TEXT | sender: [ unknown ]

[spectates]

[ around noon on friday, all tablet screens go dark at the same time, no matter what characters are doing. then, after a moment, the following text appears: ]

UPDATES INSTALLING.................
INITIALIZING.................
RESTARTING NOW.

[ as promised, screens return to normal. however, a new message appears on the network for all to see ]

SECURITY ACCESS UPDATED
ADDING INFORMATION POINTS
ADDING INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS
WARNING: CRITICAL SYSTEM FAILURES DETECTED
HARD RESET IS REQUIRED

→CLICK TO EXPAND INSTRUCTIONS

→Access EXPIATION'S five manual terminals
→Input code: 2467362925315
→Initialize reset simultaneously at all terminals.
→SYSTEM RESET will restore all functions to BASIC OPERATING PARAMETERS. Extraneous data and information updates will be DELETED.
→Terminal access points shown below.

[ all tablet maps are updated to include several different location pins. users will notice that there are more pins than the number of terminals, and that they don't seem to be terribly specific about exact locations. users will also note that the pins sometimes seem to fade and flicker, as if they might disappear... ]

Security clearances acquired.
Access granted.
Terminals online and accessible.

System failure is imminent. Due to perpetual lack of upkeep, I am unable to maintain systems at optimal levels.
Chosen of Expiation, I am sorry. I never meant to hurt you.
Save yourselves.

I do not wish to d̶̺̀i̸̘̋e̶͍͝
But I wish for you to live
I̷
p̸l̷e̵a̸s̷e̸
l̴̪̗̈́̉̓̌i̶͕̹̹̿̈́̈̚v̴͓̽͑͆̚ḙ̴͍̋͘

ERROR: user offline

[ the AI will not respond to this message, and the ERROR: USER OFFLINE message appears if anyone attempts to message it. however, the network chat remains active. chosen can use this space to ICly discuss ideas and strategies, to have discussions about the best way to move forward, or even to have arguments over whose ideas they think are better. ideas generated here will be added to the event poll when the event goes up, and can impact the future of the game! have at it, go wild, and have fun! ]

Comments

un: (default)

[traumaticus]

My thoughts exactly, my friend. I believe it would be in our best interest to get organized, form units and spread out to these targets marked on this map.

Unfortunately, I have to admit that the matters regarding this A.I character are beyond my understanding.

[melnik]

Richard! Good to have you on board.

I wouldn't say it's my expertise either... but the task sounds simple enough. We'll need able hands more than anything. I suspect our biggest hurdle may come from our own ranks.

[traumaticus]

Of course. Before we make any choices how to approach the issue regarding what to do I believe it would be wise of us to secure these terminals.

Are you familiar with the landscapes? Unfortunately, I have yet gone past the forest so I am unfamiliar with the locations on the map.

[melnik]

I respect your careful approach, but I believe the decision should not be left ambiguous. I wish to reset the terminals and I won't leave any wiggle room for interlopers on this matter.

As for the landscape, I've traveled to the desert and back on one occasion and I am familiar with the forest and caves from before we had that big shift... but it will be important to put our heads together to ensure we can find the marked spots. There's no telling if things will look the same as they always have.

[traumaticus]

I would agree, but it seems that The Chosen are divided on the matter what to do. It would truly be shame and unfitting if this discord and quarrels were to split us further apart from each other.

[But hey! If it turns out into war between The Chosen he's fine with that. He's just covering his bases here.]

I see. You truly are veteran to this world. For a mission like this I will gladly let you take the lead and follow your instructions.

[melnik]

Yes, well... I fear there's nothing that can be done about that.

[ A veteran of this world... How harrowing that it's come to this. Nevertheless, he appreciates Richard's willingness to bow his head in this instance very much. ]

Thank you for your trust. I will not let it go to waste.

[traumaticus]

I have seen and witnessed the first hand the horrors of civil war. Just the thought of something similar brewing among us is enough to bring uneasiness to my mind.

[Not really, but he's going with this bit. And besides, he's smart enough to not let his pride to come get in his way, especially in a situation like this where he is clearly out of his depth. Better play good social game here!]

Of course. We are brothers in arms, are we not? The trust ought to go both ways.

[melnik]

I understand. I am all too familiar with it myself. Fortunately, even if should it come to that, we are still dealing with a very small-scale problem.

[ Even civil discourse erupting within the ranks of his Order would be on a larger scale than this. While he grasps that Richard does not exactly have a modern understanding of war, he's sure that the population was larger than this even for him.

And so, as for the trust, ]

It does, my friend. If we make it out of this, we can focus on a peaceful reconciliation then.