2013.03.19 - Downgrade?

It is easy to know when Tommy has been around the Terminal: He always changes something, usually without asking anyone, because, according to him, the others take too long to reach decisions. Today he has been tinkering with the computers and TV screen. Judging by the manuals and printouts spread around, he probably had little idea of what he was doing when he started. But that might have been hours ago, which for Tommy is quite a long time ago.
Of course the fact that all those manuals and the like are out and about is not lost on Hawkeye as she wanders into The Terminal. To be honest, part of her was wondering how long it'd be before someone tried to 'fix' that setup. Or at least alter it in some way so it'd be at least a little more efficient.
But then again, as she wanders over to look at it, she frowns slightly, before silently glancing around to see just who else is here and may have been doing this.
There is no one around, there are a couple dissembled computers and another that seems to be uploading the operating system, the big TV screen is soundlessly displaying four channels at once, each on a quarter of the screen. Then there is a 'whoos' sound and Tommy is there, eating a sandwich. "Hawkeye! Hi!" He greets, typing something on a keyboard and waving to the dark-haired woman with the other hand. "I have not seen you in a while, what have you been up to?"
There's a momentary pause as Tommy arrives and speaks up. To be honest, out of all the people who could be doing this, he is not one of the ones Hawkeye would of expected.
And yet he is.
"Training. Doing what I do best. And keeping a low profile for the moment." is said before she motions towards the computers, especially the ones that are in pieces, "Your handiwork, or...?"
"Sure," replies Tommy, slowing down visibly. "Want a sandwich?" He has more in his pelt pouch. "We had too many computers and like five different OS, so I thought it was about time to build something like a... central server and also make it process all the electronics, TV included. Looked simple on the Internet." He waves around, "I think I can make it work, sooner or later."
And that's probably exactly one of the things that Kate was worried about. Hence why at the mention of food she lets out a slight, "No thank you." before she lets her gaze drift back to Tommy.
"Should I even ask how long...?"
Tommy grins like a maniac, "no idea, it takes forever to install the programs, even using clones. Maybe tonight. But hey, it is not as if we were using this much. Most of the guys have laptops." It is mostly an experiment for him; of all the Young Allies Tommy is maybe the less likely one to use a computer system for something like crime-fighting.
Slowly, ever so slowly Kate starts to reach up and massage her temples before she lets out an ever so faint, "I see."
To be honest, Kate sort of does. but still...
"Please tell me you at least told someone else that you were doing this..."
"No, no one here today," replies Tommy. "To be honest, I have not seen any of the others lately. And Noriko has left again," he frowns. "But as I said, no one used the desktops much. Relax, I removed all the hard drives in the case someone has anything interesting there and got larger, faster ones to do all this."
Thus no one...
"No one that you know of." is said. Because honestly... Kate does use them. Plus there are /other/ reasons they're here.
"Fine. What ever. Just please try to get them back together, just in case."
Uh huh. Hawkeye used them? Really? How embarrassing. "Sure, no problem. Is there anything in particularly you would like the system do? I can upload a lot of freeware, it is all Linux here, no Microsucky crap. I can also think the computer in charge of security shouldn't be linked to the net at all. At least not all the time, so hackers can't get into it. Not that we have much worth hacking yet."
"All good ideas." is said as Kate nods, before taking a deep breath which she lets out slowly. "But you may want to talk over some of these changes with the others. Now I'm not a computer expert, but I wouldn't put it past some of the others to be experts. They may have ideas or notice things that you don't."
Tommy hmms, "maybe Spider? He seemed to be quite familiar with technical stuff." But it has been weeks since he last saw him. "I will leave detailed notes of everything I have done for him and you, to review."
Yeah. Hawkeye fights the urge to reach up and rub her temples at that, before finally she just nods.
"All right. Just... Leave a note or something for a few days ahead of time before you try to do something like this again."
Tommy blinkblinks. What? Days? That is just not fair for a speedster. "Something like what? I have put a lot of work on the terminal, because I do have the time and I don't mind to get my hands dirty. But what are we going to use this place for? All these computers?"
Mouth opens. Mouth closes. And then Kate facepalms.
"I have nothing against you helping around here or fixing things up. But the computers are tied into our security and other things. Having them down for long, and with no notice is not a good idea."
Then there's a pause. And a blink.
"And don't ask me. I'm not sure anymore what this place is for, or should be for anymore."
"Well, Noriko needed a place to live, and I think some of the others do too," notes Tommy. "Then there is the whole superhero group idea. Billy, Eddie, you and I think Speedball too. You wanted to do it, right? I just wanted to rescue the kidnapped kids and missing mutants, really?"
"I did." Kate admits in a bit of a lack luster tone. "And look at how well that's working out for us."
Then though there is a pause, and a nod.
"The others who need a place staying here is good. But if they are we need them to stay safe. And suddenly bringing a chunk of our security down with no warning to do that is rarely a good idea."
Tommy looks somewhat skeptic about that need of security. They have super-powers, after all. "Yeah, okay. I will connect the security to the server, what programs were you running? Or was it just to monitor cameras and alarms?" He sighs. "I don't know how it is working. I guess not too bad, since I have read your names in the news a few times this year. But not much as a group since the kidnappings, right? I guess that is how superhero groups go. They gather for big stuff only."
"I'm not a techie. I don't fully know." is all Kate says as she massages her temples.
"Look. What we have is all second hand stuff at best in a lot of cases. I cobled together what I could, and got some 'advice' from some outside sources to make things work together. I just thought that we don't have people here all the time, and those who are here do need to sleep that we needed something. Thus security in case some random anti-mutant or anti-powers nut job, let alone a real super villain finds out about us and here."
"Am I giving you a headache?" Asks Tommy with a vaguely amused look. "Alright, so we can go over security later. I have a couple ideas, and yeah, anti-mutant groups are always a concern, particularly in the street." Have they pissed off any super-villain enough to be in danger? Well, there is Granny, which probably was some kind of weird grandma villainess. "Definitely brainstorm with Spider about it, too. But I'll leave that to you."
"Thanks."
Yeah. That's all Kate can say for the moment as she just tries to collect her thoughts.
"And I will talk to him as soon as I see him."
"And I hope all this is not useless, although it is not too important, I did it to learn about computer systems." He types some more commands on they keyboard, his fingers a blur. Then steps back. Waiting it the worst thing. "Oh, and I am afraid I am not much of a crime-fighter. I mean, I find most of the street crime pretty harmless and well within the cops ability to handle. The worst crimes? They are not even illegal."
Learn? Yeah. But...
Kate tries not to think about that.
In the end, there's just a sigh, and even a slight nod.
"I don't think you need to tell me about that Speed. Trust me. When it comes to crime, you'd be amazed."
"I have been living in the streets since I was fourteen. I have seen things that... eh, nevermind," Tommy knows Kate is a wealthy girl, but not the reason why she spends so much time shooting bad guys with a bow. It must be something pretty bad, she does not seem the kind that does it for thrills. "So where do you want to take the team? Or at least the folks that want to be a super-team."
At least that gets an honest, "I don't know. And there have been times where I've really wondered if we really are a team, or should count as one." from Kate before she shrugs and turns her back to Tommy for the moment.
"Heck, I don't even know what the others think these days."
"We should ask them," replies Tommy. "To be honest, I think at least for some, this group is more like a gang. A group of peers you can rely on a pinch." Some of them are even homeless, and if Tommy is not, it is because he steals to pay the rent and food.
And for others, well...
That probably is best not said. Not right now anyways. And not by Kate.
"Agreed."
Category:Log