Doing it right...

[GlytchMeister]

Of course, I presume that this Leech only works on Windows computers, right? After all, with all the eyes on Linux code, something like that would get noticed, wouldn't it?

Perhaps... But it would be seen as just a bit of inoccuous, unnecessary code that didn't do anything. Look, man, Ballisario's Maxim, ok?

[lake_wrangler]

Of course, I presume that this Leech only works on Windows computers, right? After all, with all the eyes on Linux code, something like that would get noticed, wouldn't it?

Perhaps... But it would be seen as just a bit of inoccuous, unnecessary code that didn't do anything. Look, man, Ballisario's Maxim, ok?

[Edit]Problem is, no innocuous, do-nothing code would be approved to be added to either the Linux kernel or any existing software. And good luck getting it added to any repository whatsoever... and since most software installation is done through repositories, unlike in Windows, the chances of inadvertently downloading it as a trojan of some sort are practically nil...[/Edit]

But don't worry about it: there are plenty enough of computers running Windows to make your Leech work. It's not the small percentage of Linux desktop computers not running it that will prevent your exploit...

Either that, or the MST3K motto...

[Just Old Al]

hmmm... If you know the code name, could you perchance dig up some more technical details on that program? It's, um, for a book a friend is writing.

Glyyyyyytch...behave. No hacky except for good...you know better.

[GlytchMeister]

hmmm... If you know the code name, could you perchance dig up some more technical details on that program? It's, um, for a book a friend is writing.

Gliiiiitch...behave. No hacky except for good...you know better.

Oh, I know... But hacking for good is still made easier with insider info.

(You just can't seem to get your spell checker to behave with my name, can you?)

[DinkyInky]

Meanwhile...

Tsillah ambled over to where Greg was standing-
"You think they were suitably impressed?" she asked.
"I was impressed- I can't see where anybody else wouldn't be. A shadow that slips in and out and cannot be hurt? The possibilities are endless,"
"Actually... I can be hurt... but certainly not by those we are dealing with. The trick is, all I can do is get information... I cannot harm others... but I can certa..." her face took an odd look, then started changing color. She grasped at her throat and made no noise.
"SHE'S CHOKING!!!" Greg yelled as he tried to grasp her and deliver a Heimlich maneuver- but his hands passed right through her.
"What the HELL?!? WHY CAN'T I HELP HER?!?"

'Because that's her shadow you're dealing with," came a low, almost purring, sardonic voice, "she's over here."

The whole room looked- a small, dark-skinned personage with pointed ears and fine features, and cold, ice blue eyes looked at the group with a rather self-satisfied expression- she had relaxed her grasp of what appeared to be a curtain of shadow, and Tsillah again started to breathe.

"I'm Safyr- and I can, as you see, sneak up on Tsillah. Those who seek to harm you know only how to hate and destroy in the name of money... I have studied them for a while. I have not acted because ... intervention... is not always tolerated from my kind," here she looked directly at Phix, "but it seems now that the winds have indeed... changed... have they not? Those who would protect the puny human mortals now cower in fear from the very species- and tell me how this is not so- at the very least, you have lost your freedoms. Not one of you can show your face in daylight where you live- marked, you are," she turned and faced Phix, "I warned you this day would come, did I not, Sister?"

"Your plan was to eradicate the species!" Phix snarled.

She smiled- "I'll admit, I was a bit... overenthusiastic... regarding a solution... and I see mortals and Paranormals here that have ... crossed... many barriers... more than I would have thought possible. I admit my error- will you admit yours?"

"We are under siege because these two men did what was right and brave- this has nothing to do with mortal vs. immortal,"

"Evil is still a human invention- immortals accept power as justification- humans pretend they are better, but they fail...miserably."

In a thrice, Phix had her by a pointed ear and hauled her over to Justin and stated," THIS man puts his life on the line every day to protect those who cannot protect themselves! Have YOU ever done such a thing?" she then hauled her over to Buck, "This Centaur did unarmed battle with two who sought to steal from a house of mercy- he got shot for his efforts- he was inspired by humans to do so- among YOUR kind is there the like?" she then released the elf who's eyes were glowing like sunlit ice.

"I came here to help, and THIS is how I am treated?" Safyr seethed with barely suppressed rage.

"YOU CAME HERE TO GLOAT!" Phix yelled right back.
The room was silent as the two glared at each other- finally, Phix spoke-
"What made you decide to help?"

"I...took your...advice and spent time among them disguised. I may be a disciple of hate, but it does not fuel all my moments, just the ones in battle.
Sometimes I walked the shadows, delivering justice--without bloodshed, to those in need. It is surprising that a mild application of fear can make a villain crawl away like a mewling, puking little thing. What! Do you really think I'm going to be all doe-eyed innocence around them?
I have been seeing for some time what their greed, their chemicals, their blindness has done to other humans, to trees, birds, any creature they come in contact with- they don't CARRY a disease, they ARE the disease! And if you think I will sit by and watch you flail against them when I can give you what you crave...no, Phix, you know I'm right, but perhaps I shall instead say I shall help you attain what you need?
The answer is Yesssss Phix! I hunt Evil. I always have, but I lost the zealous blind faith I once had, that caused me to judge entire races, and instead to judge each individual, and I blame you," she said, laughing. "I once was what they are now, full of blind hate, hate without rhyme, reason, understanding...and yes, I WILL stop them, so you lovely humans can continue to surprise me.
Has it really changed me? The Gods only know, and they're not telling."

"... and...what do you want in return?"

"...acceptance."

"Oh, and as for...Buck, was it? I was there when that incident took place, though you'd have been hard pressed to recognise me without Truesight.
It took everything I had to avoid joining in the frenzy when he took down that...individual(what glorious hate he had within him!), though I did survey the area and sent the plotting one I found in hiding to the nearest house of law, with nary a scratch, but soiled trousers, and a fear of a God he did not believe in until present.
So a merciful justice, set before a tribunal who decides their fate...though the main players in this game still think themselves untouchable in their iron barred cages. They reek of guilt, even the Lady there," here she looked at Lily, "could easily glide in without being invited there is soooo much evil in this person I speak of.

Oh, my sister Emerauld is outside waiting. She's...less headstrong than I, and suggested that Tsil' and I...how is it...put on a little performance.

I also suggest that if any of you are...disrespectful to the powers of Nature, that you sit this battle out, or seek her assistance on a gentler method of warfare. She's less inclined to bloodshed, unless you destroy the land without reason. Then she herself is that force of Nature."

[Just Old Al]

Oh, bugger.......

[Sgt. Howard]

There's a new kid in the neighborhood...

[GlytchMeister]

Glytch felt a tingle of fear crawl up his spine as he heard an argument break out in the other room.
"It's... Probably best I don't get tangled in that..." He muttered, rising to shut the door to the study before going back to his workstation, where he was busily sending search bots out to monitor darknet chatter and fortifying the Alaxander's already impressive network security protocols.

[Sgt. Howard]

Neil approached the newcomer- she turned and addressed him directly-
"Hello, Centurion- Gaius Cornelius Antonia, Italian Cohort... you will not remember me, but I remember you... it has been a while,"
"How do you...?"
"I was there,"
He froze- there was no doubt in his mind what she was referring to.
"You reeked of guilt and self-loathing, even more than he who betrayed, yet that one killed himself- you are still among the living... not a very weak man, are you? And I see she who bears your child and your name- a sphinx- the first example of a mortal winning such devotion from such a species. I am suitably impressed,"
She turned again to Phix- "I am willing to place myself under this man's command- he has commanded many and he has won you- he is a fit leader if ever a mortal was-
What say you?"

[GlytchMeister]

Every army needs a good general. And who better than Neil?

[Just Old Al]

Al, hearing this, was overcome with a wave of relief. This had been a worring thought in the back of his mind for weeks - he outranked Greg but decidedly did NOT want the job of commanding this mess. The thought of sticking Neil with the job hadn't occurred to either of them despite the discussions they'd had on the subject.

Before Neil had a chance to change his mind, Al shouted "What are your orders, SIR?"

[Sgt. Howard]

"Orders? Wait a minute- I am NOT in command here! Besides, didn't Joe just tell us that the bounties are all void?"
Safyr looked at him with scorn- "There are those still hunting, who still believe them valid- and besides, do you think the vacume left behind will not be filled? Your people have stripped them of capital- there will be MORE reason for vengance than ever before... you have two capable Sergeants and a squad's worth of worthy troops who all have a blood stake in this- you have lead troops into battles far worse than this- or have you forgotten Hastings? Have you forgotten Yorktown? Fredricksburg? Masada? Kent?... I could go on, but you know I am right. Do not these people deserve a worthy commander? One who knows war intimately? Who alive knows war better than you? WHo alive has ever held such rank? Three times in service of the Romans you worked from Hastati to Centurion- I cannot even count the number of times you were commissioned in the battlefield. We each need to do what is right- it is only right that you lead-"
turning to Phix, she again asked, "and what say you? Can a dark Elf serve your people?"
Phix looked at Safyr with exasperation... "...well, I suppose you can... but I don't have to like it,"
"Fair enough- (she turned to Neil, "by your leave, Sire- I should slide into enemy camp and find what I might,"
Neil pondered this for a moment- "Very well... but see what mischief you can cause to their chain of command- the more they fight each other, the less they fight us,"

A broad grin split her face, "it shall be as you command, Sire,"

And with that, she evaporated.

[Julie]

Go Dinky Go!!

[jwhouk]

"Yeah, what she... said." I watched as she disappeared into nothing.

"Look, Tempelhoffer might be neutered right now - and as much as these two want to make him beef jerky," I hooked my thumbs at Suzie and Lily, "There's still going to be a large contingent who wants his position. I've seen it happen in the past - after they cleaned out the GD's down in Chicago, there was a power vacuum that's still being fought over in southeastern Wisconsin for gang dominance. And, personally, what I'm more concerned about is..." I paused for a second, then pointed at Justin and Shelly.

"You two never put anything in the invitation about where you were registered."

[GlytchMeister]

Glytch entered the last few commands into the laptop, and, pressing "enter" for the last time, got up and decided to get some fresh air. He wandered through the house for a while, still supremely lost, until he finally came within earshot of the room everyone was in.
"What are your orders, SIR?" Someone spoke with an accent from somewhere in the UK. Glytch guessed it was the other military man who was sitting next to Sarge.
Glytch shrugged and continued on - if they needed him or if anything popped on the Internet, his phone would let him know. Besides, he wasn't much of a military man. A nerd and an engineer, yes. A fighter? No.
A little more wandering brought Glytch to a door to the outside. He hurried out into the sun and took a deep breath, savoring the clean country air.
"This nerd isn't all city slicker, after all," Glytch muttered. "I'm half country boy, too."
"Hmph. You don't look it." A somewhat musical voice spoke from above and behind.
"Woaaagh!" Glytch spun around and looked up to find the beautiful blonde sitting on the edge of the roof. "Jeeze, you damn near gave me a heart attack!"
The small, smiling girl came over the crest of the roof, carefully holding a butterfly. "'Sali! I I caught it! It's it's a monarch, because it's all orange an' an' black an' white an' that means it it it tastes bad!"
"Oh, cool, Pickle..." Sali spoke in a very unenthusiastic manner, and Pickle was visibly put out.
"But, but it's still pretty and it flies, like you, Atsali..."
Glytch lowered his hood and removed his bandanna, raising an eyebrow at Atsali. "You know, there's a species of butterfly that pretends to be a Monarch, called the Viceroy. It doesn't taste bad, but it is shaped and colored a lot like the Monarch to trick predators into thinking IT tastes bad, too." I turned my head to Pickle. "It seems a lot of you do something similar... You make yourselves look like humans, so we humans don't freak out. You pretend to be something you're not. That's gotta be hard."
Atsali snorted derisively. "As if you have an idea..."
"I was a Boy Scout who was into math, science, and space travel in a school that was into football and beer. I think I have an inkling." Glytch looked around and spotted a sturdy tree near the house, with a few large branches hanging over the roof. "But I think there's more to it, here... Humans are plagued with bigotry and persecution, and I think your kind are no different. The mother with the glasses, she said you two were dangerous?" He scampered up the tree with the practiced skill of someone who spent a lot of time running away.
Atsali looked down, her lip curling slightly at the adjective. "Phix? Yeah... Castela's a... Hybrid, I guess... Between a blackthorn and some other things. And I'm..."
She hesitated, and crossed her arms over her ample curves.
"And you are ashamed of what you are. Afraid, even. Hmm... Something with negative sexual connotations, yes?" Glytch slowly approached, speaking in a respectful but firm tone. He wasn't letting her fool him, and now she knew.
Atsali nodded. "I'm a siren on my mom's side, and a succubus on my dad's." She curled up even more as Glytch sat down next to her.
"Are you capable of surviving without doing what your species...es... is known for?" Glytch smiled a little as Atsali smirked at his linguistic stumble.
"Yeah... Why?"
"So you aren't compelled. Which means you can be whoever you want to be. What you are is already decided. But it's your choice as to who you are. Are you the stereotype? Are you the victim? Or are you the woman who will define herself?"
"Well, how am I supposed to do that when everybody just sees m-"
"I don't see you as a sexual predator. I see you as a young woman who isn't comfortable in her own skin."
Atsali squinched her eyes shut and shuddered. "I just..." She took a deep breath. "What I am affects who I am. I have crazy hormones, crazier than most girls... I drink a tea that suppresses them, but..."
Glytch leaned back, understanding dawning in his mind. "You are hiding a part of yourself on the inside... Not just on the outside. Suppressing hormones messes with emotions, and how one bonds with and interacts with other people. It's a tricky business, to say the least. And now, you're discovering you can't hide and live life to the fullest at the same time."
Atsali looked up at Glytch, biting her lip. "Does it have to be an either/or thing?"
Glytch smiled reassuringly. "In my experience, yes... Monarchs may taste bad to creatures that would otherwise eat them, but they're better off for it. If they didn't, the predators would learn, and then not only the Monarchs but also the Viceroys would go down for it." Glytch stared Atsali in the eyes, holding her gaze until the idea sank in.
"I'm... Hurting myself and Nadette by not... Being all of myself." She broke eye contact and stared at her shoes. "Huh."
"Food for thought." Glytch stood and glanced at Castela, who had gone suspiciously quiet during the whole exchange. "You did well, Padawan... But sometimes conversations are best left unheard." He walked over and looked at the butterfly carefully. "Hmm... It is a monarch after all! Well spotted, kiddo!"

[DinkyInky]

Feeling good about helping Atsali, Glytch pulled his hood back up and continued to walk aimlessly, catching a few breaths of air not choked up by big city progress. "Almost like going hiking, minus the pack funk," Glytch thought. Walking in a clearing, he trips on a root, catching himself in the last moment.

"Could've sworn it was clear," he muttered to himself, before tripping again on another root, the previous one seemingly imagined.

As he nears another cluster of trees, a storm of leaves flies down to cover him in a pile of greenery. The ground near him cracks and...milkthistle seeds burst forth to shower him in fluffy whiteness once he's shaken off the greenery. Small animals and insects dance around him, and to add the finishing touch, a crown of leaves and vines is set on his head by a slender root(or is it branch?) as he tries to make sense of it all.

Swinging down from vines in the highest point of the tree is a small, slender, girl(or so she appeared), long eared, golden skinned, with eyes that seemed either bluer than the sky or green like the glittering gemstones one sees in the shoppes.
She was dressed in patchwork leather of varying hues, which was not at all shabby, covered in intricate needlework, and seemed to blend in with the surroundings...almost like military camoflage. The only oddity in her appearance was her bluish black hair which was short cropped.

"Hope I didn't spook ya too much! I truly couldn't resist. You seemed to be someone with a good sense of humour, and if not, I'm terribly sorry for any offense. I'm Emerauld!"

"Glytch."

"Oooh, neat! It's almost boring waiting out here, but Tsil' said sis was the better choice to put a point across. She and Miss Angel Kitty don't exactly get along. I say almost, but everyone out here is sooooo nice(gesturing towards the trees and animals), so I'm not really alone, am I? And now you're here.

The air here is so clean, everything's green...you know what I mean?

I'm bored. Wanna play tag? Or maybe a race. How about target practice? I can spot you gear if my friend is willing."

At this point, Glytch noticed an intricate bow and quiver of arrows, and swords sheathed on her back, all patchworked like her garments, and a leather pack on the ground near her, and that she just affectionately patted the tree.

"I bet you need to sit. I am a bit much until you get to know me."

Waving her hand, now glowing green, roots burst from the ground to create an ornate bench.

"Here, have a seat, and looks like you could use a stimulant. I found it on a trip in the human cities...too many nasty things in it for me, but I bet you'd enjoy it. They call it, 'Vanilla coke'. Doesn't taste much like vanilla to me, though. Here ya go!"

With that, she hands him a two liter bottle, impossibly cold, and a very large polished wooden mug.

"This might not be a bad day after all," Glytch thought drinking his beloved caffeine unit.

[lake_wrangler]

A very nice introduction to the character. Well done.
A little mischievous, isn't she...

[Hansontoons]

Hansontoons shook his head in disbelief, "Still with this crazy screen saver! I've run diagnostics, restarted twice, talked with somebody near Austin that wanted me to unplug the wireless mouse and then hung up after saying something about "dropped papers". These flying leeches are starting to get on my nerves. And the laughing skull was a little creepy the first couple of times it flashed on the monitor." Pushing back from the desk, he stood and stretched. "Maybe something to eat while the 'puter restarts again will cheer me up."

He walked from the room absentmindedly singing "Hooray for Captain Spaulding, de dum de dum de dum dum..." and stooped to rub the dogs ears. Reaching the fridge, he pulled the door open and gazed within. "Hmmm, let's see here, Laughing Cow cheese, half jar of mayonnaise, that leftover duck soup that I should have made go west days ago, cocoanut flavored animal crackers... man, I wish I could get room service like that weekend I spent with a day at the races and then a night at the opera. I should have gone to the big store up the road and reloaded before I came home." He closed the door and started back to his computer room.

Turning the corner, he was greeted by the same view, rows of flying leeches angling across the screen. "Horse feathers!" he shouted. "I sure hope whoever triggered this monkey business is having a nice time right now!"

The dog lifted her head and looked over with an expression of "Whaaaaat??? I'm trying' to sleep here, ya know!"

[GlytchMeister]

Woopsies...

[GlytchMeister]

Glytch sat quietly, watching Emerauld's lithe form flit from tree to tree as he sipped on his beloved Vanilla Coke. The happy girl's laughs and ramblings calmed him more than anything. Unbidden, an old memory from years ago sprang to mind:

"Wow, dude, how'd you do that? I only hit my target once, and I LOST three arrows!" Jeff gaped at my target as we carefully approached.
"I... Just pointed the arrow... I had to aim up a bit because of gravity, but that's it." Glytch replied, shrugging.
"I did that too, but look at my target! Maaaan, my hit won't even count! It's outside the biggest circle!"
"I don't know how you can't do it. It's just aiming a stick and letting go."

Glytch chuckled softly. Jeff had horrendous aim with a bow. Crack shot with a shotgun, but ask the poor sap to pull a string and the safest place on range was directly in front of his target.

"What'cha laughing at?" Emerauld suddenly stopped her cavorting.
"Oh, just an old friend. He couldn't aim a bow to save his life."
"Can you?" The elf tilted her head and approached, a gleam in her eye.
"To save my life, probably. Somebody else's life is best put in someone else's hands, when it comes to archery. I haven't touched a bow in years... Not since Boy Scouts. I'm... A bit rusty. I stick to just using my mind to do my fighting for me."
Emerauld smiled sadly. "I don't think being smart will be enough to keep you alive, unless you run away. But you wouldn't do that, would ya?"
Glytch scratched his head. She has a point. The smart man would have stayed out of this. "No... These are good people, and good friends. I don't think I'm going anywhere." The good man, however...
"Great! C'mon, let's find some hay bales!"