#fcon begone

Dillinger Sr. has essentially eroded Ed's ability to make decisions because he's so controling, and because with him, any questions or decisions Ed does have to make, are all very loaded, where there is a correct answer that is the secret 1000th option.

While Ed is working, Hypnos is supposed to be monitoring him, making sure that he is following the rules and not slacking off. Thanatos has the additional job of protecting Ed and assisting him while he's working on Datawraith from the inside. If xe is exploiting loopholes to not have to report Ed's activity to Hypnos and ultimately Sr, xe will never admit to it.

The point being, Thanatos helps Ed with his work on the Grid, but ultimately, Ed is in charge of the development. Which means that Thanatos is asking Ed a lot of different things, from things directly related to the laser, to how he is feeling and if he needs a break (VERY LOADED, historically) or if he needs to visit the ship's medic, when his carpel tunnel syndrome acts up.

Thanatos finds out very fast that asking even the simplest of questions will induce panic.

I'm not sure where the idea comes from, but after they've been working for some time, Thanatos just. Gives Ed a document with xir decision tree for whatever xe needs to ask Ed about. These are usually very elaborate, and have anywhere between a dozen and a hundred outcomes. Xe lets Ed look through it before asking whatever it is xe needs from him.

what if it were even more of a water world than Flynn's Grid?

FLOATING CITIES

Commute through canals in the cities

labyrinthine fjords navigated by boat or jet to get from city to city along the margins of the main continent, most of the interior is insuperable

Tiny remote islands

All we see of DS in the film is the race to the portal with Ares and Eve, which uses a light boat, but it kinda gave that sort of vibe.

/* Please note that while there are similarities, this verse is distinct from Ed's 2.0 AU and the one where Ed agrees to work for his father, and is available for RP, though all three have somewhat similar premises. */

Due to one reason or another, Ed did not get the internship at Encom, and as such, was never hired, never became the lead developer of EncomOS, or a board member of the company. Having no other available options, he reluctantly accepted his father's offer to work at fCon. Due to rapidly deteriorating health his final year of college and needing more assistance with basic living tasks, Ed moved back home.

Unfortunately, Ed's father learned that Ed had applied to Encom in an attempt to escape his control. Viewing this as a betrayal, and determined not to let Ed escape, Edward Sr. became more restrictive and controlling, and took advantage of his son's disabilities and became even more mentally, emotionally, and financially abusive.

Though Ed's main interest is cybersecurity and encryption, he is tasked with developing fCon's OS, and particularly the spyware disguised as a "Digital Assistant" AI, made from root code of the MCP--same AI that haunted his nightmares as a child. Now rather than his father's disembodied voice haunting his nightmares, it is his own. He calls this program Hypnos.

The laser portal blazed before Thanatos, a brilliant column of light. The users, had gone through the gateway, to the parent system xirs had been cloned from. To what xir predecessor's system had flourished into in the thirty years since. Xir creator was safe. In a better place than xe could have hoped for, and with all the resources needed to thrive, and an ally to help make his recovery as smooth as possible. Time for stage two— time to reassure the investors so they wouldn't withdraw from the company before xir creator had a chance to access everything xe had set up for him. Thanatos turned to xir twin, dressed just as xir creator had been. "This night ends the work the conference began. And whether we shall meet again, I know not." Hypnos turned to xem, and only through intimate familiarization that Thanatos knew their confusion morphed into understanding, then grief, and finally acceptance. "Therefore our everlasting farewell take. Forever, and forever, farewell, Hypnos. If we do meet again, why we shall smile; if not, why this parting was well made." "I will see you on the other side, my beloved twin. Until we meet again, farewell."

User not found

Edward frowned at the computer, a concerned parent and ground control to Apollo 11 both as the error message flashed across the screen. Behind him, the investors watched with equal concern. Concern for their purse strings and reputations, rather than their analogous astronaut. At least now the input was working again.m It had taken long enough to get it back online. Edward pulled up the log for the laser. He'd set the destination to—

Yes, the Sandbox folder was set, yet when he checked the folder itself, it was empty.

"It is getting late," Donald Ellsworth said. "Perhaps we should continue discussion of this technology tomorrow."

"A few more tests. We are close to getting Junior back, I assure you..." Edward bit back his irritation with a frown of worry, and an edge of perspiration appropriate to a father who might have just lost his son. "I hope you appreciate his work. That the laser is functional in such a short timeframe is nothing short of remarkable." It had surprised Edward himself. He had assumed Junior would fail in his task. Had hoped that he would. That was something he had failed to account for. If only Junior were as driven to see the company grow as he was to save his own skin... or as motivated by the promise of affection as he had been as a child.

Edward queried the other user.

User has left the system

The logs flashed across the screen with the time the user entered and exited fCons system. Edward's fingers flew across the keyboard to query the location of his son. "What do you mean—"

The sharp crack of lightning sounded as air was very suddenly displaced, and the subtle heat of the laser firing bled through Edwards shirt, warming his back.

He nearly jumped out of his skin at the thunder, but at least the same could be said of the investors as well. He turned around, masked his disappointment with a relieved, tight lipped smile, then stepped forward and wrapped his arms around his son.

Junior had hardly earned his second chance, though since the laser worked well enough to deliver him back unharmed he did earn it on a technicality. His son held still, calm, though it took him a moment longer than usual to loosen up in Edwards arms.

Edward ran a hand through his hair, a show of tenderness to win the sympathy of the investors, and a warning to Junior not to screw up again.

Junior was cold to the touch. Colder than normal, though he wasn't complaining, and was still standing. A side effect of laser transport, most likely. Nothing of consequence.

After a few seconds, he pulled away, and held Junior at arms length to scrutinize.

"There you have it, gentlemen," Edward said, maneuvering Junior in front of the investors to see. "He's in just as good health as when he left."

"Indeed, he is," Ellsworth said, eyeing the younger Dillinger critically.

"Then I propose we adjourn are reconvene to discuss next steps for this technology next week," Hercule Lefebvre cut in.

Edward turned toward the newest and youngest of their investors sharply. "I beg your pardon?"

"Certainly Junior will need some time off to recuperate after such a harrowing ordeal, and you will want the time off to support him."

Though Junior had earned a second chance after his... faux pas, he hadn't earned any time off, in Edwards eyes.

Except Edward was meant to be playing the role of the caring, doting father here as well.

"You are correct," Edward said with feigned relief. "That is very considerate."

"Then we will meet next week," Don Ellsworth said. He stood up to signal that the meeting was over, and without another word, left the conference room.

The room was very quickly emptied except for the two Dillingers.

"Gather your things, Junior," Edward said. "Time to go home, and then it is bedtime."

"Yes sir," Junior responded monotonially. Surely the lad had to be exhausted after pushing so hard the past week. At least an early night would allow Edward to figure out what to do with the boy while he "recovered".

Ed crept back toward the villa, exhausted, but for once... Settled. Calm. The voice in his head was quiet, for once. Or at least it wasn't screaming that the world was going to end and he was going to die.

He still had some time before his father returned from the gala, and with luck he could slip into his room before—

"There you are!"

Ed slumped his shoulders. He really was just... tired. Wanted to sleep. "Hello Dymitr," he said dully. The man's official title was "assistant," though that was mostly to save face in front of the rest fCon's employees. "Minder" was more accurate, as the man monitored Ed's activity, ensured he didn't break any of his father's absurd rules, and reported to the big man himself at the end of the day. Not that he would do even the smallest of tasks if Ed asked him to, anyway.

"Where have you been?" The assistant demanded, equal parts relieved and exasperated.

"Out for a walk, like I told you." Sort of true. He did walk back to the villa, though there had been... a detour. He pulled his key card out of his pocket and swiped it on the door.

Dymitr caught his wrist with one hand , and snatched the card with the other before Ed could shove it back into his pocket. "You know going out alone is not advisable in your condition. What if you collapsed?"

Ed hadn't been alone. He'd been with the delightful lady he met from Encom, Eve. Not that he careed to tell his minder that, else he gets the wrong...implication.

"Then I call you to come get me," Ed responded, pushing the door open and stepping into the entryway. "Or, y'know, a taxi. It's really not that big of a deal." He did have a pay check, could afford a taxi, even if his father demanded most of it in rent and for groceries.

Dymitr sighed. "You weren't supposed to leave the Gala" he said pointedly. "You know it reflects badly on your father."

"More than alienating all our investors?" Ed asked skeptically.

Dymitr pressed his lips into a thin line, disapproving. "You're lucky your father managed to smooth that over, though I suppose if you simply... cannot inhibit what thoughts leave your mouth, then extracting yourself from the situation is... the lesser transgression. Though perhaps you should keep better track of how much Champaign you consume, yes?"

It wasn't the alcohol. Ed barely finished his single glass in the two hours he'd endured before ditching. It was that the investor was a creep, and Ed was exhausted and past his limit for social interactions.

"Perhaps. If we're done with this conversation, I'd like to go to sleep." He turned to ward his room.

Dymitr put a hand on his arm. Ed froze. He knew better than to try pulling away. "Not until your father returns. He has words for you."

Ed followed as the man pulled him by the arm into the living room, not putting up any resistance. His assistant deposited him in the middle of the room, then shuffled into the kitchen and returned with a hard backed wood chair.

He set the chair in the middle of the room, facing an overstuffed armchair with a painting of a cowboy hanging above it, and away from the entryway. "Sit. Do not make me tie you down."

Ed obeyed, and his assistant shuffles away to carry on with his duties.

Ed sat... and waited... until his back and knees ached from sitting in the stupid chair for so long, and the bright light in the room gave him a headache.

Exactly how long he waited, he didn't know. An hour, maybe. Maybe longer. The gala had ended around midnight, which meant it was closer to 1AM when he finally heard the the door open when his father returned home.

"Ah. Junior. I see you made it back without further incident." Though spoken at a normal volume, his father's voice was like a knife piercing his eardrum form his exhaustion.

Ed continued to stare straight ahead.

"What, no greeting for your father? I missed you for the latter half of the gala."

Ed, quite frankly, did not miss the elder Dillinger, and was sick of the performance in front of everyone, that they were the perfect, loving family.

His father's footsteps on the carpet were barely audible, but Ed could still feel him so close behind him, the hair on the back of his neck prickled. He lay a hand on Ed's shoulder and gave it a light squeeze. "Junior, don't be rude. Say hello to your father."

Ed stiffened. He didn't dare turn around, even with his father gripping his shoulder. "Good evening, sir," he said smoothly, at the appropriate volume rather than at a barely tolerable whisper. Only years of practice and self discipline kept him from flinching at the sound of his own voice.

"There. Was that so bad?" His father asked, ignoring that Ed refused to call him anything other than 'sir'. Ed hadn't called him 'father' in a few years, and his father had quickly conceded that battle.

"Don Ellsworth nearly pulled his support after what you said."

The company would be better off without the man's blood money, not that his father would ever see it that way.

His father let go of his shoulder, and stepped around the chair so that he stood in front off Ed, towering over him. Ed continued to stare at a distant point straight ahead, refusing to look his father in the eye. "You will write our business partner an apology, and a formal invitation to dine with us in two weeks time," his father continued.

It went without saying that he expected Ed to manage the logistics of the dinner in its entirety, to his father's standards.

The elder Dillinger gently cupped Ed's chin with one hand, and pressed ever so slightly. His touch is like rough sandpaper on Ed's face. Ed's body went slack at the man's touch, and he did not resist as he was forced to look up into his father's icy blue eyes.

"And you will have the AI ready to demo at that dinner."

"It's not ready yet," Ed protested.

The elder Dillinger rubbed his thumb along the line of Ed's jaw, as though an attempt to sooth his son.

It takes all of Ed's focus not to shudder.

"Then you have two weeks to ensure that it is ready for use to move forward with DataWraith."

It wasn't enough time, even if Ed stopped delaying the development of the spyware his father demanded he create. A month at least, before anything worth his salt was ready to be shown to the investors.

"And my other deadlines?" Ed asked.

"Let me put it this way: your other deadlines won't matter if you don't have this one ready in time. As a little incentive to ensure you don't embarrass me again... You will be the test subject for the demonstration."

Ed's stomach burns, like he's been stabbed with a dagger made of ice. "The version for the OS is still a month out from beta, and the version for the laser still needs at least another month of development before we even begin testing with basic objects, much less with human subjects!"

Edward Dillinger Sr finally let go off Ed's chin. "Then I recommend that you quit stalling, and get to work on it." He walked back around Ed, back toward the stairway that would lead him to the master suite.

In the fCon verse, Ed never escaped. He never had the opportunity to betray his father, though Eds father is aware Ed wants to get away, that he would betray him if given the opportunity, so he keeps Ed dependent on him, using Ed's disability against him, taking control of his finances and healthcare, taking away any privacy, and setting so many restrictive rules that it is very difficult for Ed to do anything on his own. He also gives him so much work to do that he's too tired to do anything he would want to do after work, anyway.

In this verse, what Ed wants most is indepencence.

He wants to be able to live alone, to have a space that is entirely his and that he can control who is and isn't allowed in his home. He wants control of his life.

Except, Ed is used to always having someone around, whether that's his father, brother, Peter, or Eds assistant.

The first year on his own would be very rough for him, but especially the first few months.

Figuring out how to function as a normal human is... difficult. He has to figure out how to budget for the first time in his life. And he has to remind himself that the money he earns is actually his to do with, and he can buy that tea set he wants, as long as he still has enough left over to pay the bills and buy groceries.

He's alone for the first time in a long while, and he has a panic attack the first time he attempts to go grocery shopping, fearing his CFS would act up and he'll collapse in the store with nobody to call for help.

And there are days where his CFS does act up, and he goes the day without eating because he's too tired to get out of bed or make a meal.

He cries himself to sleep, uncertain if he's going to make it or if he should just crawl back to his father and hope things don't get much worse.

But the first few months pass, and he keeps going. It does get better. Or at least he learns how to do the basic things and manage his energy use better. It takes a few tries, but he finds a therapist he can learn to trust and who actually listens to him and respects his boundaries.

And very slowly, very cautiously, he starts to reach out to his coworkers and build a support network. He slowly branches out, coaxes himself to go out more, as his energy levels allow.

Just using this as a place to put down thoughts since I have a number of threads for the AU where Ed was never hired by Encom.

CW abuse.