A.Journal

Checks

Medium

He's already turned once. He could just as easily do it again.

Medium

That's assuming it's a legitimate defection and not a double bluff from a vastly superior operant.

Easy

The man has nowhere else to go. There is no one better for the assignment.

Medium

The names feel heavy, irreversible. Marked in blood for offering.

Medium

Sounds like a band.

Medium

DEFEAT LEADS TO AN IRREVERSIBLE IMBALANCE UPON THE WORLD STAGE. EQUILIBRIUM DISINTEGRATES FROM A SINGLE POINT -- YOU.

Formidable

Her eyes reflect the glow of the terminal screen. She's been at her desk for fourteen hours today.

Legendary

The world is so heavy its mass can only be measured in septillions of kilograms. That is the incredible weight you'll have destabilised by your actions.

Challenging

AN IRREVERSIBLE BLOW TO ALTER THE WORLD'S AXIS. IT WILL TAKE CENTURIES FOR EQUILIBRIUM TO BE RESTORED.

Easy

A bleep-bloop boat, in other words.

Easy

There will be no 'extraction'. Just a box of tools discarded at the worksite.

Formidable

There'll be plenty of time to think of a more personally satisfying answer while you're on the boat. Alone.

Formidable

Medium

She hesitates for a second.

Challenging

A deeply off-putting answer, she thinks.

Easy

The Operant Bureau probably has loads of boats. A whole secret navy.

Medium

It sounds like a hit list.

Medium

A pleasing symmetry. She likes that very much.

Medium

A pleasing symmetry. She likes that very much.

Formidable

'Sounds like a first stab'.

Trivial

The one who must only bend and never break.

Medium

Stopped in her tracks.

Medium

... she should call off the assignment.

Formidable

A heart without its ribcage.

Medium

You'll only know it's gone wrong when a body shows up on the other side, punctured and bloody.

Medium

Even as you've been speaking your controller's silently been gaming out every possible manoeuvre. She knows what she's doing.

Medium

Formidable

Except for the old Kohilan hands, who used to call it 'potatoes two ways'.

Medium

Hesitation in her voice.

Challenging

'Don't do it. If you do, I won't recognise you anymore.'

Medium

Stuck in a metal box moving at 55km/h in close proximity to the enemy. No way to call in backup, no way to jump out.

Formidable

Except for the old Kohilan hands, who called it 'potatoes two ways'.

Medium

Hesitation in her voice.

Challenging

'Don't do it,' her voice says. 'If you do, I won't recognise you anymore.'

Easy

A ripple through your heart. She remembers.

Challenging

She has a copy of your pomegranate folder open in front of her. All your patterns and tells: itemised.

Medium

Spoken from experience.

Medium

One-hundred percent. What we can't feel can't hurt us.

Challenging

Yes! Crack them and gut them. Spend their offal on sweet pleasures.

Medium

Make it political, a war on the automated future.

Medium

Sounded like she really enjoyed saying 'fat sol stacks'. See if you can get her to say it again.

Medium

Let her think it's pretend, but you know the truth. They have better stuff.

Easy

You realise you have seen no dogs in Portofiro.

Easy

Dr. Hugo must have killed them all.

Medium

MAINTENANCE WORK IS GOOD FOR THE SOUL. ALTHOUGH THE SOUL IS AN INDIVIDUALIST CONSTRUCT. PERFORM SELF CRIT FOR IMAGINING A SOUL.

Medium

Ignore her. You're definitely a real person.

Medium

Sick tradeoff. A little ideological betrayal in exchange for the chance to use a pneumatic drill in reduced gravity.

Medium

The sound of a coin purse jingling from behind the curtain... a single copper rolls onto the stage.

Easy

Dripping skepticism.

Heroic

Give Melita a reason to front you some lucre.