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

[nightwild]

I'm striking at the points I know will break this place.

This world shouldn't exist. I'm not going to let it poke in my brain until whatever is "me" is gone. So there's only one action I can take.

[followyourstar]

I'm not so sure about that.

Just to make sure I understand your plan correctly, you plan on breaking the terminals because you think that will break the simulation, right?

[nightwild]

Either that, or it'll stop people from fixing it. Same thing.

[followyourstar]

Maybe. But when people talk about "breaking" the simulation, I'm not so sure they mean physically. There's not anything to smash in here that's not already being broken by the whole thing falling apart, right?

So, if they want to break it... They might actually need those terminals to do what you want.

[nightwild]

Then they'd better explain that fast, because I'm sick of waiting around for these assholes who know so much to feel I'm worthy of being graced with their explanation.

[followyourstar]

Hey, hold on! I don't think it's about that! There are just other things to consider, that's all.

Some of those terminals look pretty far away, and I don't *think* I've seen any cars. And if you're going to be that long, you need to make sure you bring some food for the trip there. ...That kind of thing.

[nightwild]

Oh, that.

... I wish I had a bike.

I can fly, and get pretty far that way, at least.

[followyourstar]

[oh thank goodness they thought they lost her there]

Then that's something you can help out with, right? If you're able to carry people as you go, maybe you can offer to take them where they need?

[nightwild]

Why would I do that? As far as I'm concerned, everyone who wants to do the reset is my enemy.

[followyourstar]

That's a bit harsh...

Um, anyway. What I meant was you could bring over people who want to use the terminals to break the system. Or something like that.

[nightwild]

And? Are you one of those?

[followyourstar]

[ah crud.]

I guess you could say I'm team "whatever doesn't kill me?"

[nightwild]

Staying here will kill you. More than anything else, it'll kill what makes you "you".

[followyourstar]

Mm, maybe.

[As far as they're concerned, there's not much of "them" to begin with.]

I guess for me... There's always a chance I might find something of myself down the line if I'm still alive. Or maybe someone will be able to snap me out of it. But when you're dead... that's it.

[nightwild]

That's not a risk I'm willing to take. If you're dead, that's it, but if this place makes you think you want to be here, then that's worse than the end.