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

voice; un:curtaincall

[endcaller]

Your concern has merit, I would love nothing more than to break free of our hallucinatory prison.

Consider, however, that further deterioration of the AI might kill us all. You would not crash an airship while you were still on it, would you?

[He says that with an amused chime in his voice.]

How terrible that would be!

[mightymorphin]

I know you're worried, Dan. You keep talking about how you think we're going to die.

But do you know that for sure? If we're real people in a simulation, how is shutting it off going to hurt us? If we can find a way fast enough, we might not have to deal with the AI for that much longer.

[endcaller]

[He doesn't know for sure, but if they kill the AI he will never get the chance to study its secrets.]

If we are wired into the beast then its destruction could cause us long-term brain damage.

And if it sustains us then our forceful physical removal might kill us.

[That is how it works for Binding Coils, anyway.]

Think of my caution as.... a desire to right this vessel and fly straight for a safer landing. If you will allow me to return to my previous metaphor.

[mightymorphin]

[There's a brief pause before they say,]

You might not be wrong, but unless we can find a gentle way to eject ourselves really fast, we might lose our opportunity here.

That AI isn't here to help us, or else it'd flat-out release us from the simulation. It's going to be our new jailer. It's going to keep whatever experiment we're wired into going, and so far that's been pretty bad even before the glitches.

[endcaller]

Ah, but the lovely thing about AIs is that they can be manipulated in ways a man's mind cannot.

If it will not help us, we make it help us.

[mightymorphin]

And if you can't pull it off, Dan? How much longer are we going to be trapped in here? We're like rats in a maze! If this is going to be our only chance, I think we oughta be swinging big.

[endcaller]

Normally I would think the same.

However, if I am correct in my theory that we are trapped in a binding coil "swinging big" is not our best option. Coils quickly become lethal the more you attempt to brute-force them.

A more delicate approach is in order.

[mightymorphin]

I don't know anything about binding coils, or how we could figure out if shutting it down would really do that to us.

Without proof one way or the other, we gotta agree to disagree on this one.

cw: idk even, fandaniel shit

[endcaller]

So it would seem.

But if your endeavor to destroy the very force governing this world kills us all, well...

I suppose I will not be around to be upset with you....

[At this, he emits a giggle that rings tight with dark emotions. Joyless, strained.]

Ahahahaha!

My great destiny is traversing from one apocalypse to another it seems.

[He blows out a breath, emptying his lungs before more giggling can sweep over him. Well, if this world is destroyed and everyone dies he can't say he'll care much. He'll only feel the frustration of dying with unanswered questions.]

And so it goes.

If I am to finally die in all this then make it memorable, hm? Make it hurt.

[mightymorphin]

I... I'm not suggesting this to hurt anyone, Dan.

[Though now they're awfully concerned that they might've just shoved Fandaniel's mental state closer to the edge of a cliff.]

We're going to get through this. We're going to come out the other side and we'll be fine.

[endcaller]

WRONG!

[He shouts.]

Some of us wish to better understand our situation and here you are proposing we simply take ourselves off life support and see what happens!

I understand the sentiment, mind you, but there is no feasible way we could do that and emerge "fine".

[mightymorphin]

[They're momentarily startled by the shouting, but then they come back with their own voice raised,]

Then prove it to me! Prove that we're really on life support and I'll drop the whole idea!

Not all of us want to stay here to understand it between the glitches screwing with everyone and whatever else is out there messing with our heads!

[endcaller]

If I could prove it, my theory would be a certainty.

[He hums.]

How lonely it is, being a scientist on this star. How few of you possess curiosity!

...Do you remember what you said when you saved me from the path of that meteor strike? You said you would need my help to get home, that I was one of the "smart" ones. Where has that faith gone?

[mightymorphin]

We don't have the luxury to be curious right now! It's either taking the chance we have to escape, or sitting here and letting the simulation do whatever it wants with us.

You're afraid, Dan. That's the problem. If you want to talk about faith, you're the one here that's unwilling to take the leap.

1/2

[endcaller]

[At this accusation, Fandaniel's giggling becomes a full throated cackle.]

AHA-HAHAHAHA!

[Yes, he is unwilling to take the leap. Memories flash across his mind of dropping into the cradle of Zodiark. His leap to end the world.]

2/2

[endcaller]

[The cackle subsides as quickly as it came, his voice returning to its usual airy lilt.]

I cannot so easily abandon my curiosity but I'll tell you what: Should your path seem the wiser I shall join you in destroying this infernal machine.

[By which he means if it seems like the world is shutting down and people are dying he'll do his best to make everything worse. Then, in his mind, permanently better.]

Until then, I must learn what I can.

[mightymorphin]

[Morph absolutely recoils from their device when the cackling starts. Like wtf Dan?]

... Sure, okay. As long as you're considering the idea, I'll take it.