retrospec | Point of Order

Hitori Togusa shared a photo.
5/11 near Recolle Police Station

So. A few things.
First. Dave! I want my membership card! Talking robot spider tank with a grenade launcher. Apologies to Koutarou for stealing some of his modeling clay to make my toy up there. I still remembered nothing about myself, though, so the betting pool is still open. Anyone who wants in on the 'What Is Togusa Repressing' pool, let me know. I think the odds on 'samurai' just got a lot longer, though.

The second thing is a little more important. A few of us made it into the subway, which is supposed to be shut down, the lines were damaged. The trains sure aren't running, but either it's shut down intentionally, or someone has taken advantage of it. Throughout the line connecting Enprise to Tisse, there are these QR codes all along the floor. They're those things you can scan with your phone to see a picture or other information. Scanning them didn't get any data, though.

The other area I went through, I don't even know how to explain what I saw. Try going to the middle of town. Next time, I ought to bring a camera with me.

I know that as soon as I post this up, Retrospec will probably try to lock it all down even tighter than they already have. But seeing as how I was assuming that's how they were getting things through the city without us noticing? If we can make them stop using it, I'll call that a victory.

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Togusa tilts his head to the side, as if he's just heard something completely baffling. "Can we just- do that?" He holds his hands out. "We can't make our own laws, but if there's a way we can register what the Retrospec population has been getting, just to try to understand what's happening?"

"What if they don't agree to it? I believe Professor Dawes words were something to the effect of 'if anyone tries to take this, I'll shoot them with it first.' He won't be the only one resistant to the idea."

But there's a hope that this might work. He isn't dismissing the idea, but trying to see how it would help keep people safe. There has to be a way.

"Of course, it won't be official." She conceded. "But there's also no need to take the weapons away. Simply a registry of what kinds of weapons have been given out, who owns them, and what they may do. Of course, it isn't a perfect system, as it would rely on anyone who receives a weapon telling us willingly, but I imagine it would still be useful, especially if a weapon is given to someone who is... less than good."

"Registry laws are there to protect the public and the people using weapons. At least we can assure that people who have access to firearms have the safety training to use them properly." Togusa frowns. "Or we can try."

There's something nagging at his mind, and he knows where it comes from. James Barnes. It was the other way around with him. He picked up a gun, and suddenly he remembered that he knew how to use it. But Togusa can't just trust that Retrospec knows what they don't know, and that every weapon will find its way to responsible hands.

"I'd have to talk to a few people to see if this is even possible. Even just an agreement with the users would be better than nothing." He runs a hand over the top of his face, messing up his bangs. The entire problem is frustrating, but better than nothing might be as good as they can get for now.

A satisfied smile crept its way across Cleo's face regardless. Certainly, there were problems with her suggestion, but it was a start. It was, at the very least, better than had she not said anything, and she was quite pleased with herself for offering something useful.

"That's right. Should I get the sword from that vision, I will of course register it immediately, and look for a proper license to own it." She shakes her head. "And perhaps to carry it, should we have another event such as that shrinking. If I had had that sword, fighting a spider or the like would have been much easier."

Togusa leans back in his chair again, stretching himself out. "Welcome to America, the laws here are far less concerned about blades than firearms. It's the 'carry' part that's tricky, depending on what it is, you might not even be able to get a license for it. But you can own it easily." His tone belies how ridiculous he thinks it is, but the law is what he's here to carry out.

"It's the gun part that's complicated. Owning versus carrying versus carrying concealed. That's where you've got to read carefully."

She nods, listening carefully. "Furthermore, we should consider the possibility of weapons that do not fall under any known category." She added. "Such as the tanks from your vision."

Oh man. Togusa really doesn't like the thought that one of these could show up. He holds up a hand. "Let's not go down that slope, though. Because so far, the changes have been trying to disturb as little as possible to the rest of the world. If the Tachikoma showed up, they'd replace some other ridiculously top secret technology, and the common person would never get their hands on it. I'm pretty sure I'd never have to deal with one of them, myself."

"How often do you see a tank, anyway?"

"About as often as I see horses." That is, she's a city girl, so never. "But the possibility exists, and should be considered." It's blunt and logical, but she's never been good at beating around the bush.

Togusa has to hesitate, because now he is very seriously considering going and getting a toy tank to put next to his book of now altered woodblock paintings just in case he wakes up one day and it's a Tachikoma instead.

He had been considering earlier what was the line between being practical and being too paranoid? This is the line, right there, he decides, and shakes his head.

"I suppose I'll have to keep it in mind."

She nods, accepting that answer. "That aside, it would also be wise to consider how to register things such as lightsabers or laser guns. Things that do not exist, but may appear."

Cleo pauses for a moment, before adding: "Such things would be extremely useful to know about should giant spiders appear again." She allows herself one small shudder, hoping Togusa doesn't notice it.

"And there's the flip side, isn't it?" Togusa spreads out his hands. "A lot of people would have gotten hurt with Retrospec's latest stunt, if Retrospec hadn't been breaking the laws to arm everybody, first."

"Still, I hope they don't expect us to be grateful," Togusa snorts. "The audacity. Stop messing with people's lives in the first place."

"That's right." She sighs. "It is almost enough to make me wish we could simply break in and raid the building. It is not as though they could file claims against us, as no one else can remember them." It was wishful thinking, of course, a bit of petty revenge fantasies.

"Although, I must wonder how exactly they pay for all of this." It's an idle remark, but she's moving away from her little fantasy with a slight tinge of pink to her cheeks. "A building costs money, the deliveries cost money... Though I suppose if no one else can remember they're owed money, it doesn't much matter."

Togusa chuckles low. "Apparently there's someone on the platform you need to talk to with the plan to drive a tractor through their front door if you want to be really direct."

"But, that's the really infuriating part about all of this. Where is the money coming from? They aren't advertising. No ads on the application. But I can't imagine that everyone completely doesn't notice the existence of the company. They had these-" and he digs in his desk drawer for a minute.

"Remember Founder's Day? The big celebration a few months ago, parade and everything?" He pulls out a string of beads, the kind of thing given out at a Mardis Gras parade, with the Retrospec symbol on them. "There's been some advertising, they were just handing these out."

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