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

private;

[laserguy]

They're my teammates.

[Future teammates? X-Men from a different timeline?? However, Scott doesn't elaborate on those details. Maybe he should, but... it's hard to forget what Rogue said to him. She sounded so lost, unsure about stuff. She really needed his help.]

...More so, I'm their leader. [Sort of, but he doesn't want to sound uncertain about it. Not now. Besides, he does trust Rogue and Morph, especially since they said they're willing to do this for him.] And they said they'd fight for me because I asked them to.

I know they won't go back on that.

private;

[melnik]

[ Okay... this is interesting. When he first met Rogue, it was because of Scott that he already understood her concept of what a mutant was. So it turns out that their connection is no mere coincidence.

But a kid like him leading a woman like her? ]

What do you mean you're their leader?

[ He can't help but ask—but ultimately, he doesn't want to miss the forest for the trees either. ]

If you're vouching for them, then I will accept it... but just know that I will be looking to you if things go awry. Keep the lines of communication open.

[laserguy]

I'm the leader of the X-Men. We're... that's what we call ourselves, a group of mutants working together to help others. Save the world, that kind of thing.

[He at least sounds mostly certain about that. It's probably not good if keeps on sounding unsure in front of others, right? Besides, it's what Morph and Rogue want of him, at least right now.]

I understand, Colonel. If something happens with them... I'll take full responsibility. I know I'm asking you to trust me on this.

[He appreciates it.]

[melnik]

[ So that's the connection. As ridiculous as it sounds from the outside, he's probably heard fifty more ridiculous things by now. In which case... so be it. ]

Very well. Good luck out there. We will meet again when this is all over.