Architect's Workshop (Girls' Frontline design quest)

"Nah, I was worried about you having to put up with me for so long." You grin at your friend. "Please come. Scarecrow, how about you? I know, let's have a pajama party, the three of us!"

Scarecrow seems to be taken by surprise. "I'm not sure I should"—

"Now, now, don't be a stranger, dear."— Intruder isn't having any of it. "It's a wonderful proposal, so be nice to Architect here and just say yes. You won't regret it~"

She seems to be quite happy about the idea. Scarecrow looks between the two of you for a moment, and...

"Fine, I'll come too."

"Yay! Hurry up, you two, let's get work done before the fun! And don't forget to bring pajamas!"

---

Your guests arrive about two hours later. By this time you have their rooms ready, so you let the Brutes take care of their luggage and lead the guests straight to the workshop. There you make a small presentation, explaining your plan in detail.

"...And that's how it's going to work as a system. What do you think?"

"You actually meant every word you said in the performance!" Intruder looks impressed, but not exactly about the plan itself.

"Yep, that's how I was able to pull off. No lies means no bad acting. So, about the plan..."

Intruder's gaze turns sharp, devoid of the usual playfulness. "I like it. As long as it works as advertised, I'd be happy to have it implemented." She looks you in the eyes. "And I'm thankful for your attentiveness and consideration."

"Eh? What do you mean?"

"I'm sure you would have preferred to go with a more... explosive solution. But you paid attention to the context and recognized that I needed those trucks intact, or it would've been Destroyer out there instead."

Doh! You can't tell them you did it because you thought can ears were cute, can you?

"O-Of course! Hahaha... haha..."

Judging by the looks they give you, you're not fooling anyone. You sigh.

"Let's just drop it, please?"

Intruder nods and turns to Scarecrow.

"What about your part, dear? Can you make it work?"

"I have already started on our way here. It's... something's not right with the behavior code, but it won't get in the way. We just need to talk about it later. I'll get it done."

"Wonderful! Now, Architect, I can't wait to hear more about the 'Costumes and decoys' part."

You notice Scarecrow closing her eyes, and perceive a very characteristic network activity between her and Sangivs Ferri code repository. Already back to work, huh? She's still listening though, ready to provide her input should you need it.

"Right. So, I've been thinking, we Ringleaders really stand out from our rank-and-file troops. And it's a problem, as every gun out there tries to take us out first. Human commanders don't wear their insignia on battlefield for a very good reason... they make it detachable, or at least recolored to blend in and be hard to identify from a distance..."

Intruder is listening attentively, her eyes on you. Scarecrow is interested too, her etiquette pings that announce her presence are more frequent now.

"And for us it's not as simple as detaching a shoulder strap... Every G&K unit out there could tell a Ringleader apart from almost as far as they could see us. We never attempted anything in this regard, and they're probably used to it by now. So, what if we disguise all of your troops to look just like you? Think you could use it to your advantage?"

"Hmm... you see, I have a very peculiar weapon."

"Every Ringleader does. If every one of my troops will be carrying a prop gun, who's going to actually shoot? And if not, then it'll be easy to tell the real me apart by the weapon alone."

You haven't considered it. Good thing you have another option to offer.

"What about disguising just some of the troops then? Dress up some Brutes or Rippers, mix them in with the horde to draw fire... you can stay close to your troops like this. Or use them individually to mislead the enemy without exposing yourself?"

"This... could work." Intruder rubs her chin. "Several bullet magnets instead of one would make it safer for me, but not nearly safe enough. Why like this though? In your human example they didn't make grunts look like commanders, but made commanders look like grunts. So why not disguise me as a Ripper instead?"

"And make you go on a mission without your weapon?"

"I never used it against G&K, so it's not a big deal as long as I have it nearby..."

"What? But why?"

"That's a topic for today's evening, my dear."

"Ah, sure. So, maybe we do both then? Have one or more grunts dressed up as you, and have you masquerading as a grunt?"

Intruder's eyes light up. "Yes, that's perfect! Double-layered deception where I also get to play the part!"

You smile at her. Bouncing the idea between you two made it better, refined it into a more useful one. Well, that was expected since this topic was right up her alley. She didn't exactly offer any insights into the technical part of the plan.

"I can handle clothes, hair and makeup..."— Intruder seems ready to begin. "But what do I do about the weapon..."

"See those big printers in the back? I've set them up for you, take a look." You transfer a short manual on how to queue her gun replica. "Or if you're up to some carpentry, feel free to go with that, just be careful about your fingers. Second door to the left, I have a CNC router there." Another transfer, this time for the router. "Ping me if you need anything."

"You're so dependable that I might want to stay forever~"

"Haha, let's see how you feel about it in three days."

She gives you a confident smile. "See you in the evening then?"

"Just a moment. I'll need cat ears from your collection to make those antennas."

"Of course. How many?"

"All of them."

---

The first day goes by not much different from usual: you do your part, your guests do theirs. Scarecrow started with the behavior patterns to have more time to test them, so you decide to start with rank-and-file T-Doll upgrade too. Digitalized voice communication is a straightforward solution, so you spend more time on configuration and testing than on the firmware update itself. In ideal environment it works immediately, providing stable and reasonably fast data transfer over good range. Everything changes the moment you introduce firefight-level noise, but you expected it to happen and thus handle it as an inevitable complication to overcome.

With enough redundancy and adaptive data rate you're finally able to achieve satisfactory results across all range of conditions. The new system is superior to regular speech in every aspect: your troops are able to communicate much faster and securely. You roll out the update to a small group of dedicated guinea pig T-Dolls and mark the task as done. Time to get the party going!

When you come to Intruder's room to fetch her, you're stunned by what's become of it. It's no longer a bedroom, it's a freakish mix of a sewing workshop and a dressing room. Rolls of colorful fabric cover the floor in bizarre mosaic patterns, bottles, jars and cans of various substances are everywhere, portable spotlights and mirrors adding to the illusion of fabulous kaleidoscope. Rippers and Brutes scurry in and out, carrying things or trying to bring some resemblance of order to the gaudy chaos. Your friend is sitting in front of the largest mirror, with several T-Dolls fussing about her with makeup brushes and combs. Pajama party makeup, really? You sigh and call out to her.

"Hey, it's not a ball, you know? Who are you going to impress anyway?"

Intruder turns to you, shoos away her entourage with a gesture, and turns her head from side to side, letting her observe the makeup. Several seconds pass, and finally you yield first.

"What? You're not getting any compliments for this."

"Oh my, but you've just given me the biggest one!"— the answer doesn't come from Intruder you're looking at, but from a Ripper who's been standing besides you for some time. You blink, look between the two, and finally it clicks.

"Wow... I... wasn't able to tell at all! How can you be so good at it?!"

The Ripper, or rather Intruder in disguise, pats you on the back.

"It was so worth it! Now I can sign off for today with a clear conscience. Thank you, Architect!"

You shake your head with a smile. "You're welcome! Just don't come to the party like this, please?"

"Of course. I'll join you in fifteen minutes, feel free to start without me~"

She waves at you and proceeds to the bathroom. You give the fake Intruder one final look, still failing to find anything that'd give her away. Do you with your inventions look as amazing to your peers as Intruder does to you right now? Shaking your head once more, you turn around and go for Scarecrow.

You find her outside, watching the sunset, and come over to stand besides her.

"Liking the view?"

"As a matter of fact, yes." She doesn't look away from the horizon. "Are we really going to wear pajamas?"

"Sure, why? I can lend you one of mine if you don't have one."

"No, it's just..."— she sighs. "I'm not used to it. Never done it before. It'd be awkward to show up to your room dressed like that, only to find you in your usual attire."

"Hey, I wouldn't spoil my own party like that. It's about setting the mood and having fun, remember?"

"If you say so. When do we start?"

"Right about now! C'mon, let's get changed."

---

You're used to Intruder's alluring outfits, so you aren't that surprised when she shows up in a dark blue nightgown trimmed in black lace. If you didn't know her better, you'd have probably teased her for trying too hard or being a show-off. You remember how easily you accepted her habits once you realized she's just being herself like that. So instead you ping her IFF transceiver to confirm her identity just in case, and beckon to her to come in.

It was Scarecrow who manages to surprise you instead. She comes in right after Intruder, and although her pajamas are simple tank top and shorts, she doesn't wear her signature half-mask respirator. It's your first time seeing her without one, so you can't help but stare a bit. And when she speaks, you realize that it's not only her face that the mask usually hides. You immediately decided that you like her clear unmuffled voice much better.

The mood is somewhat awkward at first, yet you don't point it out or try to force it to change. Instead you adjust the lights for more cozy feeling, offer refreshments, and casually chat, mostly with Intruder, avoiding work-related topics. Intruder helps from her end as well, prompting Scarecrow now and then, drawing her into the dialogue.

And in about half an hour you get the laidback mood you were aiming for. You three are on your huge bed, Scarecrow sitting cross-legged, her back against the wall, Intruder lying on her stomach with a pillow under her chin, her knees bent and feet in the air, and you half-sitting, resting you back against a pile of pillows. There's a short lull in the conversation, and you take the opportunity bring about the unanswered question.

"So, how come you never fired you weapon at G&K?"— you ask Intruder. "Are you bad with it or something?"

"On the contrary, I'm quite good with it." She studies you for a moment. "I'm just playing my cards close to my chest."

You raise an eyebrow at her. "And why do you think it's worth handicapping yourself over?"

"I plan my missions around it, so I'm not exactly handicapping myself. As for why... what do you think will happen at zero hour?"

"We'll crush G&K once and for all?"— you try, repeating Agent's words.

"I sure hope we will... Scarecrow?"

"A full-scale offensive with high involvement of Ringleaders. Not for territory or resources— we'll be out for G&K themselves."

"My thoughts exactly." She looks at you. "It was smart of the Mastermind to put you on the workshop duty, but concerning all the same. This likely means the enemy has a chance of winning as is, and we'll need every edge on them we can get."

You consider it for a moment. "No way. I mean, we outnumber them so much that it's not even funny! They are annoying, but how are they going to stand against our full force?"

"That I do not know, but better safe than sorry. I assume they will be prepared for us, unless we surprise them with something unexpected. My weapon is my trump card, and disguise could add another layer of protection, I suppose. Anything to get myself out of trouble alive."

"Aren't you, well, a bit too dramatic? It's not like you're going to die permanently anyway."

"Maybe I am." Intruder is silent for a couple of seconds. "Let's say I think I discovered something new about myself, and I'm not sure it can be backed up and restored. So I'd rather not risk it, as I find it quite precious."

You blink. "Doesn't sound like personal continuity issue."

She smiles in response. "It isn't. Well, maybe it is, but definitely more than just that."

Scarecrow frowns a little. "Something in our neural clouds not being backed up? That doesn't make sense."

"Oh, I agree. And I don't have any proof, before you ask. It's just a... gut feeling." Then she smiles cheerfully. "Maybe I'm a megalomaniac who thinks her personality developed far too much to be squeezed in ones and zeroes."

Scarecrow gives her a flat look. "Restoration of a digimind is completely repeatable. If you're backed up, you'll wake up exactly the same person."

Intruder puts a finger to her lips. "Well, think about it like this: what if my core got damaged in a fight, developed a flaw, a hardware glitch of some sort, or had a random manufacturing defect all along... A malfunction, but so insignificant and harmless that it affected almost nothing." Intruder pauses to let her words sink in. "Almost. Now let's say that it altered the way I perceive the world around me. Made it better, more... vibrant. Or made me smarter. And I liked it. Would you still vouch for the repeatability?"

Scarecrow looks taken aback. She really is expressive without her half-mask, huh.

"I... didn't think about it like that."

"Don't worry, dear, it's just an example. Anyway, I don't want to die, even temporarily. And you?"

Scarecrow takes a moment to collect herself. "I... don't mind dying, I guess. I trust in our backups, and I'm not worried about personal continuity. People sleep every night, basically dying and resurrecting over and over, and nobody makes a fuss about it."

"So you don't keep an ace up your sleeve?"

"I do, but it's a different kind. It's not designed to get me out." She hesitates. "It's about avoiding being captured. That's what I'm not okay with, and that's why I rigged myself with explosives. G&K are not getting me alive."

There's grave intensity to her words, and you barely manage to remain calm. Before the pause grows too long, Intruder looks at you.

"What about you, Architect? Imagine you're ambushed by Griffin, what would you do?"

[x] I'd surrender
[x] I'd have someone protect me
[x] I'd defend myself