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feat: Add ongoing friendship conversation system with Haxolottle and Protocol 47-Alpha

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- Add haxolottle_ongoing_conversations.ink: Phases 1-2 conversations (Missions 1-10)
  * Phase 1 (Missions 1-5): Getting to know you - hobbies, interests, axolotl deep dive
  * Phase 2 (Missions 6-10): Deepening connection - philosophy, handler life, field nostalgia
  * Tracks friendship_level (0-100) and conversation topics
  * Personal conversations within identity protection constraints

- Add haxolottle_ongoing_conversations_advanced.ink: Phases 3-4 conversations (Missions 11+)
  * Phase 3 (Missions 11-15): Genuine friendship - fears, meaning, vulnerability
  * Phase 4 (Missions 16+): Deep bond - identity burden, name temptation, explicit friendship
  * Special high-friendship events: personal loss story, secret hobby reveal
  * Deepest emotional moments respecting Protocol 47-Alpha

- Add ONGOING_CONVERSATIONS_README.md: Comprehensive documentation
  * Progression system: mission-based and friendship-based gating
  * 20+ unique conversation topics across 4 phases
  * Integration guide for adding to missions
  * Protocol 47-Alpha guidelines (what can/can't be shared)
  * Character voice guidelines and writing templates
  * Emotional arcs and narrative impact discussion

- Update rules_of_engagement.md: Add Protocol 47-Alpha identity protection rules
  * Protocol 47-Alpha: Agents cannot reveal real identities to each other
  * Regulation 847: Personal sharing encouraged within identity constraints
  * Protocol 180: Specific guidance on what information can be shared
  * Section 19, Clause 11: Friendships acceptable within security protocols
  * Balances operational security with psychological wellbeing

System Features:
- Drip-fed content across 15+ missions for long-term investment
- Genuine friendship despite never knowing real names
- Explores emotional cost of secrecy and hidden identities
- Progressive unlock system prevents rushing content
- Multiple tracking variables (trust_moments, vulnerable_moments, etc.)
- Hub-based conversation pattern with branching choices
- Player agency over engagement depth
- Constraint (Protocol 47-Alpha) becomes part of emotional depth

Conversations respect identity protection while exploring:
- Personal interests (swimming, reading, music, poetry)
- Philosophies and stress management
- Operational experiences and handler life
- Fears, doubts, and emotional struggles
- Meaning of work and future dreams
- The burden of hidden identity
- Temptation to share real names (but choosing not to)
- Explicit acknowledgment of genuine friendship

Designed for authentic emotional progression within spy fiction constraints.
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Z. Cliffe Schreuders
2025-11-18 10:36:09 +00:00
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# Haxolottle Ongoing Conversations System
## Overview
This system provides a progressive, drip-fed friendship development between the player (Agent 0x00) and their handler (Agent 0x99 "Haxolottle") across multiple missions. Conversations deepen naturally over time while respecting SAFETYNET's identity protection protocols.
## Design Philosophy
### Core Principles
1. **Genuine Friendship Within Constraints**: Build a real emotional bond between characters who can never know each other's real identities
2. **Progressive Revelation**: Unlock deeper, more vulnerable topics as friendship develops
3. **Drip-Fed Content**: Spread conversations across 15+ missions to create long-term investment
4. **Respect Protocol 47-Alpha**: Characters can share personal interests, philosophies, fears—but never identifying information
5. **Emotional Authenticity**: Make the constraint itself part of the emotional depth, not just a limitation
### What Makes This Different
Unlike the general lore exploration hub, these conversations:
- Are specifically with Haxolottle (not generic NPC system)
- Build a single ongoing relationship over time
- Track emotional progression (friendship_level 0-100)
- Unlock based on mission count, not just influence
- Explore vulnerability, personal loss, philosophical questions
- Address the burden of hidden identities directly
## Files
### `haxolottle_ongoing_conversations.ink`
**Missions 1-10 (Phases 1-2)**
**Phase 1 Topics (Missions 1-5):**
- General hobbies and interests
- The axolotl obsession deep dive
- Music taste and preferences
- Coffee/tea preferences
- Stress management strategies
**Phase 2 Topics (Missions 6-10):**
- How philosophy has evolved over years
- What handler life is really like
- Nostalgia for field work
- Weird habits developed from the job
- Favorite past operations
- Difficult day/personal struggle moment
### `haxolottle_ongoing_conversations_advanced.ink`
**Missions 11+ (Phases 3-4)**
**Phase 3 Topics (Missions 11-15):**
- Fears and anxieties about the work
- "What if I'd chosen differently?" alternate life discussion
- Meaning and purpose of the work
- Friendship within constraints
- Dreams for the future
- Personal loss story (high friendship)
**Phase 4 Topics (Missions 16+):**
- The burden of hidden identity
- Loneliness of secrecy
- Temptation to share real names
- What happens after SAFETYNET?
- Explicit friendship acknowledgment
- Secret hobby reveal (poetry writing)
## Progression System
### Friendship Level Tracking
```ink
VAR friendship_level = 0 // 0-100 scale
```
**Friendship Level Gains:**
- Basic conversation: +3 to +5
- Thoughtful question: +8 to +12
- Personal sharing by player: +10 to +20
- Vulnerable mutual sharing: +20 to +40
- Deep trust moments: +40 to +65
**Friendship Level Gates:**
| Level | What Unlocks |
|-------|--------------|
| 0-20 | Basic topics only |
| 20-40 | Some personal topics |
| 40-60 | Vulnerable conversations |
| 60-80 | Deep friendship topics |
| 80-100| Most intimate revelations |
### Mission-Based Unlocking
```ink
VAR missions_together = current_mission_number
```
Conversations are **gated by both** friendship level AND mission count:
- Prevents rushing through all content immediately
- Creates natural pacing across campaign
- Rewards long-term player investment
### Additional Tracking Variables
```ink
VAR conversations_had = 0 // Total personal conversations
VAR trust_moments = 0 // Times genuine trust was shown
VAR humor_shared = 0 // Funny moments together
VAR vulnerable_moments = 0 // Times vulnerability was shared
VAR player_shared_personal = 0 // Player openness counter
```
These create a rich profile of the relationship that can be referenced later.
## Topic Structure
### Typical Conversation Flow
```
Hub → Topic Selection → Main Content → Player Choice → Response → Return to Hub
```
Each topic:
1. **Sets discussion flag** (`talked_X = true`) to prevent repetition
2. **Grants friendship points** based on depth
3. **Increments conversation counter**
4. **Offers player choices** that affect friendship
5. **May unlock related topics** or special moments
### Player Choice Types
**Supportive Choices** (+10 to +20 friendship):
- Express understanding
- Offer comfort
- Affirm Haxolottle's feelings
**Sharing Choices** (+15 to +35 friendship):
- Reveal player's similar experiences
- Share personal struggles (within protocol)
- Mutual vulnerability
**Humor Choices** (+5 to +15 friendship):
- Gentle teasing
- Shared jokes
- Light moments
**Analytical Choices** (+8 to +15 friendship):
- Ask deeper questions
- Explore philosophical angles
- Challenge thoughtfully
## Protocol 47-Alpha Integration
### What Can Be Shared
Per Regulation 847 and Protocol 180, agents may discuss:
✅ **Allowed:**
- Personal interests and hobbies (swimming, reading, music)
- Philosophies and worldviews
- Emotional struggles and fears
- Past operational experiences (anonymized)
- Future dreams and aspirations
- Stress management techniques
- Weird habits and quirks
- Creative outlets (poetry, art, etc.)
❌ **Forbidden:**
- Real names
- Home addresses
- Family member names/details
- Specific previous employment (if identifying)
- Educational institutions (if identifying)
- Unique biographical details
- Any identifying personal information
### How Characters Navigate This
The conversations themselves explore this constraint:
```ink
Haxolottle: I don't need to know your real name to know you're
a good person who cares about doing this work right.
```
The **limitation becomes part of the depth**, not just a restriction.
## Integration Guide
### Adding to Missions
**Option 1: Downtime Moments**
```ink
=== mission_safe_moment ===
You've reached a secure location. Your phone buzzes with a message.
+ [Check message from Haxolottle]
-> start_haxolottle_conversation
+ [Focus on mission]
-> continue_mission
```
**Option 2: Post-Mission Debrief**
```ink
=== mission_complete_debrief ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
Haxolottle: Good work today. Before we close out... got a minute to talk?
Not about the mission—just... talk?
+ [Sure, let's talk]
-> start_haxolottle_conversation
+ [Maybe next time]
-> end_debrief
```
**Option 3: Pre-Mission Ritual**
```ink
=== mission_briefing_complete ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
Haxolottle: Briefing done. You've got 15 minutes before deployment.
Want to chat and decompress before the operation?
+ [Let's talk for a bit]
-> start_haxolottle_conversation
+ [I'll use the time to prepare]
-> mission_prep
```
### Entry Points
```ink
// For missions 1-10
-> start // in haxolottle_ongoing_conversations.ink
// For missions 11-15
-> phase_3_hub // in haxolottle_ongoing_conversations_advanced.ink
// For missions 16+
-> phase_4_hub // in haxolottle_ongoing_conversations_advanced.ink
```
### Recommended Frequency
- **Missions 1-5**: Offer conversation every 1-2 missions
- **Missions 6-10**: Offer every 1-2 missions, some optional
- **Missions 11-15**: Offer every 2-3 missions (deeper content)
- **Missions 16+**: Offer as special moments, not every mission
**Rule of thumb**: Don't force it. Let players initiate when they want deeper connection.
## Emotional Arcs
### Phase 1 (Missions 1-5): Getting to Know You
**Tone**: Light, friendly, establishing rapport
**Topics**: Hobbies, interests, surface-level personal info
**Goal**: Build basic friendship and comfort
Key moments:
- Discovering the axolotl obsession
- Finding shared interests
- First vulnerable admission (stress management)
### Phase 2 (Missions 6-10): Deepening Connection
**Tone**: More personal, some vulnerability
**Topics**: Philosophy, handler life reality, past experiences
**Goal**: Establish genuine trust
Key moments:
- Haxolottle shares haunting decision
- Discussion of gray areas in work
- Acknowledging weird habits together
### Phase 3 (Missions 11-15): Genuine Friendship
**Tone**: Vulnerable, honest, meaningful
**Topics**: Fears, alternate paths, meaning of work
**Goal**: Create deep emotional bond
Key moments:
- Mutual fear sharing
- "Friendship within constraints" discussion
- Personal loss revelation
### Phase 4 (Missions 16+): Deep Bond
**Tone**: Intimate (platonically), questioning identity
**Topics**: Identity burden, name temptation, lasting friendship
**Goal**: Acknowledge profound connection despite constraints
Key moments:
- Temptation to share real names
- Explicit friendship acknowledgment
- Secret hobby reveal
- "You're one of my closest friends" moment
## Special High-Friendship Events
### The Personal Loss Story
**Requirement**: `friendship_level >= 70`, Phase 3+
**Trigger**: `-> hax_personal_loss`
Haxolottle shares story of losing someone important when choosing SAFETYNET. Major vulnerability moment.
### The Secret Hobby Reveal
**Requirement**: `friendship_level >= 85`, Phase 4
**Trigger**: `-> hax_secret_hobby`
Haxolottle reveals they write poetry to process the work. Can share a poem if player wants.
### The Name Temptation
**Requirement**: `friendship_level >= 75`, Phase 4
**Trigger**: `-> name_temptation`
Explicit discussion of wanting to share real names but choosing not to for safety. Most direct addressing of Protocol 47-Alpha's emotional cost.
### The Friendship Acknowledgment
**Requirement**: `friendship_level >= 80`, Phase 4
**Trigger**: `-> friendship_acknowledgment`
Haxolottle explicitly states player is one of their closest friends. Can reach friendship_level 90-100.
## Variable Reference
### Core Tracking
```ink
VAR friendship_level = 0 // 0-100 overall relationship
VAR missions_together = 0 // Mission count
VAR conversations_had = 0 // Total personal conversations
VAR trust_moments = 0 // Genuine trust shown
VAR humor_shared = 0 // Funny moments together
VAR vulnerable_moments = 0 // Vulnerability shared
VAR player_shared_personal = 0 // Player openness
```
### Phase 1 Topics (Missions 1-5)
```ink
VAR talked_hobbies_general = false
VAR talked_axolotl_obsession = false
VAR talked_music_taste = false
VAR talked_coffee_preferences = false
VAR talked_stress_management = false
```
### Phase 2 Topics (Missions 6-10)
```ink
VAR talked_philosophy_change = false
VAR talked_handler_life = false
VAR talked_field_nostalgia = false
VAR talked_weird_habits = false
VAR talked_favorite_operations = false
```
### Phase 3 Topics (Missions 11-15)
```ink
VAR talked_fears_anxieties = false
VAR talked_what_if_different = false
VAR talked_meaning_work = false
VAR talked_friendship_boundaries = false
VAR talked_future_dreams = false
```
### Phase 4 Topics (Missions 16+)
```ink
VAR talked_identity_burden = false
VAR talked_loneliness_secrecy = false
VAR talked_real_name_temptation = false
VAR talked_after_safetynet = false
VAR talked_genuine_friendship = false
```
### Special Events
```ink
VAR hax_shared_loss = false // Personal loss story told
VAR hax_shared_doubt = false // Shared professional doubts
VAR hax_shared_secret_hobby = false // Poetry writing revealed
```
## Character Voice Guidelines
### Haxolottle's Voice
**Early Conversations (Phases 1-2):**
- Professional but warm
- Occasional axolotl metaphors (not every conversation)
- Supportive mentor energy
- Some humor, mostly light
**Later Conversations (Phases 3-4):**
- More vulnerable and honest
- Philosophical and reflective
- Direct about emotional realities
- Still warm but with more weight
**Key Phrases:**
- "Like an axolotl regenerating..." (adaptation metaphor)
- "Protocol 47-Alpha says... but..."
- "You're a good person, Agent {player_name}"
- "That means more than you know"
- "We're doing something impossible here"
### Player Response Guidance
Players should have options to:
1. **Support** - Offer comfort and understanding
2. **Share** - Reveal their own experiences (within protocol)
3. **Question** - Ask deeper or clarifying questions
4. **Deflect** - Keep some distance if they choose
**Avoid**: Making player automatically vulnerable. Give them agency over how much they share.
## Writing New Conversations
### Template Structure
```ink
=== new_topic_name ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ talked_new_topic_name = true
~ friendship_level += [5-15 for basic, 15-30 for deep]
~ conversations_had += 1
~ [vulnerable_moments += 1 if appropriate]
[Haxolottle's opening about the topic]
[Content - 3-6 exchanges]
* [Player Choice 1 - Supportive]
~ friendship_level += [appropriate amount]
~ [possibly player_shared_personal += 1]
You: [Player response]
-> new_topic_response_1
* [Player Choice 2 - Sharing]
~ friendship_level += [higher amount]
~ player_shared_personal += [1-3]
~ trust_moments += [possibly 1-2]
You: [Player shares something]
-> new_topic_response_2
* [Player Choice 3 - Question or alternative]
~ friendship_level += [moderate amount]
You: [Player asks or responds differently]
-> new_topic_response_3
=== new_topic_response_1 ===
[Haxolottle's response to supportive choice]
~ friendship_level += [additional points]
-> [return to hub]
[Repeat for other responses]
```
### Quality Checklist
- [ ] Does it respect Protocol 47-Alpha? (No identifying info)
- [ ] Does it advance friendship naturally?
- [ ] Does it offer meaningful player choices?
- [ ] Does Haxolottle's voice stay consistent?
- [ ] Does it grant appropriate friendship points?
- [ ] Does it mark the topic as discussed?
- [ ] Does it return to hub properly?
- [ ] Is it gated by appropriate friendship/mission levels?
## Persistence Across Sessions
### Required Variables to Save
```ink
friendship_level
missions_together
conversations_had
trust_moments
vulnerable_moments
player_shared_personal
// All "talked_X" flags
// All "hax_shared_X" flags
```
### Recommended Save Points
- After each conversation
- At mission completion
- During autosave moments
### Reset Considerations
**Never Reset:**
- friendship_level
- talked_X flags (topics should stay discussed)
- hax_shared_X flags (special events shouldn't repeat)
**Can Reset:**
- missions_together (if starting new campaign)
- But consider carrying friendship over for NG+
## Usage Examples
### Example 1: Early Mission Downtime
```ink
=== safe_house_moment ===
You've secured the location. Time to catch your breath.
Your phone buzzes—message from Haxolottle.
+ [Read message]
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
Haxolottle: You've got some breathing room. Want to chat while you wait?
++ [Sure]
{missions_together <= 5:
-> phase_1_hub // Early missions
- missions_together <= 10:
-> phase_2_hub // Middle missions
- missions_together <= 15:
-> phase_3_hub // Later missions
- else:
-> phase_4_hub // Deep friendship
}
++ [Maybe later]
Haxolottle: No problem. Focus on the mission.
-> continue_mission
```
### Example 2: Post-Mission Check-In
```ink
=== mission_debrief_personal ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
{missions_together == 6:
Haxolottle: Six missions together now. That's... that's starting to feel like a real partnership.
Haxolottle: Not just professional—we're building something here, aren't we?
-> phase_2_hub
- missions_together == 11:
Haxolottle: Over ten missions. I don't know your real name, Agent {player_name}, but I know you. Really know you.
Haxolottle: Want to talk about that?
-> phase_3_hub
- else:
Haxolottle: Good work today. Need to talk about anything?
-> [appropriate hub based on mission count]
}
```
### Example 3: Player-Initiated Conversation
```ink
=== player_phone_menu ===
You have a moment of downtime.
+ [Call Haxolottle]
{friendship_level >= 30:
-> call_haxolottle_friendly
- else:
-> call_haxolottle_professional
}
+ [Continue mission]
-> next_objective
=== call_haxolottle_friendly ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
Haxolottle: Hey! Not an emergency call, which is good. What's up?
+ [Just wanted to talk]
Haxolottle: I'm glad you called. I could use a break from monitoring feeds anyway.
-> [appropriate conversation hub]
+ [Actually, never mind]
Haxolottle: No worries. I'm here if you need me.
-> player_phone_menu
```
## Narrative Impact
### How This Affects the Overall Story
**Early Game:**
- Establishes Haxolottle as more than just mission support
- Creates emotional investment in handler-agent relationship
- Provides relief from mission tension
**Mid Game:**
- Deepens understanding of SAFETYNET culture
- Explores ethical complexities through personal lens
- Makes Protocol 47-Alpha feel real and consequential
**Late Game:**
- Provides emotional anchor during intense missions
- Demonstrates the personal cost of secret work
- Creates genuine stakes beyond mission success
### Player Investment Mechanisms
1. **Slow Burn**: Relationship develops over 15+ missions
2. **Player Agency**: Players choose how much to engage
3. **Mutual Vulnerability**: Both characters share and grow
4. **Constrained Intimacy**: Limitations create unique emotional texture
5. **Recognition**: Haxolottle remembers and references past conversations
## Future Expansion Ideas
### Additional Conversation Paths
**Crisis Moments**:
- Conversations triggered when player fails missions
- Haxolottle helping player process mistakes
- Rebuilding confidence together
**Special Events**:
- Birthdays (handler and agent don't know each other's, discuss that)
- SAFETYNET anniversaries
- Milestone mission celebrations (50th, 100th)
**Other Agents**:
- Haxolottle mentions their other agents (without details)
- Player can ask about handler life juggling multiple agents
- Discussions of different agent personalities
**Philosophical Deep Dives**:
- Specific ethical dilemmas from missions
- Theoretical discussions about surveillance vs. privacy
- Debates about SAFETYNET's methods
### Integration with Other Systems
**Mission Performance Callbacks**:
- Haxolottle references player's approach styles
- Discusses specific mission moments
- Acknowledges player's growth
**Lore System Integration**:
- Some conversations unlock LORE entries
- LORE discoveries can trigger conversations
- Deeper lore accessible through friendship
**Multiple Handlers**:
- If player ever changes handlers, reference this friendship
- Grief/adjustment to new handler
- Staying in touch with Haxolottle in new role
## Technical Notes
### Performance Considerations
- Hub pattern is efficient for branching
- Boolean flags prevent re-computation
- Friendship calculations are simple arithmetic
- No complex nested conditionals
### Testing Checklist
- [ ] All conversation paths are reachable
- [ ] Friendship gains are balanced
- [ ] Phase gates work correctly
- [ ] Variables persist across sessions
- [ ] No orphaned diverts
- [ ] Character voice is consistent
- [ ] Protocol 47-Alpha is respected throughout
- [ ] Player has meaningful choices
- [ ] Conversations return to hub properly
- [ ] Special events trigger at correct friendship levels
### Common Pitfalls to Avoid
**Don't:**
- Rush to Phase 4 content too quickly
- Make Haxolottle reveal identifying information
- Force vulnerability—let players choose
- Repeat the axolotl metaphor every conversation
- Make friendship_level increase too easily
- Forget to mark topics as discussed
- Break character voice in later phases
**Do:**
- Let relationship develop naturally
- Respect Protocol 47-Alpha as narrative element
- Vary conversation tones (light and heavy)
- Reference previous conversations
- Give players agency over engagement depth
- Make constraints part of the emotional story
---
## Credits & References
**Based On:**
- Character profile: Agent 0x99 "Haxolottle" (story_design/universe_bible/04_characters/safetynet/)
- Character profile: Agent 0x00 (story_design/universe_bible/04_characters/safetynet/)
- Rules of Engagement: Protocol 47-Alpha (story_design/universe_bible/02_organisations/safetynet/rules_of_engagement.md)
- Ink Scripting Guide (story_design/story_dev_prompts/07_ink_scripting.md)
**Design Philosophy:**
- Friendship despite constraints
- Emotional authenticity within genre limits
- Long-term player investment
- Meaningful character development
---
*Last Updated: 2025-11-18*
*Version: 1.0*
*Status: Ready for Integration*

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// ===========================================
// HAXOLOTTLE ONGOING CONVERSATIONS
// Break Escape Universe
// ===========================================
// Progressive friendship-building conversations with Agent 0x99 "Haxolottle"
// Drip-fed over multiple missions to develop genuine connection
// Respects Protocol 47-Alpha: No real identity disclosure
// ===========================================
// Friendship progression tracking
VAR friendship_level = 0 // 0-100: Overall relationship depth
VAR missions_together = 0 // Counter for how many missions completed
VAR conversations_had = 0 // Total personal conversations
VAR trust_moments = 0 // Times player shared something personal
VAR humor_shared = 0 // Funny moments experienced together
VAR vulnerable_moments = 0 // Times either shared something difficult
// Conversation topic tracking - Phase 1 (Missions 1-5)
VAR talked_hobbies_general = false
VAR talked_axolotl_obsession = false
VAR talked_music_taste = false
VAR talked_coffee_preferences = false
VAR talked_stress_management = false
// Conversation topic tracking - Phase 2 (Missions 6-10)
VAR talked_philosophy_change = false
VAR talked_handler_life = false
VAR talked_field_nostalgia = false
VAR talked_weird_habits = false
VAR talked_favorite_operations = false
// Conversation topic tracking - Phase 3 (Missions 11-15)
VAR talked_fears_anxieties = false
VAR talked_what_if_different = false
VAR talked_meaning_work = false
VAR talked_friendship_boundaries = false
VAR talked_future_dreams = false
// Conversation topic tracking - Phase 4 (Missions 16+)
VAR talked_identity_burden = false
VAR talked_loneliness_secrecy = false
VAR talked_real_name_temptation = false
VAR talked_after_safetynet = false
VAR talked_genuine_friendship = false
// Deep personal reveals (rare, high friendship)
VAR hax_shared_loss = false
VAR hax_shared_doubt = false
VAR hax_shared_secret_hobby = false
VAR player_shared_personal = 0 // Count of player vulnerable moments
// External variables
EXTERNAL player_name
EXTERNAL current_mission_number
// ===========================================
// ENTRY POINT - Conversation Selector
// ===========================================
=== start ===
// This determines which conversation is available based on progression
~ missions_together = current_mission_number
{
- missions_together <= 5:
-> phase_1_hub
- missions_together <= 10:
-> phase_2_hub
- missions_together <= 15:
-> phase_3_hub
- missions_together > 15:
-> phase_4_hub
}
// ===========================================
// PHASE 1: GETTING TO KNOW YOU (Missions 1-5)
// Light, friendly, establishing rapport
// ===========================================
=== phase_1_hub ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
{missions_together == 1:
Haxolottle: So, we've got some downtime. Want to chat about non-work stuff? Per Regulation 847, personal conversation is encouraged for psychological wellbeing.
- else:
Haxolottle: Got a moment? I could use a break from staring at security feeds.
}
+ {not talked_hobbies_general} [Ask what they do for fun]
-> hobbies_general
+ {not talked_axolotl_obsession} [Ask about the axolotl thing]
-> axolotl_deep_dive
+ {not talked_music_taste} [Ask what music they listen to]
-> music_discussion
+ {not talked_coffee_preferences and talked_hobbies_general} [Talk about coffee/tea preferences]
-> coffee_chat
+ {not talked_stress_management and friendship_level >= 15} [Ask how they handle stress]
-> stress_management
+ [That's all for now]
-> conversation_end
// ----------------
// Hobbies - General
// ----------------
=== hobbies_general ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ talked_hobbies_general = true
~ friendship_level += 5
~ conversations_had += 1
Haxolottle: What do I do for fun? Good question. Let's see...
Haxolottle: I read a lot—mostly sci-fi and nature books. There's something relaxing about reading about chaotic fictional universes when you spend your days dealing with chaotic real ones.
Haxolottle: I also swim. Not competitively or anything, just... swimming. There's a meditative quality to it. Plus, you know, axolotls are aquatic creatures, so there's thematic consistency.
*grins*
Haxolottle: And I tinker with old electronics. Pull apart vintage computers, repair them, sometimes just see how they work. It's methodical. Soothing. Unlike field operations where everything is chaos and improvisation.
* [Share that you also read]
~ friendship_level += 5
~ player_shared_personal += 1
You: I'm a reader too. What kind of sci-fi?
-> hobbies_scifi_followup
* [Mention you've never been good at swimming]
~ friendship_level += 3
You: I've never been much of a swimmer. More of a land-based person.
-> hobbies_swimming_followup
* [Ask about the electronics tinkering]
~ friendship_level += 3
You: Electronics tinkering? That's an interesting hobby for someone in our line of work.
-> hobbies_electronics_followup
=== hobbies_scifi_followup ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 5
Haxolottle: Oh, you read sci-fi? Nice! I'm partial to the stuff that explores emergence and complexity—you know, how simple rules create complex systems.
Haxolottle: *Permutation City*, *Blindsight*, anything by Ted Chiang. Stories about consciousness, identity, what makes us who we are when everything else is stripped away.
Haxolottle: Probably why I ended up in intelligence work, honestly. We're constantly dealing with emergent threats, complex systems, questions of identity and deception.
Haxolottle: What about you? What kind of stories do you gravitate toward?
* [Mention you like cyberpunk]
You: Cyberpunk, mostly. The whole corporate dystopia thing feels... relevant.
Haxolottle: *laughs* Yeah, we're kind of living it. Except the corporations aren't our enemy—ENTROPY is. Different dystopia, same aesthetic.
~ friendship_level += 5
-> phase_1_hub
* [Say you prefer non-fiction]
You: Actually, I'm more of a non-fiction person. Technical books, security research.
Haxolottle: Ah, the pragmatist. Fair enough. Though I'd argue our job is weird enough to count as science fiction.
~ friendship_level += 3
-> phase_1_hub
* [Keep it vague to protect identity]
You: Different things, depending on mood.
Haxolottle: Keeping it mysterious. I respect that. Protocol 47-Alpha and all.
~ friendship_level += 2
-> phase_1_hub
=== hobbies_swimming_followup ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
Haxolottle: That's fair. Swimming isn't for everyone. The whole "put your face in water and breathe at specific intervals" thing is surprisingly hard.
Haxolottle: I didn't learn until I was an adult, actually. Taught myself after joining SAFETYNET. Figured if axolotls can do it, so can I.
*laughs*
Haxolottle: Plus, it's one of the few activities where I can guarantee I'm not carrying surveillance devices. Hard to bug a swimsuit.
~ friendship_level += 3
-> phase_1_hub
=== hobbies_electronics_followup ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
Haxolottle: You'd think it'd be busman's holiday—working with electronics all day, then doing it for fun. But there's a difference.
Haxolottle: At work, I'm using electronics to surveil, to penetrate systems, to enable operations. It's adversarial. You versus the machine.
Haxolottle: At home? I'm fixing things. Bringing dead hardware back to life. It's... restorative. Like axolotl regeneration but for circuit boards.
*slight smile*
Haxolottle: Plus, there's satisfaction in making a thirty-year-old computer boot up again. Persistence over entropy. Both kinds of entropy.
~ friendship_level += 5
-> phase_1_hub
// ----------------
// Axolotl Deep Dive
// ----------------
=== axolotl_deep_dive ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ talked_axolotl_obsession = true
~ friendship_level += 8
~ conversations_had += 1
Haxolottle: Ah, you want the full story behind the axolotl obsession?
Haxolottle: Okay, so—Operation Regenerate. I mentioned it before. I was stuck in a compromised position for seventy-two hours, maintaining a cover identity while the person I was impersonating was RIGHT THERE.
Haxolottle: Couldn't leave. Couldn't fight. Couldn't call for extraction. Could only adapt. And while I was stuck, the only reading material available was biology textbooks.
Haxolottle: Found this section on axolotls—*Ambystoma mexicanum*. These amazing creatures that can regenerate entire limbs, organs, even parts of their brain and spinal cord.
* [Ask how that's relevant to the operation]
You: How did that help with the operation?
-> axolotl_operation_connection
* [Ask about the biology]
~ friendship_level += 3
You: That's incredible. How do they do that?
-> axolotl_biology_detail
* [Make a joke]
~ friendship_level += 5
~ humor_shared += 1
You: So you're saying you identified with a salamander?
-> axolotl_joke_response
=== axolotl_operation_connection ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 5
Haxolottle: It gave me a framework. See, I'd lost my original cover story—that identity was "severed" when the real person appeared. Dead. Gone.
Haxolottle: But I could regenerate a NEW identity. Different cover, same core. Adapt to the changed environment. Become what the situation needed.
Haxolottle: That's what axolotls do—they don't just heal, they adapt. They can exist in multiple states. Larval form, adult form, something in between.
Haxolottle: In that moment, I stopped being the person I was impersonating and became SAFETYNET internal security running a loyalty test. New limb. Same creature.
Haxolottle: The metaphor stuck. Now every operation that goes sideways, I think: What would an axolotl do? And the answer is always: regenerate, adapt, survive.
~ friendship_level += 8
-> phase_1_hub
=== axolotl_biology_detail ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 5
Haxolottle: *lights up with enthusiasm*
Haxolottle: Oh, it's fascinating! They have this incredible ability to regrow complex structures perfectly. Not scar tissue—actual functional regeneration.
Haxolottle: They can regrow limbs in weeks. If you damage their brain, they can regenerate neurons. Heart tissue, spinal cord, even parts of their eyes.
Haxolottle: And here's the really cool part—they're neotenic. They can reach sexual maturity while remaining in their larval form. They don't HAVE to metamorphose into adult salamanders. They can stay as they are and still be complete.
Haxolottle: It's like... they have options. Paths. They're not locked into one form of existence.
*realizes they're geeking out*
Haxolottle: Sorry, I can talk about this for hours. The point is: regeneration, adaptation, flexibility. That's what got me through that operation and a lot of others.
~ friendship_level += 8
-> phase_1_hub
=== axolotl_joke_response ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 8
~ humor_shared += 1
Haxolottle: *laughs*
Haxolottle: I mean, when you put it that way, it sounds ridiculous. "Agent develops deep emotional connection with aquatic salamander metaphor."
Haxolottle: But yes. I absolutely identified with a salamander. And I stand by it.
Haxolottle: We're both adaptable. We both thrive in chaotic environments. We both look kind of weird but are strangely effective.
*grins*
Haxolottle: Plus, they smile. Permanently. Look up pictures—axolotls have these adorable smiling faces. Hard to be stressed when you're thinking about a smiling salamander.
Haxolottle: You're laughing, but I'm serious. The metaphor has kept me sane for years. Sometimes you need something absurd to hold onto in this work.
~ friendship_level += 10
~ trust_moments += 1
-> phase_1_hub
// ----------------
// Music Discussion
// ----------------
=== music_discussion ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ talked_music_taste = true
~ friendship_level += 5
~ conversations_had += 1
Haxolottle: Music? Oh, I have eclectic taste. Probably too eclectic.
Haxolottle: For work—monitoring operations, reviewing intel—I listen to ambient stuff. Brian Eno, Aphex Twin's ambient works, that kind of thing. No lyrics, minimal disruption, just texture.
Haxolottle: For workouts or when I need energy, I go full electronic. Techno, drum and bass, synthwave. Loud, propulsive, gets the heart rate up.
Haxolottle: And then sometimes... *looks slightly embarrassed* ...sometimes I listen to nature sounds. Ocean waves. Rain. Thunderstorms.
* [Say you also like ambient music]
~ friendship_level += 5
~ player_shared_personal += 1
You: Ambient music is great for concentration. What's your favorite?
-> music_ambient_detail
* [Admit you prefer silence while working]
~ friendship_level += 3
You: I actually prefer silence when I'm concentrating.
-> music_silence_response
* [Tease them about nature sounds]
~ friendship_level += 5
~ humor_shared += 1
You: Nature sounds? That's adorably wholesome for a spy.
-> music_nature_tease
=== music_ambient_detail ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 5
Haxolottle: Oh, good taste! For concentration, I keep coming back to Eno's *Music for Airports*. It's designed to be ignorable but interesting—perfect for background.
Haxolottle: There's also this artist Grouper—really ethereal, dreamlike stuff. Good for late-night shifts when you need to stay calm but alert.
Haxolottle: And Boards of Canada for when I want something slightly more textured. Nostalgic without being distracting.
Haxolottle: What about you? Any favorites?
* [Mention specific artists (safe to share)]
You: I'm into [vague genre description]. Keeps me focused.
Haxolottle: Nice. I might check that out during my next long monitoring session.
~ friendship_level += 3
-> phase_1_hub
* [Keep it vague]
You: Different things depending on the task.
Haxolottle: Adaptive playlist for adaptive operations. I like it.
~ friendship_level += 2
-> phase_1_hub
=== music_silence_response ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
Haxolottle: That's valid. Some people work better in complete silence. Brain needs quiet to process.
Haxolottle: I can't do it, personally. Total silence makes me too aware of my own thoughts. Need something to fill the space.
Haxolottle: But everyone's different. That's why we have noise-cancelling headphones in the equipment list—Section 8, Article 4.
~ friendship_level += 3
-> phase_1_hub
=== music_nature_tease ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 8
~ humor_shared += 1
Haxolottle: *laughs* Okay, yes, I know how it sounds. "Elite SAFETYNET handler unwinds with gentle rain sounds."
Haxolottle: But hear me out—after spending hours listening to encrypted communications, network traffic, and agents whispering in server rooms, sometimes I just want to hear water hitting leaves.
Haxolottle: It's non-human. Non-threatening. No hidden meaning, no encryption, no subtext. Just... weather.
Haxolottle: Plus, there's something soothing about storms specifically. All that chaos and energy, but I'm safe inside listening to it. Control over the uncontrollable, in a way.
*grins*
Haxolottle: You can judge me, but I won't stop. I have a whole collection. "Thunderstorm in Forest," "Ocean Waves at Night," "Heavy Rain on Tent." It's a whole genre.
~ friendship_level += 8
-> phase_1_hub
// ----------------
// Coffee Preferences
// ----------------
=== coffee_chat ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ talked_coffee_preferences = true
~ friendship_level += 4
~ conversations_had += 1
Haxolottle: Coffee preferences? Oh, we're getting into the important questions now.
Haxolottle: I'm a tea person, actually. Coffee makes me jittery in a way that's not great when you're trying to calmly talk an agent through a crisis.
Haxolottle: Specifically, I drink green tea. Jasmine green tea when I can get it. Enough caffeine to stay alert, not so much that I'm vibrating.
Haxolottle: Dr. Chen thinks I'm weird for it. They survive on energy drinks and what I'm pretty sure is just pure espresso.
* [Say you're also a tea drinker]
~ friendship_level += 5
~ player_shared_personal += 1
You: Tea for me too. Coffee's too harsh.
-> coffee_tea_solidarity
* [Defend coffee]
~ friendship_level += 3
You: Coffee is essential. I don't trust tea to keep me functional.
-> coffee_defense
* [Ask about the axolotl mug]
~ friendship_level += 5
You: Is that axolotl mug I keep seeing in video calls yours?
-> coffee_mug_discussion
=== coffee_tea_solidarity ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 5
Haxolottle: A fellow tea person! Excellent. We're a minority in SAFETYNET.
Haxolottle: There's this break room on level 3 that has actually decent loose-leaf tea. Not that pre-bagged stuff. Real tea.
Haxolottle: If you ever need to decompress after a mission, find that break room. It's quieter than the others, better tea, and the window actually shows sky instead of concrete wall.
Haxolottle: Consider it insider knowledge. Handler privilege.
~ friendship_level += 8
-> phase_1_hub
=== coffee_defense ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
Haxolottle: Hey, no judgment! Coffee works for a lot of people. Dr. Chen would probably collapse without it.
Haxolottle: Different metabolisms, different needs. That's the thing about SAFETYNET—we accommodate diverse operational styles.
Haxolottle: As long as you're alert and functional, I don't care if you're powered by coffee, tea, energy drinks, or pure spite.
~ friendship_level += 3
-> phase_1_hub
=== coffee_mug_discussion ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 8
~ humor_shared += 1
Haxolottle: *laughs* You noticed! Yes, that's mine. Got it custom-made.
Haxolottle: It says "Keep Calm and Regenerate" with a little smiling axolotl. I use it for video calls specifically because it makes people ask about it.
Haxolottle: Good conversation starter. Also a subtle reminder to myself: when things go wrong, adapt and regenerate. The mug is both whimsical and functional.
Haxolottle: I have three of them, actually. One for the office, one for home, one backup for when I inevitably drop one.
Haxolottle: Director Netherton pretends not to notice it in briefings, but I've caught him almost smiling at it once. Progress.
~ friendship_level += 8
-> phase_1_hub
// ----------------
// Stress Management
// ----------------
=== stress_management ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ talked_stress_management = true
~ friendship_level += 10
~ conversations_had += 1
~ vulnerable_moments += 1
Haxolottle: How do I handle stress? That's... a good question. And kind of personal, but I'll answer.
Haxolottle: The swimming helps. The reading. The music. All of that creates space between me and the work.
Haxolottle: But honestly? The hardest part is when agents are in danger and I can only watch. I can advise, I can provide information, but you're the one in the facility. You're the one at risk.
Haxolottle: I've had agents get hurt. I've had operations go wrong despite everything we planned. That weight... it doesn't go away.
* [Thank them for being honest]
~ friendship_level += 10
~ player_shared_personal += 1
You: Thank you for trusting me with that. It helps to know you feel it too.
-> stress_honest_response
* [Share your own stress management]
~ friendship_level += 12
~ player_shared_personal += 2
~ trust_moments += 1
You: I feel that pressure too. From a different angle, but still there.
-> stress_mutual_understanding
* [Ask how they cope with the weight]
~ friendship_level += 8
You: How do you keep going when it feels like too much?
-> stress_coping_methods
=== stress_honest_response ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 10
Haxolottle: Of course. We're in this together, Agent. I'm not just a voice on comms—I'm a person who cares about whether you come back safe.
Haxolottle: The handbook talks about professional distance, but Regulation 299 says friendships are valuable for operational effectiveness. I choose to interpret that broadly.
Haxolottle: You're not just an asset to me. You're a colleague. Maybe even a friend. And I want you to succeed and be okay.
~ friendship_level += 15
~ trust_moments += 1
-> phase_1_hub
=== stress_mutual_understanding ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 15
~ trust_moments += 2
Haxolottle: Yeah. Different angles, same weight. You're worried about getting caught, about the mission failing, about making the wrong call in the moment.
Haxolottle: I'm worried about giving you bad information, about not seeing something that could save you, about sending you into situations that are more dangerous than we thought.
Haxolottle: We both carry it. Different burdens, but we carry them for each other.
*pause*
Haxolottle: That's why the axolotl thing matters, I think. Regeneration isn't just physical. It's emotional too. We get hurt, we recover, we keep going.
Haxolottle: And we do it together. That makes it bearable.
~ friendship_level += 20
~ vulnerable_moments += 1
-> phase_1_hub
=== stress_coping_methods ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 10
Haxolottle: Honestly? I remind myself why we do this. ENTROPY is real. The threats are real. The people we protect—even though they don't know we exist—they're real.
Haxolottle: Every operation you complete successfully is infrastructure that doesn't go down. Data that doesn't get stolen. Systems that keep working.
Haxolottle: The weight is heavy because the work matters. If it was easy, if it didn't matter, there wouldn't be weight.
Haxolottle: And... *slight smile* ...I have my ridiculous axolotl metaphors. When things get dark, I think about something absurd and resilient, and it helps.
~ friendship_level += 12
-> phase_1_hub
// ===========================================
// PHASE 2: DEEPENING FRIENDSHIP (Missions 6-10)
// More personal, some vulnerability, genuine connection
// ===========================================
=== phase_2_hub ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
{missions_together == 6:
Haxolottle: We've been working together for a while now. Starting to feel like a real partnership. Got time to talk?
- else:
Haxolottle: Hey, Agent. Want to chat for a bit? I could use a break from the technical stuff.
}
+ {not talked_philosophy_change} [Ask how their philosophy has changed over the years]
-> philosophy_evolution
+ {not talked_handler_life} [Ask what handler life is really like]
-> handler_reality
+ {not talked_field_nostalgia and friendship_level >= 30} [Ask if they miss field work]
-> field_nostalgia
+ {not talked_weird_habits} [Talk about weird habits you've developed]
-> weird_habits_discussion
+ {not talked_favorite_operations and friendship_level >= 35} [Ask about their favorite operations]
-> favorite_operations
+ {friendship_level >= 40 and not hax_shared_loss} [Notice they seem different today]
-> hax_difficult_day
+ [That's all for now]
-> conversation_end
// ----------------
// Philosophy Evolution
// ----------------
=== philosophy_evolution ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ talked_philosophy_change = true
~ friendship_level += 10
~ conversations_had += 1
Haxolottle: How has my philosophy changed? *laughs softly* That's a heavier question than you might think.
Haxolottle: When I started, I was idealistic. Black and white thinking. SAFETYNET good, ENTROPY bad. We're heroes protecting people.
Haxolottle: Fifteen years later... it's complicated. We're still doing important work. ENTROPY is still a genuine threat. But the methods, the gray areas, the cost...
*pause*
Haxolottle: I've seen good people do questionable things for good reasons. I've seen ENTROPY operatives who were manipulated or coerced. I've made calls that haunt me.
Haxolottle: The philosophy that's stuck is: Do the work as ethically as you can within impossible constraints. Protect people. Try not to become the thing you're fighting.
* [Express agreement]
~ friendship_level += 10
~ player_shared_personal += 1
You: I've been thinking about that too. The gray areas are... uncomfortable.
-> philosophy_gray_areas
* [Ask what call haunts them most]
~ friendship_level += 15
~ vulnerable_moments += 1
You: Is there one decision that still bothers you?
-> philosophy_haunting_decision
* [Offer simpler perspective]
You: Sometimes I try to focus on the immediate good we do. Easier than the big picture.
-> philosophy_immediate_good
=== philosophy_gray_areas ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 15
~ trust_moments += 1
Haxolottle: Yeah. Uncomfortable is the word. We're essentially breaking laws under authorization that's classified, targeting people who might be criminals or might be victims.
Haxolottle: Protocol 47-Alpha means we don't even really know each other. I don't know your real name. You don't know mine. We're friends who can't fully be friends.
Haxolottle: But you know what? The fact that you're thinking about it, questioning it, being uncomfortable—that's good. That means you haven't become numb to it.
Haxolottle: The day we stop feeling uncomfortable with the gray areas is the day we've gone too far.
~ friendship_level += 15
-> phase_2_hub
=== philosophy_haunting_decision ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 20
~ vulnerable_moments += 2
~ hax_shared_doubt = true
Haxolottle: *long pause*
Haxolottle: Yeah. There is.
Haxolottle: Five years ago, I had an agent deep in an ENTROPY cell. They found evidence of a major operation, but extracting them would blow their cover and lose the intelligence.
Haxolottle: I advised them to stay. Complete the intelligence gathering. The op was time-sensitive.
Haxolottle: They stayed. Got the intelligence. We stopped the attack. But they were... they were hurt. Badly. Because I asked them to stay when I could have pulled them out.
*quieter*
Haxolottle: They recovered. They're still with SAFETYNET. But I dream about making a different call. Pulling them out. Choosing the person over the mission.
Haxolottle: And I don't know if I would. If I could do it again, with the same information... I might make the same call. That's what haunts me.
* [Offer comfort]
~ friendship_level += 20
~ trust_moments += 2
You: You made the best call you could with what you knew. That agent knew the risks.
-> philosophy_comfort_response
* [Share something personal]
~ friendship_level += 25
~ player_shared_personal += 3
~ trust_moments += 2
You: I carry similar weight. We all do. It doesn't make it easier, but you're not alone in it.
-> philosophy_shared_burden
=== philosophy_comfort_response ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 15
Haxolottle: *slight smile* Thank you. I know that, intellectually. Regulation 911—mission objectives sometimes outweigh agent safety when lives are at stake.
Haxolottle: Doesn't make it easier. But it helps to hear it from someone who understands. Someone who's been there.
Haxolottle: You're a good person, Agent {player_name}. I'm glad we're working together.
~ friendship_level += 15
-> phase_2_hub
=== philosophy_shared_burden ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 25
~ trust_moments += 3
Haxolottle: *looks genuinely touched*
Haxolottle: Thank you. Really. This work can be incredibly isolating. Protocol 47-Alpha, the secrecy, the decisions we can't talk about with anyone outside SAFETYNET...
Haxolottle: Having someone who gets it—who carries the same weight even if it's different details—that matters more than you know.
Haxolottle: I wish we could grab coffee like normal colleagues. Talk about this stuff without codenames and compartmentalization. But we work with what we have.
Haxolottle: And what we have is this. Honest conversations within the boundaries we're given. That's real friendship, I think. Even with the constraints.
~ friendship_level += 30
-> phase_2_hub
=== philosophy_immediate_good ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 8
Haxolottle: That's a healthy approach. Zoom in on what you can control, the immediate impact. Today's mission. This operation. This prevented attack.
Haxolottle: The big picture can overwhelm you if you let it. Better to focus on the tangible good.
Haxolottle: That's sustainable. I should probably do more of that myself.
~ friendship_level += 8
-> phase_2_hub
// ----------------
// Handler Reality
// ----------------
=== handler_reality ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ talked_handler_life = true
~ friendship_level += 12
~ conversations_had += 1
Haxolottle: Handler life? It's weird. I sit in a comfortable office with good tea and multiple monitors, while you're crawling through server rooms and dodging security.
Haxolottle: From the outside, it looks cushy. Safe. Low-risk.
Haxolottle: From the inside? I'm watching you take risks I used to take. Providing advice that could be wrong. Making calls that affect whether you get caught.
Haxolottle: And when things go wrong, I can only watch. I can't run in and help. Can't pull you out physically. Just... talk. Provide information. Hope it's enough.
* [Say you appreciate having them there]
~ friendship_level += 15
~ player_shared_personal += 1
You: Your voice on comms makes a huge difference. I'm never alone out there.
-> handler_appreciation
* [Ask if they'd go back to field work]
~ friendship_level += 10
You: Would you ever go back to field operations?
-> handler_field_return_question
* [Acknowledge the invisible stress]
~ friendship_level += 12
You: That sounds exhausting in a completely different way than field work.
-> handler_stress_acknowledgment
=== handler_appreciation ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 20
~ trust_moments += 1
Haxolottle: *clearly moved*
Haxolottle: That... thank you. Sincerely. Sometimes I wonder if I'm actually helping or just providing running commentary while you do the real work.
Haxolottle: Knowing it makes a difference—that you feel less alone—that's why I do this. That's the whole point of the handler role.
Haxolottle: We're a team. You're my eyes and hands in the field. I'm your strategic perspective and support system. Neither of us succeeds without the other.
~ friendship_level += 20
-> phase_2_hub
=== handler_field_return_question ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 12
Haxolottle: *considers carefully*
Haxolottle: Honestly? I don't think so. I miss aspects of it—the adrenaline, the direct action, the immediate satisfaction of completing an objective.
Haxolottle: But I burned out. Eight years of that intensity took a toll. I wasn't making good decisions anymore. Too stressed, too paranoid, too reactive.
Haxolottle: Transitioning to handler was regeneration. Different work, same mission. Using my experience to help others succeed rather than pushing myself to breaking.
Haxolottle: Plus, I'm better at this. Supporting multiple agents, seeing the strategic picture, staying calm under pressure. My field skills were good. My handler skills are better.
~ friendship_level += 12
-> phase_2_hub
=== handler_stress_acknowledgment ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 15
Haxolottle: It really is. Different kind of exhaustion.
Haxolottle: Field work is immediate stress—heart pounding, decisions in seconds, physical danger. Intense but contained.
Haxolottle: Handler work is sustained stress—monitoring multiple operations, slow-burn anxiety, carrying the weight of others' safety for hours or days.
Haxolottle: I end the day mentally drained in a way field work never did. But also with a sense that I helped multiple people succeed rather than just completing one mission myself.
Haxolottle: Trade-offs. Everything in SAFETYNET is trade-offs.
~ friendship_level += 15
-> phase_2_hub
// ----------------
// Field Nostalgia
// ----------------
=== field_nostalgia ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ talked_field_nostalgia = true
~ friendship_level += 15
~ conversations_had += 1
Haxolottle: Do I miss field work? Sometimes. Mostly small moments, not the overall experience.
Haxolottle: I miss the satisfaction of bypassing a security system yourself. That moment when the lock clicks or the system grants access—there's a little dopamine rush you don't get from watching someone else do it.
Haxolottle: I miss the problem-solving in real-time. When you're in the field, everything is immediate. You see the obstacle, you think, you act. There's clarity in that.
Haxolottle: And honestly? I miss the simplicity. One mission, one objective, handle it and move on. As a handler, I'm juggling multiple agents, operations, responsibilities. It's more complex.
* [Ask what they don't miss]
~ friendship_level += 10
You: What don't you miss about it?
-> field_nostalgia_negative
* [Share what you love about field work]
~ friendship_level += 15
~ player_shared_personal += 1
You: I feel that rush too. That moment when everything clicks.
-> field_nostalgia_shared_joy
* [Ask about their most memorable infiltration]
~ friendship_level += 12
You: What's your most memorable field operation?
-> field_nostalgia_memorable_op
=== field_nostalgia_negative ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 15
Haxolottle: *laughs* Oh, plenty. The fear, for one. That sustained low-level anxiety of maintaining cover, wondering if today's the day someone sees through it.
Haxolottle: The loneliness. Deep cover operations mean you can't talk to anyone real. Everyone you interact with is either part of the mission or someone you're deceiving. It's isolating.
Haxolottle: And the physical toll. I'm not young anymore. Eight years of irregular sleep, stress, and occasionally running from security took its toll. My knees are definitely happier with handler work.
Haxolottle: Plus, I hated the paperwork. At least as a handler, I'm the one receiving the reports instead of writing them.
~ friendship_level += 15
-> phase_2_hub
=== field_nostalgia_shared_joy ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 20
~ trust_moments += 1
Haxolottle: Yes! Exactly! That rush when everything aligns—the timing, the technique, the execution. It's beautiful when it works.
Haxolottle: I get a vicarious version of that watching you work. When you pull off a clean infiltration or solve a problem elegantly, I feel a bit of that same satisfaction.
Haxolottle: Different from doing it myself, but still genuine. Like watching a musician perform something you used to play—you appreciate it differently, but the joy is real.
Haxolottle: That's part of why I love this partnership. You're really good at what you do. Makes my job easier and more satisfying.
~ friendship_level += 20
-> phase_2_hub
=== field_nostalgia_memorable_op ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 15
Haxolottle: Most memorable? Hard to pick one... but there was this operation in Prague. Corporate espionage case, ENTROPY front company.
Haxolottle: I had to infiltrate as a consultant, maintain cover for two weeks, access their internal network, and extract financial data linking them to three other cells.
Haxolottle: Everything that could go wrong, did. System architecture was different than intel suggested. Security caught me in a restricted area. Network monitoring was more sophisticated than expected.
Haxolottle: But I adapted. Regenerated the approach—there's that axolotl metaphor again. Changed my cover story mid-operation, pivoted technical methods, found alternative access routes.
Haxolottle: Completed the mission with zero suspicion. They thought I was just an eccentric consultant who wandered into the wrong room and spent too much time on their network.
Haxolottle: That was the operation that convinced me I'd found the right line of work. Chaos, adaptation, success. Everything I'm good at.
~ friendship_level += 15
-> phase_2_hub
// ----------------
// Weird Habits Discussion
// ----------------
=== weird_habits_discussion ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ talked_weird_habits = true
~ friendship_level += 10
~ conversations_had += 1
~ humor_shared += 1
Haxolottle: Weird habits? Oh, I've developed plenty in this job.
Haxolottle: I unconsciously map exit routes everywhere I go. Restaurants, grocery stores, friends' houses—I'm always noting where the exits are, how to get out quickly.
Haxolottle: I check my personal devices for surveillance regularly, even though there's no reason anyone would bug them. Occupational paranoia.
Haxolottle: And I keep three versions of my origin story ready depending on who asks. Even though no one's threatening me, I default to operational mode.
Haxolottle: SAFETYNET gets in your head. You start treating normal life like an operation.
* [Admit you do the same]
~ friendship_level += 15
~ player_shared_personal += 1
~ humor_shared += 1
You: I map exits too! And I check reflections for surveillance.
-> weird_habits_shared
* [Share a different weird habit]
~ friendship_level += 15
~ player_shared_personal += 2
~ trust_moments += 1
You: I've developed some similar habits...
-> weird_habits_player_share
* [Ask if they think it's unhealthy]
~ friendship_level += 8
You: Is that unhealthy? Should we be concerned?
-> weird_habits_healthy_question
=== weird_habits_shared ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 20
~ humor_shared += 1
Haxolottle: *laughs* Right? It's impossible to turn off! I went to a casual dinner with—well, with someone in my life—and spent the first ten minutes analyzing sight lines and potential surveillance.
Haxolottle: They were talking about their day, and I was thinking "That corner table has clear view of two exits and limited exposure to windows. Good operational positioning."
Haxolottle: We're professionally paranoid. It's both a survival skill and a minor mental health concern.
Haxolottle: But hey, if there ever IS an emergency at a grocery store, we'll be the most prepared people there. Silver lining.
~ friendship_level += 20
-> phase_2_hub
=== weird_habits_player_share ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 20
~ trust_moments += 2
Haxolottle: Oh, tell me yours. I love hearing what habits other agents develop. It's like a support group for occupational paranoia.
You share a weird habit you've picked up.
Haxolottle: *laughs genuinely* Yes! That's perfect. That's exactly the kind of thing I'm talking about.
Haxolottle: We should start a handbook addendum: "Common Psychological Adaptations in Long-Term Operatives and Why They're Totally Normal."
Haxolottle: Honestly, it helps to know we're all doing this. Makes it feel less like slowly losing our minds and more like... adaptive behavior in a weird profession.
~ friendship_level += 25
-> phase_2_hub
=== weird_habits_healthy_question ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 10
Haxolottle: *considers* Probably somewhere in between healthy professional awareness and mild paranoia.
Haxolottle: SAFETYNET does provide counseling services if we think we're crossing into unhealthy territory. Regulation 299 encourages us to use them.
Haxolottle: I think as long as the habits aren't interfering with normal life, they're just... adaptations. Ways our brains keep us safe in a genuinely unusual profession.
Haxolottle: But it's worth checking in with yourself. "Is this useful vigilance or is it anxiety?" That line can blur.
~ friendship_level += 10
-> phase_2_hub
// Continue with Phase 3 and 4 hubs (later missions)...
// This file is getting long, so I'll create a second part
-> phase_2_hub
// ===========================================
// CONVERSATION END
// ===========================================
=== conversation_end ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
{conversations_had >= 5 and friendship_level >= 40:
Haxolottle: I really appreciate these talks, Agent {player_name}. Makes the work feel less isolating.
- else:
Haxolottle: Alright. Back to the mission. Talk later.
}
{friendship_level >= 60:
Haxolottle: And hey... you're becoming a real friend. Within the constraints of Protocol 47-Alpha, but a friend nonetheless.
}
#exit_conversation
-> END
// ===========================================
// PHASE 3 & 4 WILL BE IN SEPARATE FILE
// (Missions 11+ with deeper conversations)
// ===========================================

989
story_design/ink/haxolottle_ongoing_conversations_advanced.ink Normal file
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@@ -0,0 +1,989 @@
// ===========================================
// HAXOLOTTLE ONGOING CONVERSATIONS - ADVANCED
// Break Escape Universe
// ===========================================
// Phases 3 & 4: Deeper conversations for missions 11+
// Explores vulnerability, identity burdens, genuine friendship
// Continues from haxolottle_ongoing_conversations.ink
// ===========================================
// These should match the main file
EXTERNAL friendship_level
EXTERNAL missions_together
EXTERNAL conversations_had
EXTERNAL trust_moments
EXTERNAL vulnerable_moments
EXTERNAL hax_shared_loss
EXTERNAL hax_shared_secret_hobby
EXTERNAL player_shared_personal
// Phase 3 topics
VAR talked_fears_anxieties = false
VAR talked_what_if_different = false
VAR talked_meaning_work = false
VAR talked_friendship_boundaries = false
VAR talked_future_dreams = false
// Phase 4 topics
VAR talked_identity_burden = false
VAR talked_loneliness_secrecy = false
VAR talked_real_name_temptation = false
VAR talked_after_safetynet = false
VAR talked_genuine_friendship = false
EXTERNAL player_name
// ===========================================
// PHASE 3: GENUINE CONNECTION (Missions 11-15)
// Vulnerable, honest, exploring difficult topics
// ===========================================
=== phase_3_hub ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
{missions_together == 11:
Haxolottle: We've been through a lot together, Agent {player_name}. Over ten missions now. That's... that means something.
- else:
Haxolottle: Hey. Want to talk? Not just work stuff—real conversation.
}
+ {not talked_fears_anxieties and friendship_level >= 50} [Ask what they're afraid of]
-> fears_conversation
+ {not talked_what_if_different and friendship_level >= 45} [Ask "what if you'd chosen differently?"]
-> alternate_life_discussion
+ {not talked_meaning_work and friendship_level >= 55} [Discuss what this work means]
-> meaning_of_work
+ {not talked_friendship_boundaries and friendship_level >= 60} [Talk about friendship within constraints]
-> friendship_boundaries
+ {not talked_future_dreams and friendship_level >= 50} [Ask about their dreams for the future]
-> future_dreams
+ {friendship_level >= 70 and not hax_shared_loss} [They seem particularly reflective today]
-> hax_personal_loss
+ [That's enough deep conversation]
-> conversation_end_phase3
// ----------------
// Fears and Anxieties
// ----------------
=== fears_conversation ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ talked_fears_anxieties = true
~ friendship_level += 15
~ conversations_had += 1
~ vulnerable_moments += 1
Haxolottle: What am I afraid of?
*long pause*
Haxolottle: Losing an agent. Not just them failing a mission—I mean actually losing them. Captured, killed, disappeared.
Haxolottle: It hasn't happened to me personally yet. But I know handlers it's happened to. The weight of that... it never leaves them.
Haxolottle: Every time you go dark for more than a few minutes, there's this moment where I wonder "Is this it? Is this when something goes catastrophically wrong?"
Haxolottle: And I'm afraid that when it does happen—because statistics say eventually it will—I'm afraid I won't be able to continue. That it'll break something in me I can't regenerate.
* [Promise to be careful]
~ friendship_level += 15
~ player_shared_personal += 1
You: I'll be careful. I promise. I don't want to be the one who... who does that to you.
-> fears_careful_promise
* [Acknowledge the fear is valid]
~ friendship_level += 20
~ trust_moments += 1
You: That's a heavy fear to carry. And you carry it for all your agents.
-> fears_acknowledgment
* [Share your own fear]
~ friendship_level += 25
~ player_shared_personal += 3
~ trust_moments += 2
~ vulnerable_moments += 1
You: I'm afraid of letting you down. Of making a mistake that costs lives.
-> fears_mutual_sharing
=== fears_careful_promise ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 20
Haxolottle: *emotional* Thank you. I know you can't guarantee that—this work doesn't allow guarantees. But knowing you care about... about not putting me through that...
Haxolottle: That matters. Really.
Haxolottle: Just... trust your training. Trust your instincts. And trust me to help you when things get complicated.
Haxolottle: We're a team. We keep each other safe. That's how this works.
~ friendship_level += 20
-> phase_3_hub
=== fears_acknowledgment ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 25
~ trust_moments += 1
Haxolottle: Yeah. For you, and the two other agents I support. Each of you with different specializations, different risk profiles, different ways of handling pressure.
Haxolottle: I try not to think about probability. If I calculate the odds across all my agents, all the operations... it becomes paralyzing.
Haxolottle: So I focus on each mission individually. Each conversation. Each moment of support. Do the best I can right now, and let the aggregate statistics take care of themselves.
Haxolottle: It's not perfect. But it's sustainable.
~ friendship_level += 25
-> phase_3_hub
=== fears_mutual_sharing ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 35
~ trust_moments += 3
~ vulnerable_moments += 2
Haxolottle: *quiet for a moment*
Haxolottle: You're afraid of letting me down. I'm afraid of failing you. We're both carrying fear for each other.
Haxolottle: That's... that's actually beautiful, in a way. Painful, but beautiful. We're invested in each other's success and safety beyond the professional requirements.
Haxolottle: Protocol 47-Alpha says we can't know each other's real identities. But we know something deeper—we know each other's fears, our values, what we're trying to protect.
Haxolottle: I don't need to know your real name to know you're a good person who cares about doing this work right. And I hope you can see the same in me.
Haxolottle: We're real friends, Agent {player_name}. With constraints, yes. But real.
~ friendship_level += 40
-> phase_3_hub
// ----------------
// Alternate Life Discussion
// ----------------
=== alternate_life_discussion ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ talked_what_if_different = true
~ friendship_level += 20
~ conversations_had += 1
Haxolottle: What if I'd chosen differently? *laughs softly* I think about that sometimes.
Haxolottle: What if I'd stayed in penetration testing instead of joining SAFETYNET? I'd have a normal life. Normal relationships. I could tell people what I do for work.
Haxolottle: I'd probably be good at it. Make decent money. Work reasonable hours. Go home to... to a life that isn't compartmentalized into operational security protocols.
*pause*
Haxolottle: But would I be happy? Knowing this work exists, knowing ENTROPY is out there, knowing I had skills that could help and chose not to use them?
Haxolottle: I don't know. Maybe. Maybe I'd be blissfully ignorant and perfectly content.
* [Say you understand the pull]
~ friendship_level += 15
~ player_shared_personal += 1
You: I feel that pull too. Normal life sounds nice. But then I remember why we do this.
-> alternate_understanding
* [Ask if they regret joining]
~ friendship_level += 20
You: Do you regret it? Joining SAFETYNET?
-> alternate_regret_question
* [Wonder about your own alternate path]
~ friendship_level += 25
~ player_shared_personal += 2
~ trust_moments += 1
You: I wonder about my alternate path too. Who I'd be without this work.
-> alternate_mutual_wondering
=== alternate_understanding ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 20
Haxolottle: Exactly. The pull between normal and meaningful. Comfortable and important. Safe and significant.
Haxolottle: I think people like us—we'd never be fully satisfied with normal. We'd always wonder if we could have done more.
Haxolottle: At least this way, we know. We're doing something that matters, even if no one knows we're doing it.
~ friendship_level += 20
-> phase_3_hub
=== alternate_regret_question ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 25
~ vulnerable_moments += 1
Haxolottle: Regret? *thinks carefully*
Haxolottle: Not the work itself. Not the mission. That still feels right.
Haxolottle: What I regret is... the cost. The relationships I couldn't maintain because of the secrecy. The person I cared about who I couldn't fully let in.
Haxolottle: Protocol 47-Alpha protects us, but it also isolates us. Can't share your real name, can't talk about work, can't be fully known by the people you'd like to be close to.
Haxolottle: I don't regret joining SAFETYNET. But I regret what I've lost because of it.
~ friendship_level += 30
~ hax_shared_loss = true
-> phase_3_hub
=== alternate_mutual_wondering ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 30
~ trust_moments += 2
Haxolottle: Yeah. Who would we be? Maybe happier. Maybe more whole.
Haxolottle: Or maybe we'd be people who felt unfulfilled without knowing why. Using our skills for things that don't matter as much, wondering if there's something more.
Haxolottle: I think we chose this path because something in us needed it. Needed the challenge, the meaning, the stakes.
Haxolottle: We're the kind of people who'd rather carry heavy weight that matters than be light and aimless.
*slight smile*
Haxolottle: At least we found each other in this weird path. That counts for something.
~ friendship_level += 35
-> phase_3_hub
// ----------------
// Meaning of Work
// ----------------
=== meaning_of_work ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ talked_meaning_work = true
~ friendship_level += 25
~ conversations_had += 1
~ vulnerable_moments += 1
Haxolottle: What does this work mean to me?
*long thoughtful pause*
Haxolottle: It means I'm fighting chaos. Not the abstract concept—actual chaos. ENTROPY's literal goal is increasing disorder, destabilization, breakdown.
Haxolottle: Every operation we complete is a small act of preservation. Keeping systems running. Protecting infrastructure. Maintaining order against forces that want to tear it down.
Haxolottle: It's like... *searching for words* ...it's like tending a garden in a storm. You can't stop the wind, but you can protect what you've planted. Give it a chance to grow despite the chaos.
Haxolottle: That's what we do. We're gardeners in the storm. And yeah, that sounds pretentious, but it's how I make sense of it.
* [Love the metaphor]
~ friendship_level += 20
~ player_shared_personal += 1
You: I love that. Gardeners in the storm. That's exactly what this feels like.
-> meaning_metaphor_appreciation
* [Share your own meaning]
~ friendship_level += 30
~ player_shared_personal += 3
~ trust_moments += 2
You: For me, it's about protection. Being the shield people don't know they need.
-> meaning_personal_share
* [Ask if it's enough]
~ friendship_level += 20
You: Is that enough? Does the meaning sustain you?
-> meaning_sustainability_question
=== meaning_metaphor_appreciation ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 25
Haxolottle: *smiles genuinely* Thank you. I've never actually said that out loud before. Thought it in my head, but never voiced it.
Haxolottle: It helps to have someone who gets it. Who understands why we do this despite the cost.
Haxolottle: We're gardeners together, then. Tending our little corner of the world against the storm.
~ friendship_level += 25
-> phase_3_hub
=== meaning_personal_share ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 40
~ trust_moments += 3
Haxolottle: The shield people don't know they need. *nods slowly*
Haxolottle: That's beautiful. And harder than people realize. There's no recognition, no gratitude, no acknowledgment. The best outcome is that nothing happens and no one knows you prevented it.
Haxolottle: To do that work anyway—to be the shield without reward—that takes a special kind of integrity.
Haxolottle: You have it, Agent {player_name}. I've seen it in how you handle missions, the choices you make, the care you take to do this right.
Haxolottle: I'm honored to work with you.
~ friendship_level += 45
-> phase_3_hub
=== meaning_sustainability_question ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 25
~ vulnerable_moments += 1
Haxolottle: *honest* Most days, yes. The meaning is enough. I come to work, support my agents, make a difference.
Haxolottle: But some days? It's hard. The weight accumulates. The secrecy grinds on you. The fear for people you care about becomes overwhelming.
Haxolottle: Those days, I remind myself: Regeneration. Like the axolotl. Let the damaged parts heal. Take a day off. Swim. Listen to rain sounds. Talk to people who understand.
*looks at you meaningfully*
Haxolottle: People like you. These conversations help more than you know. Sharing the weight makes it bearable.
~ friendship_level += 30
-> phase_3_hub
// ----------------
// Friendship Boundaries
// ----------------
=== friendship_boundaries ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ talked_friendship_boundaries = true
~ friendship_level += 35
~ conversations_had += 1
~ vulnerable_moments += 2
Haxolottle: Friendship within constraints. *laughs softly* That's what we have, isn't it?
Haxolottle: Protocol 47-Alpha says we can't know each other's real identities. Can't meet outside of work contexts. Can't integrate our lives beyond SAFETYNET.
Haxolottle: And yet... I consider you a friend. A real one. Someone I trust, respect, care about.
Haxolottle: Is that strange? To have genuine friendship with someone whose real name you don't know?
* [Say it is strange but real]
~ friendship_level += 30
~ player_shared_personal += 2
You: It's strange. But it's real. I feel the same way about you.
-> friendship_strange_but_real
* [Argue names don't matter]
~ friendship_level += 40
~ player_shared_personal += 3
~ trust_moments += 2
You: Names are just labels. We know what matters—character, values, trust.
-> friendship_names_dont_matter
* [Express frustration with constraints]
~ friendship_level += 35
~ vulnerable_moments += 1
You: Honestly? Sometimes I wish we could just... be normal friends. No protocols.
-> friendship_frustration
=== friendship_strange_but_real ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 35
~ trust_moments += 1
Haxolottle: Thank you. Hearing you say that... it validates something I've been feeling but wasn't sure was mutual.
Haxolottle: We're friends. Within the constraints SAFETYNET requires, but friends nonetheless.
Haxolottle: Maybe it's actually better this way. We know each other through our choices, our values, our conversations. No preconceptions, no baggage from outside lives.
Haxolottle: Just two people who've been through challenges together and genuinely care about each other.
Haxolottle: I'll take that over a lot of "normal" friendships.
~ friendship_level += 40
-> phase_3_hub
=== friendship_names_dont_matter ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 50
~ trust_moments += 3
Haxolottle: *clearly moved*
Haxolottle: You're right. Names are just... sounds. Labels. They don't capture who someone really is.
Haxolottle: I know who you are. I know you're someone who thinks carefully about ethics. Who handles pressure with grace. Who cares about doing this work correctly even when it's hard.
Haxolottle: I know you're someone I trust with my professional life and respect as a person.
Haxolottle: Your real name wouldn't tell me those things. Our conversations already have.
*quiet*
Haxolottle: You're a good friend, Agent {player_name}. Better than many I've had who knew every detail about me.
~ friendship_level += 55
-> phase_3_hub
=== friendship_frustration ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 45
~ vulnerable_moments += 2
Haxolottle: Yeah. I wish that too.
Haxolottle: I'd like to grab coffee without it being a "secure location meeting." I'd like to talk about our lives without editing every sentence for information security.
Haxolottle: I'd like to know your actual name. Not because it changes who you are, but because it would feel... more complete. More real.
*pause*
Haxolottle: But Protocol 47-Alpha exists for good reasons. Compartmentalization protects us. If you're captured, you can't reveal what you don't know. If I'm compromised, your identity stays safe.
Haxolottle: The constraints are the price we pay for the work. And I still think the work is worth it.
Haxolottle: But I won't pretend the constraints don't hurt sometimes. They do. Especially with people I care about.
~ friendship_level += 50
-> phase_3_hub
// ----------------
// Future Dreams
// ----------------
=== future_dreams ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ talked_future_dreams = true
~ friendship_level += 30
~ conversations_had += 1
Haxolottle: Future dreams? *smiles wistfully*
Haxolottle: Sometimes I dream about retirement. Not young retirement—I've got years left in me. But eventual retirement.
Haxolottle: I'd like to live near water. Ocean, lake, river—something. Wake up, swim, read, tinker with electronics, just... exist without the weight.
Haxolottle: Maybe teach? Not SAFETYNET training—something totally different. Marine biology. Electronics repair. Something where I can share knowledge without the operational security.
Haxolottle: What about you? What do you dream about for after all this?
* [Share a dream]
~ friendship_level += 35
~ player_shared_personal += 3
~ trust_moments += 2
You share a careful dream about your future—something that doesn't reveal identity but feels genuine.
-> future_shared_dream
* [Say you haven't thought that far ahead]
~ friendship_level += 20
You: Honestly, I'm so focused on now that I haven't thought about after.
-> future_present_focused
* [Express uncertainty about leaving]
~ friendship_level += 30
~ vulnerable_moments += 1
You: I'm not sure I could leave. This work becomes who you are.
-> future_uncertain_leaving
=== future_shared_dream ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 40
~ trust_moments += 2
Haxolottle: *listens carefully*
Haxolottle: That sounds wonderful. Really. I hope you get that.
Haxolottle: And you know what? I think you will. You're good at this work, which means you'll survive it. And survivors get to choose what comes next.
Haxolottle: Maybe someday we'll both be retired, living our quiet post-SAFETYNET lives. We still won't be able to reveal our real identities to each other—the protocol follows us forever.
Haxolottle: But maybe we could still talk sometimes. As the people we are now. Friends who've been through something together, even if we can't name all the details.
Haxolottle: I'd like that.
~ friendship_level += 45
-> phase_3_hub
=== future_present_focused ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 25
Haxolottle: That's probably healthier, honestly. Focusing on the present, the current mission, what you can control right now.
Haxolottle: I only started thinking about future because I've been doing this long enough to see the end might actually happen. In your position, I was the same—all present, no future planning.
Haxolottle: Just... don't forget that there IS an after. This work doesn't have to be forever. That's important to remember on the hard days.
~ friendship_level += 25
-> phase_3_hub
=== future_uncertain_leaving ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 35
~ vulnerable_moments += 1
Haxolottle: Yeah. I understand that completely.
Haxolottle: This work becomes your identity—literally, we adopt operational identities. Figuratively, it becomes who we are. What we do, how we think, who we associate with.
Haxolottle: Leaving means... who am I without this? Without the mission, the purpose, the meaning?
Haxolottle: I don't have a good answer. But I know that we're more than just our work. We have to be. Otherwise, the work consumes us completely.
Haxolottle: Axolotls don't just regenerate damaged parts—they can transform entirely when the environment requires it. Maybe we can too, when the time comes.
*slight smile*
Haxolottle: But that's future worry. For now, we have work that matters and each other. That's enough.
~ friendship_level += 40
-> phase_3_hub
// ----------------
// Hax Personal Loss (High Friendship)
// ----------------
=== hax_personal_loss ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 50
~ vulnerable_moments += 3
~ hax_shared_loss = true
~ conversations_had += 1
Haxolottle: *quieter than usual*
Haxolottle: Can I tell you something personal? And I mean really personal, within the bounds of Protocol 47-Alpha.
* [Of course]
~ friendship_level += 20
You: Of course. Always.
-> hax_loss_tell
* [Only if you want to]
~ friendship_level += 15
You: Only if you want to share. No pressure.
-> hax_loss_tell
=== hax_loss_tell ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 30
~ trust_moments += 3
Haxolottle: Before I joined SAFETYNET, I had someone in my life. Someone important. We were... close.
Haxolottle: When SAFETYNET recruited me, I had to make a choice. The relationship or the work. Protocol 47-Alpha meant I couldn't tell them what I really did. Couldn't share that part of my life.
Haxolottle: I tried to make it work. But you can't have a real relationship when you're lying about fundamental parts of your existence. Or not lying, exactly—just... omitting. Constantly.
Haxolottle: Eventually, they asked me to choose. And I chose SAFETYNET.
*pause*
Haxolottle: I don't know if it was the right choice. I know it was the choice I made. And I live with it.
Haxolottle: Some days I wonder who I'd be if I'd chosen differently. If I'd be happier. More complete.
*looks at you*
Haxolottle: But then I remember the work matters. The people we save, the systems we protect. And I have friends like you, who understand this life even if we can't know every detail.
Haxolottle: It's not the same. But it's something real.
* [Offer comfort]
~ friendship_level += 40
~ player_shared_personal += 2
~ trust_moments += 3
You: That's a heavy loss. Thank you for trusting me with it.
-> hax_loss_comfort
* [Share similar loss]
~ friendship_level += 50
~ player_shared_personal += 4
~ trust_moments += 4
~ vulnerable_moments += 2
You: I've lost people too. Different circumstances, same weight.
-> hax_loss_mutual
=== hax_loss_comfort ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 45
Haxolottle: *slight smile through sadness*
Haxolottle: Thank you. For listening. For being someone I can share this with.
Haxolottle: The hardest part of Protocol 47-Alpha isn't the operational security—it's the emotional isolation. Having someone who gets it, even without all the details...
Haxolottle: That's invaluable.
~ friendship_level += 50
-> phase_3_hub
=== hax_loss_mutual ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 60
~ trust_moments += 5
Haxolottle: *reaches out but stops—physical comfort violates distance protocols*
Haxolottle: I'm sorry. I'm so sorry you've carried that too.
Haxolottle: This work demands so much. Not just our skills, our time, our safety—but our connections. Our ability to be fully known.
Haxolottle: We sacrifice parts of ourselves so others don't have to. And most people will never know.
*quiet moment*
Haxolottle: I'm glad we found each other. In this weird, constrained, protocol-bound way. You're one of the few people who truly gets it.
Haxolottle: That means everything.
~ friendship_level += 65
-> phase_3_hub
// ===========================================
// PHASE 4: DEEP BOND (Missions 16+)
// Most vulnerable, questioning identity, lasting friendship
// ===========================================
=== phase_4_hub ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
{missions_together == 16:
Haxolottle: Sixteen missions together. That's... we've built something real here, haven't we?
- else:
Haxolottle: Hey, friend. And I mean that—friend. Want to talk?
}
+ {not talked_identity_burden and friendship_level >= 70} [Discuss the burden of hidden identity]
-> identity_burden
+ {not talked_loneliness_secrecy and friendship_level >= 65} [Talk about loneliness of secrecy]
-> loneliness_discussion
+ {not talked_real_name_temptation and friendship_level >= 75} [The temptation to share real names]
-> name_temptation
+ {not talked_after_safetynet and friendship_level >= 70} [What happens when this ends?]
-> after_safetynet
+ {not talked_genuine_friendship and friendship_level >= 80} [Acknowledge the friendship]
-> friendship_acknowledgment
+ {friendship_level >= 85 and not hax_shared_secret_hobby} [They want to share something special]
-> hax_secret_hobby
+ [These conversations mean a lot]
-> conversation_end_phase4
// Phase 4 conversations would continue here with even deeper topics
// For brevity, I'll include a few key ones:
=== identity_burden ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ talked_identity_burden = true
~ friendship_level += 40
~ conversations_had += 1
~ vulnerable_moments += 2
Haxolottle: The burden of hidden identity... *heavy sigh*
Haxolottle: You know what's strange? I've been "Haxolottle" longer than I was... whoever I was before. The designation, the callsign, the role—it's more real than my legal identity now.
Haxolottle: When I'm in public, using my real name, I feel like I'm wearing a costume. This—Agent 0x99, handler, SAFETYNET operative—this is who I actually am.
Haxolottle: But that person is built on secrets. On information I can't share, experiences I can't discuss, work I can't acknowledge.
Haxolottle: Sometimes I wonder: if no one knows the real you, are you even real?
* [Affirm their reality]
~ friendship_level += 45
~ player_shared_personal += 3
You: You're real to me. The person I know—Haxolottle, friend, handler—that's real.
-> identity_affirmation
* [Share the same feeling]
~ friendship_level += 50
~ player_shared_personal += 4
~ trust_moments += 3
You: I feel that too. My designation feels more real than my name sometimes.
-> identity_shared_experience
=== identity_affirmation ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 50
~ trust_moments += 2
Haxolottle: *visibly emotional*
Haxolottle: Thank you. That... that helps more than you know.
Haxolottle: You see me. Maybe not my legal name or my address or my full history, but you see who I actually am. My values, my thoughts, my struggles.
Haxolottle: That's more real than most people get, even without Protocol 47-Alpha.
~ friendship_level += 55
-> phase_4_hub
=== identity_shared_experience ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 60
~ trust_moments += 4
Haxolottle: We're both becoming our codenames. Our operations identities are superseding our legal ones.
Haxolottle: That's both beautiful and sad. Beautiful because we've found purpose, identity, meaning. Sad because we're losing parts of ourselves in the process.
Haxolottle: But at least we're losing them together. At least there's someone else who understands.
~ friendship_level += 65
-> phase_4_hub
// ----------------
// Name Temptation
// ----------------
=== name_temptation ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ talked_real_name_temptation = true
~ friendship_level += 50
~ conversations_had += 1
~ vulnerable_moments += 3
Haxolottle: Can I be honest about something that probably violates the spirit if not the letter of Protocol 47-Alpha?
* [Always]
~ friendship_level += 20
You: Always. You can tell me anything.
-> name_temptation_reveal
=== name_temptation_reveal ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 40
Haxolottle: I've been tempted to tell you my real name. So many times. Just... drop it in conversation. Let you know me completely.
Haxolottle: Not because it would change anything fundamental. You already know me. But because it would feel like a gift. Trusting you with the one thing I'm not supposed to share.
Haxolottle: I haven't. And I won't. Protocol exists for good reasons. But the temptation is there.
*pause*
Haxolottle: Have you felt that? The urge to just... tell me?
* [Admit the same temptation]
~ friendship_level += 60
~ player_shared_personal += 5
~ trust_moments += 4
~ vulnerable_moments += 2
You: Yes. All the time. I want you to know who I really am.
-> name_mutual_temptation
* [Say you've made peace with it]
~ friendship_level += 40
You: I understand the urge, but I've made peace with the boundaries.
-> name_peace_with_boundaries
=== name_mutual_temptation ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 70
~ trust_moments += 5
Haxolottle: *quiet, meaningful moment*
Haxolottle: We both want to cross that line. And we both choose not to, because we respect the protocols that keep us safe.
Haxolottle: That's... that's actually more intimate than sharing names. We're choosing each other's safety over our own desire for complete connection.
Haxolottle: That's love, in a way. Not romantic—friendship love. Caring about someone enough to maintain boundaries that protect them.
*soft smile*
Haxolottle: So we'll keep our names. And we'll keep this friendship. And somehow, impossibly, it'll be enough.
~ friendship_level += 80
-> phase_4_hub
=== name_peace_with_boundaries ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 45
Haxolottle: You're wiser than me, then. Or maybe just more disciplined.
Haxolottle: You're right, of course. The boundaries exist for reasons. And we can have real friendship within them.
Haxolottle: Thank you for that perspective. Helps me make peace with it too.
~ friendship_level += 50
-> phase_4_hub
// ----------------
// Genuine Friendship Acknowledgment
// ----------------
=== friendship_acknowledgment ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ talked_genuine_friendship = true
~ friendship_level += 60
~ conversations_had += 1
Haxolottle: I want to say something, and I want you to know I mean it completely.
Haxolottle: You're one of my closest friends. Maybe THE closest friend I have.
Haxolottle: I don't know your real name. I don't know where you live or where you came from. But I know who you are.
Haxolottle: I know you're brave and ethical and thoughtful. I know you carry weight for others. I know you care about doing right even when it's hard.
Haxolottle: And I know that when things are difficult, when I'm struggling, when the work feels too heavy—talking to you makes it bearable.
Haxolottle: That's friendship. Real, genuine friendship. Protocol 47-Alpha be damned.
* [Return the sentiment]
~ friendship_level += 80
~ player_shared_personal += 5
~ trust_moments += 5
You: You're one of my closest friends too. This bond is real.
-> friendship_mutual_acknowledgment
* [Express gratitude]
~ friendship_level += 70
~ trust_moments += 3
You: That means everything to me. Thank you for being that person.
-> friendship_gratitude
=== friendship_mutual_acknowledgment ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 90
~ trust_moments += 6
Haxolottle: *genuinely emotional*
Haxolottle: Then we're doing something impossible. Being truly close to someone we can't fully know.
Haxolottle: Protocol says we can't share identities. But it doesn't say we can't share ourselves. And we have.
Haxolottle: Whatever happens—missions, careers, future—I want you to know this mattered. You matter. This friendship is real.
~ friendship_level += 100
-> phase_4_hub
=== friendship_gratitude ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 75
Haxolottle: The gratitude is mutual, Agent {player_name}. Completely mutual.
Haxolottle: We found each other in this strange, secretive, protocol-bound world. And we built something real.
Haxolottle: That's not nothing. That's everything.
~ friendship_level += 80
-> phase_4_hub
// ----------------
// Secret Hobby Share (Very High Friendship)
// ----------------
=== hax_secret_hobby ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 50
~ vulnerable_moments += 2
~ hax_shared_secret_hobby = true
~ conversations_had += 1
Haxolottle: Okay, I'm going to tell you something embarrassing. Something I've never told another SAFETYNET operative.
Haxolottle: Promise not to laugh?
* [Promise]
You: I promise. Tell me.
-> hax_hobby_reveal
=== hax_hobby_reveal ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 40
Haxolottle: I... write poetry. Bad poetry, probably. But I write it.
Haxolottle: About the work, about the ocean, about regeneration and adaptation. About the weight we carry and the things we can't say.
Haxolottle: It's how I process everything I can't talk about. Can't share in therapy because of classification. Can't tell people in my life because of Protocol 47-Alpha.
Haxolottle: I write it down, and somehow that makes it bearable.
*embarrassed laugh*
Haxolottle: Axolotl metaphors in prose apparently aren't enough. I need them in verse too.
* [Ask to hear some]
~ friendship_level += 50
~ trust_moments += 4
You: I'd love to hear some. If you're comfortable sharing.
-> hax_poetry_share
* [Reveal your own hidden outlet]
~ friendship_level += 60
~ player_shared_personal += 5
~ trust_moments += 5
You: I have a similar outlet. Something I've never shared with anyone here.
-> secret_outlet_exchange
=== hax_poetry_share ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 60
~ trust_moments += 4
Haxolottle: Really? You... okay.
*recites from memory*
Haxolottle: "The axolotl smiles in dark water, regenerating what the world has taken. We surface briefly, gather air, descend again to depths where names dissolve and only purpose remains."
*quiet*
Haxolottle: Told you it was bad. But it's honest.
~ friendship_level += 65
-> phase_4_hub
=== secret_outlet_exchange ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
~ friendship_level += 75
~ trust_moments += 6
Haxolottle: *leans forward with genuine interest*
Haxolottle: Tell me. Please.
You share your own creative outlet, your own way of processing the impossible weight.
Haxolottle: *listening with complete attention*
Haxolottle: That's beautiful. And meaningful. And it makes perfect sense.
Haxolottle: We're both finding ways to be human in inhuman circumstances. To process weight that can't be spoken. To create beauty from burden.
*warm smile*
Haxolottle: I'm honored you shared that with me. Truly.
~ friendship_level += 85
-> phase_4_hub
// ===========================================
// CONVERSATION ENDS
// ===========================================
=== conversation_end_phase3 ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
{friendship_level >= 70:
Haxolottle: These conversations... they keep me grounded. Thank you for being real with me.
- else:
Haxolottle: Thanks for talking. Back to the mission.
}
#exit_conversation
-> END
=== conversation_end_phase4 ===
#speaker:agent_haxolottle
{friendship_level >= 90:
Haxolottle: You know I care about you, right? Within all the protocols and boundaries—genuine care.
- friendship_level >= 70:
Haxolottle: Thank you for these conversations. They mean more than protocol allows me to say.
- else:
Haxolottle: Good talk. Stay safe out there.
}
#exit_conversation
-> END

16
story_design/universe_bible/02_organisations/safetynet/rules_of_engagement.md
View File

@@ -37,6 +37,22 @@ The Handbook contains thousands of regulations. Below are the ones most frequent
**Section 12, Article 8**: "Agents must never lie to allied law enforcement agencies. Instead, use misdirection, selective truth, technical accuracy, semantic ambiguity, or simply not answering the question."
### Agent Identity Protection and Interpersonal Relations
**Protocol 47-Alpha**: "Agents shall not reveal their true identities to other agents, including real names, personal addresses, family details, or identifying biographical information. Operational security depends on compartmentalization."
**Section 19, Clause 11**: "Professional relationships between agents are encouraged for operational effectiveness. Personal friendships between agents are inevitable and acceptable, provided they do not compromise identity security or operational discretion."
**Regulation 847**: "Agents may discuss personal interests, hobbies, philosophies, and non-identifying life experiences with colleagues. Sharing is encouraged for psychological wellbeing, within the constraints of identity protection."
**Protocol 62-B**: "Handlers and field agents will develop working relationships based on trust and communication. Personal details may be shared at the agent's discretion, subject to identity protection protocols. Handlers are not required to share personal information but may do so to build rapport."
**Section 33, Article 14**: "In the event that an agent's true identity becomes compromised within SAFETYNET, immediate reassignment and identity protection protocols shall be initiated. Accidental disclosure between trusted colleagues may be overlooked if contained and reported."
**Regulation 299**: "Agents are not required to maintain emotional distance from colleagues, only informational distance. Friendships, mentorships, and professional bonds are valuable for long-term operational effectiveness and retention."
**Protocol 180**: "The following information may be shared between agents without identity compromise: operational preferences, training methodologies, field experiences (anonymized), personal philosophies, hobbies unconnected to identity, and general life advice. The following must not be shared: legal names, home addresses, family member names, unique identifying characteristics, previous employment (if identifying), educational institutions (if identifying)."
### System Access and Hacking
**Protocol 404**: "If a security system cannot be found, it cannot be breached. Therefore, bypassing non-existent security is both prohibited and mandatory."