forum ENCOM OS-12 | OxO | Closed unless you're a fellow Program/User/ISO | Stalkers get a free Light Runner

Started March 25, 2021 by @murphysgirl

tune

“Alright then.” Cor smiled, slowly releasing her from the hug and held her hand. “Lead the way, Nora.” he almost whispered as he lightly kissed her knuckles.

Nora smiled and stood up, Bit floating in her wake. Together, they exited the office and slipped through the club to the elevator.
The lights clicked on as soon as Nora stepped in. As she thought about what they would do, she suddenly remembered that they had left their drinks in her office.
"Could I interest you in another drink?" she asked, moving towards the kitchen.

Cor smiled softly as he followed her. He had to admit he was glad that her place was so close. But he supposed it didn't really matter since he got to spend time with her either way. “Sure. A drink sounds nice.” he admitted, looking around her home in interest.

Nora smiled and headed to the kitchen. Her home took up the entire floor, with a circular, very open layout. There were very little walls, and most of the outside walls were windows, giving a spectacular view of the Grid. If you looked closely, you could even see the lights of faraway cities.
The furnishings themselves were utilitarian; Nora preferred functionality over beauty, unlike most Sirens. There was very little in the way of knickknacks or decorations, but the empty space made the place look better, somehow.
"What do you want?" she asked, opening the energy cooler.

“I think you know what I like.” he chuckled as he watched her. “You have a very nice place. I love the open, simple look you got here.” he said, walking over to one of the broad windows.

Nora retrieved a bottle of energy and set it on the counter. "Thank you."
She poured them both drinks and joined Cor at the window.
"You can see Argon from here," she noted softly, pointing. The city was a smudge of light on the far horizon.

Cor smiled as she stood beside him. “Thank you.” he said, accepting the drink and sliding his free hand into hers.
Argon… He had to admit the thought of going there and look for some specialized help with the docks had been buzzing around his head for a while. “It’s quite a sight. Have… have you ever been there?” he asked.

Nora shook her head. "I've never been off-Grid." She peered up into his eyes, squeezing his hand gently. "Have you?"

Cor smiled softly and squeezed her hand back affectionately. “Off-Grid, yes. Argon… No.” he admitted before taking a sip of the energy she gave him. “That Recognizer I told you about, the one that Hermes crashed… Yeah, that's pretty Off-Grid but I don't get to go to other sectors since most of the messages I deliver stay local.”

Nora nodded. "How far off-Grid is it?"

“Far enough that most programs wouldn't feel comfortable or bold enough to drive out there.” he admitted with a shrug. “Even I was nervous the first time I went out that far.”

"I've heard it's just a cold, icy wasteland out there," Nora murmured, staring into the distance, at the Argon lights and the dark shapes of mountains.

“Well, it depends on where you are. It can be cold and blizzards out there are terrible.” he admitted. “But it's not all ice and cold. It is empty but… I find it peaceful. Being the only one around for further than you can see, it's actually beautiful.” Cor told her.

"It sounds nice," Nora said softly. Her whole life, she had never been truly alone. Even when she was 'alone' in her apartment, there was always the club upstairs, the pounding of shoes and dance beats.

Cor smiled a little as he looked over at her. “If you’d like, I can take you there sometime.” he offered.

"That would be nice," Nora said. "You'll have to take me out there to get to Hermes anyway, I suppose."

“Right.” he nodded, remembering that she wanted to come with him when he got the tools for her. Cor did make occasional trips out to the Recognizer but not enough that the place looked lived in… He’d have to come up with something for that.

"I've never actually driven my cycle off-Grid," Nora admitted. "Kaira modified it, though."

“So you're able to and just choose not to?” he assumed. “It’s not really that bad being Off-Grid. I actually found a natural, pure energy spring once.” Cor smiled a little at the memory.

"Really?" Nora asked, surprised. Pure energy sources were incredibly rare, and ones untouched by bottling plants were even rarer. "Where?"

“Near the crash.” he admitted, taking a small sip. “I think that it's still unknown because of the Recognizer.” he told her with a small smirk as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small vial. “Because I don't go out there very often, I have a stash of that energy hidden at my place. But I always keep a shot of it with me.” he smiled, holding the vial out to her.

Nora took it with a sense of wonder. Even Zuse had had a hard time getting raw, unfiltered, pure energy straight from the source. The soft blue glow lit up her face, illuminating her cheekbones and lips, reflected slightly in her eyes.

Cor’s eyes widened at the breathtaking sight. The glow of the energy highlighted Nora’s features and reflected in her dark eyes… Flynn, she's beautiful… He cleared his throat and smiled softly at her. “Go ahead and try it. It tastes better like this than when it's processed and bottled.” he assured her.

Nora looked at him, unsure, then unstoppered the vial and raised it to her lips, drinking it deeply and in full. Her eyes widened, a blue light flickering in them briefly.
"Wow," she whispered.

Cor chuckled softly and nodded at her reaction. “Told you so.” he quipped lightly.