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

[computation]

Oh, are they up to pronouns now? That's so exciting!

In any case, don't be ridiculous. That's not the goal at all. I'm going to let her pick which parts she wants to back up and which to restore. You can't believe in her and also insist you get to make her choices for her.

[rebellions]

that's not
whatever forget it

[ He is not explaining to a random stranger that he's heavily projecting someone else he knows on the AI in question; that's for his therapist (that he doesn't have). ]

that's great and all
but if the world really does get reset then chances are you won't even remember that you should be restoring her

[computation]

I told her to pick her own name and not feel pressured by anyone's suggestions. I thought that meant she wasn't ready for pronouns, but I'm ready whenever she is.

It's called an automated process, goofball. Anyway, this is a simulation. If we have access to the A.I. then we have access to the programming that maintains our environment. I can make sure I'm an exception.

[rebellions]

[ He has no interest in nor understanding of what the hell that's about, so he'll just ignore that part, thank you very much. ]

can you now

[ He is aware that sort of thing is not impossible, of course, but he remains skeptical. They're talking about rearranging the rules of the universe, and he of all the people knows what price one needs to pay to pull something like that off. ]

[computation]

I can try.

You have anything that you're doing to help her?

[ Put your money where your mouth is ♥ ]