audio; un: spartan

[melnik]

[ It has been a couple of weeks now since the successful reset of the terminals. Now, the same voice that was heard trying to rally them all to that task, tired and thick with a Slavic accent, has come to speak over the network once again. ]

Greetings, my friends. Miller here. First of all, I wanted to thank everyone who assisted in our efforts to restore this place to its former self. If it was not for all your cooperation, I am certain things would have gone very differently. It is thanks to all of you that we are still alive.

[ He's proud, really. The change from when he first arrived in this place has been immense. ]

Which is why it is my hope that we can keep this spirit of camaraderie going. There has already been a lively discussion of the visions we encountered at the terminals. Now that it has become clear that there is truly no safe space to hide from the prying eyes of the "Council," I wish to propose a forum for us all to continue sharing information.

[ The creation of the Dark Web was an innovation, to say the least... but can one even really call that secure when the entire world they live in is simulated? Where he's concerned, it's time to be forthright. ]

Allow me to begin with this. I was summoned to the courtroom. Yes – the courtroom. I only recall the inside of the building, but I presume it's one and the same as the new structure in the city center. I have been part of this experiment for eight months now and it is my first time seeing this Jerry face to face. But I can't be the only one who, up until now, seemed to have forgotten that he even existed? So, please... I would like to hear all of your thoughts.

I don't know about all of you, but I didn't try to save that artificial intelligence because I wanted to go back to putting my head in the sand!

( ooc: so long as it's cool with both parties, feel free to threadjack to discuss amongst yourselves! )

Comments

[melnik]

[ Good man. He can get behind that. And moreover, he highly values these insights. It may be a working theory, but it's far better than anything he would be able to come up with.

Miller still manages to sound frustrated by this conclusion. ]

That's what everyone is saying. "It will take time." But if that's the perspective of our brightest minds here, then let's just hope we have enough of it. I don't see that we have any other choice.

[ It isn't personal, of course. Men of action don't tend to do well with idle hands. ]

In the meantime, if there's anything I can do to help you maintain your workspace, just say the word.

[finalfrontiersman]

[ It's a shot in the dark, or at the very least, a dimly lit hallway. Even after all this, the number of things they don't know vastly eclipse the things they do know. It's territory Jim's used to navigating - you don't set out to explore uncharted space if you're that uncomfortable with the unknown - but here in Aldrip, it's much more malevolent. Space wasn't trying to kill you; it was incidental. Here, Jim isn't sure he can say the same. ]

Workin' like our hide's on fire sure doesn't hurt.

[ Miller reminds Jim of the brass - the tough, no-nonsense, get-it-done attitude type. He likes that kind of energy; God knows they need it desperately, when shit goes sideways. ]

Thanks, I appreciate it. Keeping an eye out for anything unusual while we try to crack open the data we downloaded is the horse I'm betting on. Once we start getting somewhere, I have my doubts they'll let us get very far without attempting to interfere.

[ They from the department of Them. ]

[melnik]

[ It's true. Eight months in and the things he knows are few and far between. They just keep going off of a working theory and hoping for the best, every investigative mind here. But if nothing else, it does at least give Miller the smallest reassurance that people like Jim, Spock, and Root are on the case. It's too far outside of his wheelhouse, even he has to admit. ]

Yes, I imagine you're right. Even now, the very world we're living in seems to have changed to limit our search. I just hope we haven't stuck our foot too far up our ass with this one...

[ It seemed like the right thing to do — the only thing to do — at the time. But what now? ]

I'll be on the lookout. If all goes well, I'll have something to report soon.

[finalfrontiersman]

Definitely, it's not subtle. The return of the Council isn't an accident, either. [ Miller already knows this, Jim is sure, but it bears repeating. They were utilized as a distraction technique, and Jim hated just how effective it was - it hadn't been good, his disappearance and subsequent reappearance. It had the desired effect, the panic it had induced - goddamn them. ] Though frankly, I have to wonder if there is one. I only saw Jerry.

Up the creek without a paddle is where I do my best work. [ The humor in Jim's voice is companionable - he's reasonably sure Miller's seen his fair share of FUBAR situations. ] Copy that. Maybe we should circle up every couple weeks or so, make a habit of it.

[ It might end in frustration, with nothing new to report - but Jim's trying to be optimistic, here. ]