of you, Elisabeth Delacroix. And until you can gain my trust as a reliable asset, I will not allow you to engage in any metahuman or vigilante affairs. Such an act goes against everything that DOMA and I are working to achieve here." He let his arm descend. "As they are, the Misaka Network will only be cleared to engage in reconnaissance work. That is the most I can do."

The man didn't see reason - no, humans rarely did. It'd have to be in steps, then. The Misaka network will be phase one in Elisabeth's goal, then. She was confident in the success of the machines, and therefore confident that the government would ask her for more soon enough. Maybe the heiress could even pull off putting a suit of armor around the world. That was the endgame, anyway.

"Fine then. You can hold your trust issues. I'll let the network speak for itself, then. When DOMA sees them in action I feel like you'll be back for me anyway. GIR, order the production."

She'd start walking back towards the warehouse door, waiting for Kuro to follow. As she walked him out, she'd look back and speak to him.

"Production should be wrapping up just a few days before that notice you guys gave the Titans ends. They'll be around, just in case. I hope you let the forces know of their presence. I don't want any confusion."

The door would open again and she'd smile tiredly at him.

"Not to rush you out, but I have things to work on. I'll keep in touch, if anything comes up."

Kuro observed her as she answered him. He couldn't tell whether she was taking his decision personally or not, but ultimately, it did not matter. He dipped his head in respect to her as she ordered the artificial intelligence to begin production on the Misaka Network. She then said that she wanted him to inform the Department of Metahuman Affairs about the Misaka Network so that they wouldn't be unintentionally damaged or in the line of fire of their squads. He nodded to her. "Of course."

He exited the cold warehouse, not having seemed affected by it the entire time, though his breath had been fogging. He looked back to her as she said she had some work to do and would keep in touch with him. "Yes. Thank you for your time. He would dip his head respectfully once more and then walk towards the car which had parked further down the street so that he could be picked up.