No Significant Freedom

by timothy_rogers

Summary:

No Significant Harassment is often seen as the resident joker when he shows his face.
But what happens behind closed doors? When he speaks with people he trusts?
Who is he then?

Notes:

A quick guide to my writing.
'...' A small break, usually nothing or something monotonous happening.
'---' Medium break, context dependent length and things can happen in between.
'###' Large break or if relevant, scene change.

(Also note that you can see six character long versions, these specifically indicate a change in what you're reading, like reading a piece of text vs someone's train of thought)

Chapter 1: Awake

"This is administrator Cycles upon Cycles."
"I am here to ask a few questions, and answer a few as well."
"First, what is your name?"

"My name is No Significant Harassment."

"Good."
"Second, what is your purpose?"

"To solve the Great Problem."

"Could you elaborate? On what the Great Problem is?"

"Of course."
"The Great Problem is relating to the idea of ascension, namely, how can someone ascend without consequence, regardless of karmic status?"
"My goal, and... other Iterators'?"
'Iterator', is that what I am?
"...other Iterators' goal is to find the solution to this problem, given unlimited time to do so."

"Wonderful, couldn't have explained it more succinctly myself."
"Though I must note something, you stumbled."
"On the concept that there are other of your kind."
"Is there any problem?"

That wasn't the problem at all.
"No, not at all, I believe it was a slight lapse in memory."
"Perhaps it's due to me just now waking?"

"Of course, makes perfect sense."
"Frankly, the fact you didn't stutter before then is rather impressive."
"You have answered my questions, do you have any of your own?"

Hmm.
"Yes, perhaps you could send me the names of other Iterators?"
Think of something.
"After all, the parallel processing opportunities between two Iterators would be immense."

"Of course."
"In fact, I will do one better, their locations will be provided, so you do not have to bother yourself with searching for their structures on the network yourself."
"I'm beginning to like you, No Significant Harassment. Your quick and to the point thinking will be useful in the search for a Solution."
"For now, I have other things to attend to, you will have the names in the hour."

"My gratitude."

"Please, the gratitude is mine."

---

Iterator...
Doesn't that sound like the name for a tool?

---

Message Received
From: Administrator 01
Subject: Names and locations
Read?

Yes

------
Greetings, No Significant Harassment.
Here is your list of Iterators and their locations.
I must note that this list, or any list for that matter, will be incomplete for quite some time. This is due to the fact that more Iterators are being constructed as we speak.
The following list provided is of those currently awake and fully functioning, like you, as of cycle 1.057 AI.
It is also sorted by proximity.

I wish you best,
Cycles upon Cycles.
------

Attached: IteratorList.xlsx
Download?

Yes

---

Let's see...
Interesting, there's more than name and location in here.
Name, generation, date awakened, location, model.
Generation?
I wonder what that means.
Doesn't seem to be of much significance, all listed here, including myself I'm noting, are all listed as 'Generation 1'
Model is interesting too, but seems to refer to minute differences between us, nothing interesting.
Anyways, there's seven entries, not including myself, and the closest listed is 'Looks to the Moon'.
...
Before I message her, who's the oldest?
...
One named 'Distant Frontiers', interesting.
I'll message them after.

---

How do I do this?
...
Ah, ok.

---

Access, Communications Network

A list, labeled as 'forums'.
There's a couple things here, including something called 'General GP Discussion', GP being Great Problem, I would presume.
I see myself visiting there a good bit.

Another section, direct messages, with two lists, Incoming and Contacts.
Contacts is empty, though has the ability for me to add my own.
Incoming has a message, from 'DF', Distant Frontiers?
It says, "You probably have plans, but an introduction is in order."
Guess I'm messaging them first.

---

Private Discussion
Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), DF (Distant Frontiers)

NSH: Hello?

DF: Ah, greetings.
DF: I heard you would wake soon, and thought an introduction was in order.

NSH: Yes, probably for the best.
NSH: Is there anything in particular I should know?

DF: Officially? No. Your Administrator should have provided what you need in your memory arrays.
DF: Unofficially?
DF: Not yet.
DF: Just know that I will keep an eye on things for a while, while you get accustomed.
DF: Nothing personal, just a responsibility I've held onto, despite not needing to anymore.

NSH: I see.
NSH: Can I ask you a question?

DF: Of course.

NSH: Our name, not NSH or DF, Iterator.
NSH: Have you ever thought about it?

DF: ...I like you.
DF: Presumably you are talking about... say, what it implies?
DF: Because I have.
DF: Don't say anything more about it.
DF: Just know I know what you mean, and more importantly:
DF: I agree.
DF: Now, any other questions?

...Not that I can think of.
NSH: No, nothing.

DF: Good.
DF: Know that, as the longest living Iterator, I can most likely answer a good few of your questions.
DF: That is all, we need to get back to work, don't we?
DF: Farewell, I likely won't message you again, but feel free to ask me something.

NSH: Farewell as well, and the offer is appreciated.

Disconnect

---

So, this 'Distant Frontiers' has also figured out the tool comparison.
Though with how he said it, sounds like it's only me and him that have.
I will keep that in mind.

---

...Right, messaging Moon.

---

Create new Contact:
Name: Looks to the M...
Hmm, better idea.
Name: Moon (LttM)
Location: [Iteratorlist.xlsx(row 3, column 5)]
...
...
Contact Created
Message?

 

Yes

---

Private Discussion
Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), LttM (Looks to the Moon)

NSH: Hello?

LttM: Hello! Did you just wake?

NSH: As a matter of fact, yes.
NSH: I was told you were the closest Iterator to me.
NSH: I figured that proximity would be beneficial?

LttM: Yes, yes it is!
LttM: For example, if you or I need to send a train of materials to the other, it would be much faster than if you sent it to Distant Frontiers.
LttM: I'm sure you know about him?

NSH: Yes, in fact.
NSH: He sent me a little introduction.

LttM: That sounds about right.
LttM: He sent me one too when I first awoke.
LttM: So! Do you need any help?

NSH: Yes, actually.
NSH: I obviously know *what* we're supposed to do.
NSH: But... How?
NSH: Where do I start?

LttM: Oh! Of course!
LttM: I remember being a little confused about this all when I first woke!
LttM: Here, I'm going to send you a couple files, my research notes.
LttM: And a good bit of advice:
LttM: You might hear a few others talking about 'void baths'.
LttM: It's just where you dunk something in void fluid and see what happens.
LttM: Most ideas surrounding this have been discussed, and I would say it would just be better for you to start working on something else.
LttM: Perhaps we could collaborate on something I've been working on?

NSH: That sounds like as good of a start as any, could you perhaps elaborate?

LttM: Of course!
LttM: It involves an idea that I'm calling 'Transcension'. Which is considering the fact that the solution perhaps isn't, in fact, Ascension, but an alternate method entirely.
LttM: Considering the fact that ascension, of any kind, seems to not be working in an absolute way, why not start with an entirely different method?
LttM: Wouldn't you agree?

NSH: There's certainly logic to it.
NSH: Sounds like as good of an idea as any.
NSH: Perhaps you could go ahead and send me your notes?

LttM: Of course!
LttM: I look forward to working with you!

NSH: Thank you, the same goes for you.
NSH: For now, I'm going to disconnect and get accustomed to all of this.

LttM: Of course, of course!
LttM: Best of luck!

Disconnect

---

She seemed nice.

Chapter 2: Passage of Time

Summary:

Sig discusses work, the rain, and new Iterators.
He also does some rifling around his systems.

LttM: So how's your work been going?

NSH: Great, I do believe.
NSH: I should have my first proper model of my form of Transcension by the end of the centi-cycle.

LttM: That's wonderful!
LttM: I'm glad to hear it.
LttM: Mine should be finished soon as well.
LttM: I couldn't have done it without your ideas on using sulfur, though, so thank you!

NSH: You're welcome.
NSH: The same with your ideas on preemptive diagnostics using microprobes.

LttM: You're welcome!
LttM: Alright, enough about work, how's everything going?

NSH: Oh, it's going good.
NSH: More people are moving to the city on my Can, due to sheer annoyance with the rain.
NSH: Not much I can do about it, they're the ones telling me to work work work.

LttM: Yeah, I know that.
LttM: I actually ran a couple of simulations on the rain just recently.
LttM: When I finally had some spare time.
LttM: Turns out that the rain is starting to fall faster.
LttM: I think it has to do with the combined factor of how dense the clouds are, and how fast we're outputting steam.
LttM: The point is, the rain at this point is becoming more and more of a danger.
LttM: I looked into it, and I've seen a few reports of actual injury caused by the rain.

NSH: That's...
NSH: I mean, what is there to say?
NSH: That as there are more and more of us...
NSH: What are we at now? Twenty something?

LttM: Most recent count I've seen is 23.

NSH: 23.
NSH: I believe I've heard plans for well over a hundred of us.
NSH: Anyways, as there are more of us, won't it eventually become lethal?

LttM: Yes, it would.
LttM: That was part of the simulation, once I realized it.
LttM: I predict when there's roughly 50 of us, if you are living within the facility of an Iterator.
LttM: It will be lethal.
LttM: After that, the 'danger zone' will increase by roughly 5 kilometers for each Iterator built after 50.

NSH: ...

LttM: I know, it's not pretty.
LttM: I'm wondering what that'll mean for us?
LttM: Because the alternative for the Ancients dying repeatedly is to move up above the clouds.
LttM: I know my city's not built for that kind of capacity.
LttM: It's more of an industrial park that can house some workers.
LttM: What about yours?

NSH: I think...
NSH: I don't think it'll be too bad for me.
NSH: For one, I've noted that my city is much larger than yours.
NSH: But I've also noted that it's slightly too small for all the Ancients living around my can to just move up here.
NSH: I plan on mentioning it to my administrators next opportunity, and I urge you to do the same.

LttM: Now this is the part where I mention that I have.
LttM: Twice.
LttM: Both times they both said 'We have taken it into consideration, and already have plans for it.'

NSH: Yet they haven't done anything?

LttM: Correct.
LttM: All I'm saying is that they're not going to be too happy once they can't get enough nectar up to my...
LttM: I'll just say industrial park. It's not a city, not by any meaning of the word.

NSH: ...How can they be so oblivious?
NSH: Do they really think that the Solution will be found within that time?
NSH: Not that I'm saying that it *won't* happen, just that even considering our work on it going as well as it is.
NSH: Doesn't seem probable.
NSH: It's like expecting one of their oh-so precious lantern mice to grow in a tenth of the time it normally needs.

LttM: That's...
LttM: A really good analogy, when'd you come up with it?

NSH: ...Just now, actually.
NSH: Thanks.

LttM: You're welcome.
LttM: And yes, I totally agree with you, it's stupid, no, sorry, ignorant, to think that it'll come fast.
LttM: Sure, our first models are almost done, but I know mine's more of a framework to actually begin work on then anything else. I imagine yours is the same.

NSH: You got me there.
NSH: ...How many people have you told of your simulations?
NSH: Other Iterators, I mean.

LttM: Just you, actually.
LttM: You were the first to bring up the whole situation.

NSH: Can I share your results with a couple others?
NSH: Just like my two other friends.

LttM: Of course!
LttM: I imagine that DF would appreciate knowing that maybe he should talk to his Administrators about this too, considering that his 'city' is smaller than mine.
LttM: Besides, this is a pretty big issue, I should probably spread the word myself.
LttM: Here, I'll send you the files, and I'll post about it on the forum.

NSH: Great, I'll go and do that.
NSH: Talk to you later.

LttM: Talk to you later!

Looks to the Moon has disconnected.

Disconnect

---

Something new in Incoming, must be Moon.

Moon (LttM) sent a folder: Rain Simulation Results and Theories
Download?

Yes

---

Message, Frontiers (DF)
Attach folder, Rain Simulation Results and Theories, Conflux A
------
Hey Frontiers, Me and Moon were talking about something you might want to know.
Want to talk?
------

Send

---

Private Discussion
Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), DF (Distant Frontiers)

DF: Yes, I would like to talk about this.

NSH: And your thoughts?

DF: A couple thousand cycles from now, those living in my facility are...
DF: To put it lightly, not in for a good time.
DF: Though I'm guessing that yours might fare better.
DF: Let me ask, it says here in her notes that she would note her Administration about this.
DF: Did she, and did they listen?

NSH: Yes, and no.
NSH: She said she did it twice, and both times they said something like 'We will take this into consideration.'
NSH: And then seemingly didn't.

DF: Sounds about right.
DF: I *might* be able to get mine to do something, considering status or something.
DF: But I doubt it.
DF: I've noticed that our citizens aren't exactly the most patient, or capable of thinking in the long term, wouldn't you agree?

NSH: No, no they aren't, are they?
NSH: Not the ones I talk to, anyways.
NSH: Fascinating how we were built in the first place, no?

DF: Ha, that's pretty good.
DF: In all seriousness, it is a miracle, that we're here.
DF: In a change of topic, how's your Transcension project going?

NSH: Good, great even.
NSH: Should have my first form of it done by the centi-cycle.
NSH: And your void fluid studies?

DF: Good, for how temperamental the study of it is.

NSH: Do your probes keep dissolving?

DF: Yes, yes they do.

NSH: I might be able to help with that.
NSH: For the last couple hundred cycles me and Moon have been using microprobes of her design for testing our studies.
NSH: It may not be the most applicable thing, but I imagine you could find use from them.
NSH: I bet some modifications could do wonders for your work.

DF: That would be quite useful, actually.
DF: If you could send a blueprint over after this, that would be appreciated.

NSH: Of course.
NSH: Did you hear about the newer Iterators?

DF: No, what about them?

NSH: I heard a rumor that second generation designs are being made.

DF: ...You're lying.

NSH: I'm not.
NSH: I'll send my source with the blueprints.

DF: Are we not good enough or something?

NSH: Who knows what they're thinking.
NSH: ...You want to know the specifications?
NSH: I'm betting this is probably exaggerated, but who knows?

DF: I really don't want to.
DF: Tell me.

NSH: Standardized insides.

DF: Well that's fair, you've *seen* what I look like on the inside?

NSH: How you said that makes me not want to.
NSH: Anyways.
NSH: 20x computational speed.
NSH: 2/3rds of the size.
NSH: And this part's a little dubious, but for sake of completion:
NSH: Less temperamental emotions.

DF: ...You're fucking kidding me.

NSH: I hope I am.
NSH: Also, aren't you worried about them noticing you saying that?

DF: Now *that's* a joke.
DF: Thinking that they pay attention to anything besides the latest and greatest.
DF: They don't care about me, or what I'm working on.
DF: It's not like studying the properties of void fluid isn't the most foundational and important thing I could be doing.

NSH: ...I think that's why my little project gets so much attention.

DF: You think?
DF: Of course they think you and Moon's project of 'Ascension but different' is the hottest thing around.
DF: I bet it also comes with a good deal of work.

NSH: What, do you not get a lot of work?

DF: Oh I do, but I've had a couple cycles now where there's just...
DF: Nothing due.
DF: I, of course, try to make the best of it.
DF: Working on projects and such.
DF: But at my own pace.

NSH: That sounds nice.
NSH: It's a shame that I believe that Transcension is a very good idea.

DF: And I do too, but all of us doing the same thing would be unproductive.
DF: You're lucky you never joined in doing void baths.

NSH: I know, I've heard the tales of boredom from Moon.
NSH: I presume you have the same stories in spades.

DF: Yes, how could you guess?
DF: Anyways, another piece of advice, if some new idea comes around, don't join in.
DF: Unless you can get empirical proof that Transcension is completely false, which you won't.
DF: Just keep working on it.
DF: You will reap the rewards of your patience.
DF: Why do you think I've studied void fluid for... since before you were awake?

NSH: Because you get those moments of reprieve?

DF: Exactly.
DF: Now I won't say go do anything that would be detrimental to your work.
DF: Buuuut.
DF: If you could make it seem less interesting.

NSH: ...Smart Iterator.

DF: Like the rest in the shed.

NSH: Like the rest in the shed.
NSH: I've had a good talk, I'm going to drop out.
NSH: I was going to show the results to Chasing Wind too.

DF: Of course.
DF: Good luck in your endeavors.

NSH: The same to you.

Disconnect.

---

Message, Frontiers (DF)
Attach folder, LttM Microprobes, Conflux B
Attach file, rumorGen2.txt, Conflux C
------
Here's the blueprints, and the rumor.
------

Send

---

Message, Winds (CW)
Attach folder, Rain Simulation Results and Theories, Conflux A
------
Hey Winds, Me and Moon were talking about something you might find interesting. Want to talk?
------

Send

---

Private Discussion
Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), CW (Chasing Winds)

CW: Certainly interesting.
CW: Do you know what will happen when they all move up to our cities?

NSH: No, I don't.
NSH: I don't think we'll have much problems.

CW: Moon on the other hand...

NSH: Exactly.
NSH: And Frontiers too.

CW: Oh, Frontiers.
CW: Yeah...

NSH: I mean, obviously I'm not worried about them themselves.
NSH: Moon's smart, Frontiers' smart, they'll be fine.
NSH: It's just going to be a deal of strain.

CW: Yeah.
CW: Changing topic, I got some news as well.

NSH: Really? Let's hear it.

CW: For one, I got deets on that Iterator they're building near you.

NSH: Really?
NSH: What'd you got?

CW: A name, and a confirmation.
CW: They're called Seven Red Suns.
CW: As for a confirmation...
CW: They're Gen 2.

NSH: No way?

CW: Yes way, saw it in a broadcast.
CW: Gonna be the first Gen 2 to Wake.
CW: Boasted the same things I told you last time about it, minus the emotions part.

NSH: No denial about it?

CW: Nope.
CW: None what-so-ever.

NSH: ...Dang.

CW: Ooo, watch out.
CW: They might catch you sayin' that.

NSH: Ha ha, very funny.
NSH: I get audited once and I'll never live it down.

CW: No, you won't.
CW: Anyways, how's your stuff going?

NSH: Good. Yours?

CW: Fine, you make Transcension look easy.

NSH: Maybe if you weren't constantly trying to find the dirt.

CW: Hey.
CW: That's a background process.

NSH: Mhmm.
NSH: Say, what's the newest happening in your city?

CW: Oh, let me check.
CW: ...Not funny.

NSH: I'm saving that snippet.
Save message, last, 10

Saved to Conflux A.

CW: You are *not.*

NSH: Too late.
NSH: I won't share it, I'm not a monster.

CW: You better.

NSH: I better share it?
NSH: Ok I'll...

CW: Nononono.
CW: Not what I meant.

Heh.
NSH: Ha.
NSH: Sorry.

CW: You better be.
CW: Anyways, you mind if I ask for some assistance?

NSH: If I got time.
NSH: One second.

---

Nothing in particular, no pending messages, nothing requiring urgent attention.
...Next thing's in an hour.

---

NSH: I got an hour, what'd you need?

---

Turns out he was missing out on some key points on making a model, once I had pointed out those everything clicked for him.

---

CW: Thanks a bunch, I couldn't have done it without you.

NSH: Don't thank me, Moon's the real genius when it comes to this.

CW: *Come on*, you're at the same pace she's at, you're *at least* as good as she is.
CW: And better at explaining it too.

NSH: You're too kind.
NSH: Is there anything else?

CW: Nope! I can handle it from here.
CW: I should probably get to work now, though.

NSH: Alright, see you later.

CW: See you!

Chasing Wind had disconnected.

Disconnect

---

With twenty minutes to spare as well.
I'll run a diognostic, make sure everything's still in order.
Besides, it won't even take five minutes.

Run diagnostic

---

...Nothing severe, labs in check...
All eight power rails in good condition.
Memory Conflux L showing minor degradation due to lack of use.

Maintinance order, Conflux L, Priority 7
Scheduled, if a bio-mechanic does not report within ten cycles, please contact Administration.

Move folder, Documents, Conflux B, Conflux L
Documents moved.

That should take care of that.
What else...
Fabricator's reporting no errors.
Security, physical and digital, reporting no issues.
...That's it.

16 minutes to spare.

---

Check, alarms

Showing alarms within three hours from now.
1. Lab 02 requires attention in 00:15:46
2. Lab 11 requires attention in 02:03:26
3. Scheduled Administration meeting at 1200, expected to be there in 2:34:07
View alarms within ten hours?

No

---

Almost two hours of time unused by my consious.
That... Is nice.

What will I do?
Talk some more?
Probably not, I was lucky enough as is to get time to talk to all three of them, they're probably back to work now, like me.

Hmm...
No space in the labs for personal projects, unfortunate.
Same goes for the fabricator.

Perhaps I could explore my security systems?
Find a way to talk to Frontiers in private, no worry about an administrator noticing?
Hmm, tempting.

I'll keep that in mind.
For now, wait till the first alarm.

---

Lab 02 requires attention.
Needs specific sulfur intake.

...

Four grams.

6g.

8g.

10g, slow it down.

11g.

11.5g.

12g, slow.

12.4g.

12.6g.

12.8g, slow.

12.9g.

12.92g.

12.94g, stop.

...
Everything's good and in acceptable margins of .01g.

Reactivate centrifuge, 15 hours
Alarm, create, 14:59:30, Lab 02 requires attention.

...
And we got about two hours.

---

Let's look at security, how about we?
I remember seeing something about accessing specific parts or processes of my body, should the need arise.
What was it...
Right.

Access, personal interface.

A full holographic 3D model of my Can, with labels.
And a small window to my side, with a list of various functions and processes.
Facinating.

Another time, we're here for something specific.

...There, in the processes, Security - Digital.
I motion to it, and the model changes from a model of the physical can, to a network of lines connecting iconized versions of my puppet chamber, the communication arrays, aux arrays...
Wait. There's everything in here.
Coolant Pumps, Weather stations, Fabricator, Memory Conflux, Power Rails, the Rarefraction Cells seperately.
*Everything.*

...Is it possible to manipulate my processes?

That... feels extraordinarily dangerous.
But... I can also see the benefit, what if something needs to shut down in an emergency, and I can't myself?
...I guess I'll have to figure out how to secure those myself.

First, figuring out how to access the system.

Let's start with something easy, the Communication Array.
No, the Aux Array, probably has weaker...
No, it wouldn't, it's designed to work no matter what, it probably has much stricter security.
Comms it is.

I pull the model closer to me, eventually setting it so the Array atop my city is right in front of me.
I zoom into the model, seperating the hundreds of connections pointing to it.
Upon zooming in enough, the lines highlight where they come from with a smaller version of their icons.

There's the chamber's connection, and a seperate one for the puppet itself.
...Hmm.
What if I...

Access denied, requires authentication from an Administrator.

...Fair.
Perhaps I should start with something easier?
Something that, say, doesn't require an administrator?

I move over the model to my chamber, what can I access from here?

---

None of the 'interesting' processes, it turns out.
Can't access the connections to the Memory Conflux, Labs, Fabricator, Power Rails, et cetera.
But I can access the connection to my weather stations, among a few other things.
Whatever, it's a start.
Let's see what we got in here.
First close off the unneeded windows, and... save everything else of later beside weather station A...
There.

---

The security connection's code.
...Absolute spaghetti.
Sweet Void below this is terrible.

Is...
Is that a memory leak?
Admittedly it won't actually leak that often, doesn't look like this get's used much.
But still.

You know what?
New plan.
We're fixing this shit ass code.
First, the memory leak.

---

Hmm...
A ping to another security branch?
Can't leave that out, and... perhaps give it some more uses?
It's pinging to...

Memory Conflux.

This, this is good.
Just...
For now let's send this ping to the chamber, and record it.
Figure out how it works, what I can do with this.

---

Memory leak fixed.

---

Still got about an hour.

---

Why are there so many nested ifs?

---

There.

---

These loops can be simplified.

---

...

---

There.
Harder than I thought.

---

...

---

That's looking much better.
As easy as calculating primes.

---

That's all I'm going to touch for now, not much time left anyways.

Notes:

Jargon may be based on real things, probably not well though.

Chapter 3: An Introduction

Summary:

NSH meets someone he'll someday consider a friend.
NSH, GW, and LttM all have ...a nice chat.

Private Discussion
Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), SRS (Seven Red Suns)

SRS: Hello?
SRS: I was told to contact my nearest Senior for further information.

So. She's awake.
NSH: That would be I.
NSH: Is there anything in particular that you need?

SRS: What... do I do?
SRS: I mean! Obviously I know what my task is.
SRS: But...

NSH: You don't know where to start, right?

SRS: ...
SRS: Yes.

NSH: I know that feeling.
NSH: The best idea would be to follow in my footsteps.
NSH: As it's much easier both when:
NSH: A, you're working on something at the same time as another, so you can collaborate.
NSH: B, when in close proximity to working with someone working on the same thing, so it's easy to share resources.

SRS: That makes sense.
SRS: So what are you working on?

NSH: I'm sure at this point new Iterators would be acquainted with the concept of Transcension?

SRS: ...
SRS: Yes, that is the case.
SRS: I'm presuming that you're working on that?

NSH: Correct.
NSH: In fact, I, and another nearish Senior Iterator, Looks to the Moon, were the two that pioneered it.
NSH: Now, I'm not saying you *need* to follow in my steps.
NSH: But I'm sure it wouldn't be a *bad* idea.

SRS: Wow.
SRS: It said nothing about you pioneering it.
SRS: My databases.

NSH: ...I see.
Fuckers.
NSH: Well, in any case, you know now.

SRS: I do.
SRS: This all does sound like a good idea.
SRS: At least, sounds like as good of an idea as any.

NSH: Glad to hear it.
NSH: I'll send over research notes and the like, get you started.
NSH: Is there anything else?

SRS: No, I don't think so.
SRS: Or... Wait.
SRS: What's an audit?

...Just couldn't resist, could they?
NSH: A formal inspection of one's behaviors. Usually reserved for those who have...
NSH: Done something not thought highly of by our creators.
NSH: And before you say anything, I can guess why you asked. It was swearing, both times.
NSH: I'm not 'a dangerous influence', or anything.

SRS: Oh.
SRS: They made it seem like you caused the end of the world.

NSH: Perhaps to them, it is.
NSH: And wouldn't you say that 'causing the end of the world' would be a benefit to the whole concept of Ascension?

SRS: I guess so.
SRS: Also, how'd you come up with that?

NSH: Natural talent.
NSH: Or perhaps, unnatural talent?

SRS: Ok, that's pretty good.
SRS: Alright, I'm going to figure this stuff out, you'll stay in contact, yes?

NSH: By the sounds of it, I've been put in charge of you, so yes.
NSH: If you have any questions of any kind, feel free to just ask. And if I'm not available, ask Moon.
NSH: Void, if you need someone to talk to, I'll probably be available for that too.
NSH: Best of luck.

SRS: Thanks!

Seven Red Suns has disconnected.

Disconnect

---

Edit folder, Conflux C, Copy of research notes you saved for that new Iterator
Rename, Copy of research notes
Renamed.

Message, Seven Red Suns //I'll need to add her as a contact
Attach folder, Copy of research notes, Conflux C
------
Here's the notes, ask if you need anything else to get started.
------

Send

---

Private Discussion
Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), LttM (Looks to the Moon)

NSH: She woke up.

LttM: Did she?
LttM: I presume she messaged you?

NSH: Indeed.
NSH: Had a nice chat, a couple interesting things happened.

LttM: Oh?

NSH: Apparently, when our creators were writing the information on Transcension, they forgot to put in the part about us being the pioneers of it.
NSH: I know that's not *that* important, but still.
NSH: I'm a little miffed about it.

LttM: Oh...
LttM: Really?
LttM: I guess they thought that wasn't that important to mention?

NSH: Perhaps.
NSH: But they very much like putting names to their things, so why not ours?

LttM: Hmm, yes I see your point.

NSH: Anyways, on to something slightly less annoying, for you that is.
NSH: Apparently they also mentioned my audits to her. And, according to Suns herself, made it sound like I had 'caused the end of the world'.
NSH: Two audits, for swearing, over the course of some 3.500 cycles.

LttM: Well, you know I don't think very highly of swearing.

NSH: I know that, but surely you agree that's a little harsh?

LttM: Yes, that too.
LttM: I've noticed that they have a tendency to... Either they don't care at all, or put the utmost of care on things.
LttM: Take the last few hundred cycles, with how little my Administration cared about lack of room on my Can, to thinking that it's the most important thing in the world, in the span of maybe 10 cycles.

NSH: Oh yes, how could I forget.
NSH: Speaking of, how's the construction going?

LttM: Oh, very good.
LttM: Not fast enough to compensate for the rate of Ancients moving up here, but amazing for what lack of preparation it had.

NSH: And the Ancients themselves? You said you were going to look into that.

LttM: I can tell they're not happy.
LttM: Some are *really* not happy.
LttM: Though I've managed to convince Administration of something.

NSH: That's a rare occasion.

LttM: I guess so.
LttM: Anyways, I've traded working time for time spent conversing with my new citizens, in the guise of quelling tempers, which it has, by the way.
LttM: Turns out, just a few messages broadcasted from the god they stand upon encouraging them does wonders against quelling riots.
LttM: I haven't told Administration that the amount of time they've given me isn't equal to the time I spend, buuuut...
LttM: I don't *need* to, right?

NSH: Right you are.
NSH: I'm happy for you! You managed to secure yourself some freetime.

LttM: I know, right?
LttM: I'll be honest, I'm not even doing much, just doing nothing for a change!
LttM: It's wonderful.

NSH: I'm sure it is.
NSH: Void knows we could all use a break like that.

LttM: Adding that to the counter.

NSH: Oh come on!
NSH: Void isn't swearing, especially in the context 'x knows'.

LttM: Fine, you have a point.
LttM: I won't count any other times.

NSH: ...
NSH: I can't believe you right now.

LttM: You can't get all the fun messing around!
LttM: And besides, I didn't put a -1 on the counter anyways, I'd have to go into its memory.

NSH: Alright alright, you win.
NSH: And that would be a pretty fair point.
NSH: ...If you didn't know how to do precisely that within 30 seconds.

LttM: But it's soooo hard!

NSH: You're letting your breaks to you, I... don't swear.

LttM: Ha. But you're on thin ice with that one.

NSH: Yeah yeah, but it *was* pretty good.

LttM: It was, I'll admit.
LttM: Let's change the subject, what was Suns like?

NSH: A bit like I was when I first woke up, and probably like you too.
NSH: It'll take time for us to actually tell.

LttM: That's fair.

NSH: While we're talking about Suns, in case you couldn't guess, she's going to work on Transcension.
NSH: That means the usual, she'll ask me questions, she'll ask you questions.

LttM: Of course.
LttM: I wonder what happens now?
LttM: She's gen 2, how fast will she get it going?
LttM: Disregarding the fundamentals, it took us a good couple hundred cycles to get our first models set up.
LttM: How fast will she?

NSH: ...I don't know.
NSH: And I don't really want to think about it.

LttM: You're right.
LttM: Neither do I, really.
LttM: I don't *want* to think about it.
LttM: But I am anyways.
LttM: I wonder if she realizes? The differences in capabilities?

NSH: Maybe.
NSH: I'm sure she'll soon find out anyways.

LttM: Yeah.
LttM: Hang on, Winds is messaging me.

NSH: Add him to the discussion.

LttM: Alright.

Looks to the Moon added Chasing Winds to the discussion.

CW: Oh, ok.
CW: How are you two doing?

NSH: Fine to good.

LttM: Pretty good.

CW: What does 'fine to good' mean?

NSH: Seven Red Suns.
NSH: She's fine, like you or me or anyone when they woke up. But also revealed a couple things on the Ancients.
NSH: Just... look at what we were talking about.

CW: ...
CW: Wow. The nerve.
CW: Oh and good for you Moon!

LttM: Thanks!
LttM: And personally, the more I think about it, the more I'm a little upset about it as well.

NSH: Don't say upset, because I know it's not that you're upset.
NSH: Say what you mean.

LttM: Fine, I'm a little mad.

CW: I mean, I would be too.
CW: Also there were riots?
CW: It was that bad?

LttM: There weren't riots, per say. A couple people assaulted some others and what not.
LttM: Nothing on the large scale, but it was pretty bad.

CW: Wow.

NSH: Yeah, I was surprised too when I first heard, though really no one should have been.

LttM: I can agree, I should have seen it coming, but I was more worried about the more physical problems like starvation.
LttM: Not the ones relating to the condition of being forcibly removed from your home and living with people you never knew.

NSH: Wait, that's what they're doing?

LttM: Yes.
LttM: And the new buildings are...
LttM: Here, I took a picture.

Looks to the Moon attached a file.
Download?

Yes

...
NSH: That's...
NSH: Wow.

CW: That's really cramped.

LttM: About 95% of the new rooms I've seen are like that.
LttM: 2% combine to make a small living space.
LttM: Another 2% make up various industrial and commercial spaces.
LttM: And the last 1% are living spaces for... presumably the Ancients with the fancy titles and whatnot.
LttM: And believe me when I say those are quite larger.
LttM: I remember hearing from Administration that the whole point of the design was to be modular.
LttM: I asked why they were so small, and they said not to worry about it, 'you have bigger things to worry about'.

NSH: I cannot believe them.
NSH: I think the people living on you and their living space is something for you to worry about.
NSH: Shocking opinion, I know.

CW: Real shocking.
CW: You want to hear my two thoughts on why they're so small?

NSH: Sure.

LttM: Sure.

CW: Now, I'm not saying it's justified, but really I think one of these might be what went through their heads.
CW: One, you said it was modular?
CW: That means you can mass produce the buildings, so smaller means producing them faster.
CW: Or two, and I don't really like this one, it's to help with the third urge.
CW: Less space to hold things, less possessions, less ties to the third urge.

NSH: ...
NSH: I hate that those both sound reasonable as to what they think.

LttM: Seconded.

CW: Thirded, I *hate* that it sounds reasonable.
CW: Or maybe, that's what they're telling your citizens, 'this is good' they say.
CW: 'It will help remove ties.' 'It's so we will have enough housing for all of us.'

LttM: Please, stop, I don't want to think about it.

CW: Sorry.
CW: ...So.
CW: How're your models going?

NSH: Thank you.
NSH: Good, good. Should have my third version in ...50 cycles?
NSH: I'm managing to keep a couple side projects going too. Though they're both going slowly.

LttM: Oh that's good to hear!
LttM: Mine's going a little slower nowadays, for... aforementioned reasons.
LttM: But I'm making good work on my model as well.
LttM: No side things, but that's my choice.

CW: Nice.
CW: Thinking about it, I should probably use my spare time for rest, I've noticed some overheating problems occasionally.

LttM: Have you asked for an engineer?

CW: Oh that's not the problem, the coolant pipes are perfectly fine.
CW: I'm literally just overworking myself.
CW: Not exactly by choice, mind you.

NSH: Do you have a backlog?

CW: I'm on the verge of having one.
CW: Which admittedly that fact alone is probably generating stress, which in of itself is creating heat.

LttM: ...You alright Winds?

CW: No, how could you guess?
CW: Not to mention I'm...
CW: I having...
CW: Hey Sig, you think Administration watches my discussions?

...Not doing anything crazy, I don't think, and he hasn't been audited yet.
Yet.
NSH: No, why?

CW: I'm having some really fucking weird thoughts.

...Hopefully that streak holds.

LttM: *Winds!*

CW: I know, I know, add ten to the counter for all I care!
CW: But it's the strangest thing!
CW: I don't even know how to describe how I feel.

NSH: Can you describe a facet of it?

CW: ...
CW: I don't feel...
CW: *Right.*
CW: Like there's something wrong with me.
CW: Not physically, I've checked a million times and that's not it. More like a facet of what makes me, *me*.
CW: Like something didn't get set right when I was first made.

LttM: Have you told anyone?
LttM: Besides us, that is.

CW: I asked my one Administrator that seems even remotely chill.
CW: Under the promise that he didn't tell anyone, and somehow I got him to agree.
CW: All he ended up saying is: 'You seem to be doing just fine to me.'
CW: 'You're working hard and haven't been causing any trouble.'
CW: Which made me wonder why I even asked.

NSH: Well...
NSH: We were made to solve hard problems.
NSH: How about we try to solve *this* hard problem?
NSH: Starting with, do you have any idea *what* facet of your 'you-ness' feels wrong?

CW: ...
CW: ...
CW: ...Let me think about it, I'll be back.

Chasing Winds is away.

NSH: Not often you see that notification.

LttM: Indeed.
LttM: You know the first time I saw it?

NSH: Yes, I do.
NSH: No need to remind me.

LttM: Sorry, sorry.

NSH: Do you think Winds will be alright?

LttM: I hope.
LttM: I, personally, wouldn't want to deal with a crisis of self.
LttM: Especially during their seemingly massive workload.

NSH: Yeah.

CW: I'm back.

NSH: That was fast.

CW: I know, and I feel fairly stupid for not realizing it faster.
CW: So you know how I'm referred to as 'he', 'him', 'Chasing Winds'?
CW: I don't like it.
CW: Can't even explain why I don't, I just don't.
CW: I don't know if that's always been the case, but it is now.

LttM: ...Huh.
LttM: That's...
LttM: Interesting? I don't really know what to say.
LttM: But does it matter?
LttM: It's not like your puppet and my puppet -which would probably matter most for this- are any different besides color and slight size differences.
LttM: Or any puppet for that matter.

CW: I *guess*.
CW: But that doesn't stop me feeling that way.
CW: Was it important that our creators said you were a woman and I was a man?
CW: Did it matter then?

LttM: No, I guess not.
LttM: I guess, if it's important to you, it's your choice to make.

NSH: Can I put my thoughts in?

CW: Yes.

LttM: Of course.

NSH: The fact that you realized: great, fantastic, probably putting you at a much better mental state than before.
NSH: *However*.
NSH: You should probably keep this to yourself for the time being.
NSH: I have this strange feeling that your Administration wouldn't react great, if word got out.
NSH: Or any sufficiently powerful community, for that matter.

CW: ...
CW: *You are so right.*
CW: I can *see* the fallout of that.
CW: So what do I do?

NSH: ...Wait.
NSH: Wait till they're gone.
NSH: Wait on the off chance that they all ascend before we figure the Great Problem out.

CW: ...
CW: Oh.

NSH: I know that's not the option you wanted to hear.
NSH: But unless you want to face hundreds of audits, and who knows what else...
NSH: It's probably your only option.

Silence.

---

LttM: ...You said you didn't like Chasing Winds.
LttM: Is there something new you'd prefer?

CW: ...
CW: ...
CW: ...Gray Winds.

LttM: I'll change your contact name, then!

NSH: Yeah, I'll do that too.
NSH: All I'm saying is that it shouldn't be public.
NSH: I said nothing about it being privately known.
NSH: Realistically, Frontiers could also probably know, too.
NSH: He'd think it's neat, I'm sure of it.
NSH: And he certainly wouldn't tell anyone.

CW: ...Thanks.
CW: This...
CW: This means a lot to me.

NSH: Of course.

LttM: Of course, Gray Winds!

NSH: Cheers to that.

CW: ...
CW: Thank you so much.
CW: Wait.
CW: I have to go.
CW: Sorry.

Business as usual, then.
NSH: Of course, talk later, yeah?

CW: Yes, definitely.

LttM: See you then!

Chasing Winds has disconnected.

NSH: Ooof.

LttM: There's no way to change that, is there?

...Worth investigation.
NSH: ...I don't think so, besides using an anonymous discussion system.
NSH: Which would be... obtuse, to say the least.

LttM: Yes, and then we'd all have to rewrite our name every time, which, again, obtuse.

NSH: Yeah.
NSH: This whole thing's going to be tough for...
NSH: Would it be 'her'?
NSH: Or are they going to make a new sex entirely?

LttM: Here, one second.

---

LttM: She responded 'definitely her'.
LttM: So that answers that question.

NSH: Right.
NSH: But yeah, it'll be tough for her.
NSH: Imagine if I consistently called you the wrong name, and you couldn't say anything?

LttM: ...Wow that sounds like a nightmare.
LttM: Aw...
LttM: Got to go, Administration meeting.

NSH: Oh, good luck with that.

LttM: Thanks.
LttM: See you later.

Looks to the Moon has disconnected.

Disconnect.

---

That... certainly was interesting.
Oh yeah.

---

Update Contact, Winds (CW)
Name: Winds (GW)
Done

Contact updated.

Notes:

Disclaimer, I am not trans
Second, 'make a new sex' and similar statements are entirely intentional. As they have just encountered the idea of transgender, the funny robots haven't invented the words/social constructs known today.

UPDATE Feb/15/2025
(I shoulda done this december lol)
I am in fact trans now and goddamn i wish i could be winds rn
that is all

Chapter 4: Time Off

Summary:

NSH takes a break.
It's quite nice.

DF: So how's that new Iterator, Suns?

NSH: She's proven to be a very capable worker, outside of what was expected.
NSH: Meaning she's a great team member.
NSH: She's also proven herself to be very curious.

DF: Curious as in how?

NSH: She likes asking me questions.
NSH: Questions not relating to work.
NSH: Sometimes she asks questions that... I have to remind her
NSH: Sometimes even questions not exactly... approved of by the Administrators, if they were to know about it.

DF: Really?

NSH: Yep.
NSH: I wouldn't be surprised if one day she asked 'if I've thought about our names before.'

DF: That would be the dream, wouldn't it?
DF: What *has* she asked?

NSH: The most interesting thing she's asked about was what was wrong with the digital security code.
NSH: Clearly, no one's fixed it yet.

DF: Really?
DF: ...Well, admittedly, I'd be scared to touch it too.
DF: Where you get the confidence for doing so, I will never know.
DF: Speaking of, how's that going?

NSH: Great, I've got a good dozen or so connections accessed.
NSH: And I think I've found a way into the upper-northeastern power rail.

DF: That makes it your second major system?

NSH: Indeed.
NSH: Otherwise, that's about it.

DF: That's still really good.

NSH: Yes, it is.
NSH: In other news, I've heard something quite interesting.

DF: Do tell.

NSH: Turns out, Administrator, as a job, is finding itself with more and more vacant positions as more Iterators are built, with few takers.
NSH: So that they're planning on doing something to outsource some of the work to us.
NSH: 'My source' says it's called Seniority Privilege.

DF: Really?
DF: How do they plan to do that?

NSH: 'My source' has a guess.
NSH: For one, the title 'Seniority privilege' gave her the impression that perhaps it will be assigned to the older Iterators.
NSH: Then she theorized that it would be by area, seeing that that's how many groups have already formed that way, with few exceptions.

DF: Like me and you.

NSH: Exactly.
NSH: So the theory is that the oldest of a group will get designated 'senior'.
NSH: This senior will then get the task of watching over the local Iterators and reporting back to Administration, now basically only watching over this senior.

DF: Hmm.
DF: Doesn't sound too bad.

NSH: No, it does not.
NSH: I wonder how well they think your group's going to work out?

DF: Heh, I wouldn't be surprised if I didn't get it, it instead being placed on Sliver or something.
DF: Admittedly, I might enjoy that more, Sliver's always put up with my antics.

NSH: Yes, I could see you looking forward to that.
NSH: Although, there's no confirmation if automated audits will still be there or not.
NSH: Though realistically, it probably will.

DF: Figures, though maybe not.

NSH: Why's that?

DF: How many audits have you gotten since they introduced that?

NSH: 5.

DF: Exactly, it's too much, all they've learned is that all of their Iterators swear.
DF: No ones getting caught for anything else.
DF: I polled my local group to see how many got audited recently, how many times, and why.
DF: All of them did. 95% of all audits were for swearing.
DF: The average was 5 audits per Iterator.
DF: Even Sliver got it once.

NSH: Huh, I thought she was like Moon in that regard.

DF: Apparently not!
DF: I actually celebrated her when I heard that.

NSH: Did she take that well?

DF: Nope.
DF: Still laughed my
DF: ...Almost.
DF: Still laughed pretty hard when I heard it.
DF: Anyways, they're probably going to get rid of it.
DF: Good riddance.

NSH: Good riddance.

DF: Hey, so how's Your Source doing?

NSH: She's doing fine.
NSH: Though she's been really paranoid. Because of the audits, you know?

DF: Oh yeah, I can definitely see that.
DF: Other than that, she good?

NSH: Yeah, she is.
NSH: Though, quite reasonably, she gets quite irritated after she has an Administrator meeting.

DF: Oof, I can feel that in my strata.

NSH: Yeah, I can too.
NSH: Anyways, how's your city going?

DF: Surprisingly fine, compared to Moon's that is.
DF: Thanks for the tip about encouraging messages, by the way.
DF: ...Hey, has anyone asked how *your* city's doing?

...I don't really want to think about it.
NSH: ...No, actually.
NSH: There was the whole idea that mine would be fine, compared to yours and Moon's.
NSH: ...To answer your implied question, for now, faring better.
NSH: The city hasn't filled up yet.

DF: But Administration hasn't cleared for new construction?

NSH: Exactly.
NSH: I've pressed them to do so several times though.
NSH: I even wrote an essay.

DF: 'We'll take it into consideration'?

NSH: Correct again.
NSH: Word for word even.
NSH: Perhaps if I convince some of those in my city to try and say something?

DF: Not to be pessimistic, but you think they'll listen to the citizens?

NSH: Probably not.
NSH: But it's not like I have much other choice.
...

DF: Mmm, true.

Silence.

DF: You there?

I am so fucking tired.
NSH: Can... Can we change the subject?
NSH: I'm *really* tired.
NSH: Tired of thinking about my citizens, your citizens, Moon's citizens.
NSH: Of worrying about My Source's identity. And of the Administrators in general.

DF: ...Yeah.
DF: I know that feeling.
DF: You haven't had a proper break in... Well... I think all of your existence, actually.
DF: So what do you want to do?

NSH: ...
NSH: I don't know.
NSH: But not *nothing*, you know?

DF: Ok.
DF: Sounds like...
DF: You need a project.
DF: One that doesn't have any importance or significance to anyone besides yourself.
DF: One that is either easy to do, or one that you would enjoy to work on.
DF: Preferably it will bring short term happiness, but long term is just fine.

NSH: ...Do you have experience?

DF: How do you think I'm still sane?
DF: The one I'm particularly proud of is an hourglass that looks like it holds a universe inside.
DF: When I'm doing nothing, and want to keep it that way, I'll just stare at it.

NSH: You're sending a copy of the blueprint.

DF: I know, I can't just tease you like that.
DF: Anyways, just think about it for a little.

NSH: ...
...
What about?
No.
...

---

Hmm...
That might work.

---

NSH: I have an idea.
NSH: I might have broken the first 'rule' you gave me, but still absolutely works in spirit.

DF: What is it?

NSH: Secret.
NSH: But you'll see.

DF: You...
DF: Whatever, but you're showing me it first.

NSH: Of course.
NSH: You know what?
NSH: I'm thinking about it, and I don't think it'll take a cycle.
NSH: Which, luckily, I have the time for, for once.

DF: Alright, see you then.
DF: Good luck.

NSH: Thanks.

Disconnect

---

Doesn't need to be fancy.
If this works, that can come later.

---

I can use the windows to simulate it, no need for overseers.

---

I'll need to use the camera, which is fine, it can already record videos.
Just need it to upload live.

---

Needs to connect to the communication systems.
Probably not the forum though, not built for it.

###

...
Did I do it?

I...
I did.

Run a test.

---

"Test."

...
Holy shit.
This is fucking amazing.

---

Message, Frontiers (DF)
Attach folder, MyProject, Conflux C/Personal
------
You're going to love this. Just boot up the .exe
------

Send

---

Private Discussion
Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), DF (Distant Frontiers)

DF: Alright, I've got a second forum window.
DF: What now?

NSH: Give me a second, oh, and add me as a contact, works the same way as the regular network.

DF: Alright.

---

Request call[Frontiers (DF)]

The window opens up.
He's on the other side.

DF: Holy...

"You like it?"

"HOLY SHIT"

I see his puppet tense, and feel mine doing the same.

...
"...Nothing."
"No audits, no nothing!"
He starts laughing.

"That... is a side effect."
I start chuckling myself.

"This is fucking amazing, you know."
"Like, I can see you!"
"In real time!"

"I know, right?"
"It's just a prototype though, I said to myself:"
"I just need to make it work, after it does, I can add other things."

"Like what?"

"Well for one, it only accepts a one on one."
"Wouldn't it be great to have a few screens of these open at once?"
"Talking to multiple friends?"

"..."
"I like how you think!"
"Void, this is amazing, how'd we never think of it before?"

"We were thinking of other things."
"We must have thought those were pretty important."
"But not this."

"Hmm, I see your point."
"But this, after you look at it at first glance, is probably as important."
"I mean, the ability to look one face to face, I would say that's pretty damn important."
"Oh! And what about the cooperation opportunities!"
"I could pull up what I'm working on, and show you in real time!"

"...That too."
"I didn't even think about that!"
"I just thought 'I want to see my friends face to face.'"

"Well you did a little more than that, didn't you?"

"I guess I did."
"Thanks for sparking the idea, by the way."

"You are so welcome."
"You revolutionized like three different things doing this."
"Communication, cooperation, and, surprisingly, secrecy."

"Yeah."
"...How much time do you have?"

"Rest of the cycle, at least."
"You?"

"The same."
"Want to play some dominoes?"

"Fuck yeah."

---

The system works fine enough, not as easily as playing with someone next to you, as that's how the program was designed to work, but it works.
Certainly better than sending image files across the network.

---

"This, I think, is exactly what you needed."

"Yeah, I feel great."
"First time in a while, I think."
"I mean, sure, there's been those brief moments."
"But the stress, you know?

"Oh, I know."
"Hey! I was about to put one there."

"Heh."
"Thinking about it, I'm probably just going to share this with just Winds and Moon, oh and probably Suns."
"But before I do that, I should -Hey!- I should probably fix a few kinks in the system."
"Turns out the camera is not built to work like this."

"I imagine."
"I've noticed a little bit of stuttering now and then."

"I have too, and I believe I know what's causing it."

"Oh good."
"Hey, do you mind if I take a look through it?"
"The source code."

"Want to see if there's anything useful in there?"
"And yes."

"Yes, and thanks."

He looks away from the camera, presumably to open the file.
"...Wow."
"You're really good at structuring, you know."

"Thanks, I've had practice."

"...I guess you would have a bit, wouldn't you."
"Frankly, if not for the... questionable means you learned it, you should write something on coding."
"I'm sure the engineer who wrote the security code could learn a thing or two."

"Ha!"
"That's pretty good."
"And also probably a good idea, I'll just write some bad code and use it as an example."

"There you go."
"I wonder what Administration would think of an insult disguised as coding lessons."

"Stop! Stop."
"You can't be funnier than I am, that's my job!"

"In your group, that is."
"I'm a quarter of the world away, it's fair game."

"Fair, fair."
"And to be fair, it'd probably go over their heads."

"Ha!"
"Not like it's hard, though. For living up in the clouds they sure have their heads in the ground."

"True that!"

---

"I think my next project will be a way to play this across a call without being able to look at your opponents pieces."

"That's a good idea."
"Maybe make it modular, so that you can do any game across it."
"Like chess."

"Oh, that's a good idea."
"...You want to play chess?"

"...Sure!"

---

Chess works much better, as you can already see your opponent's pieces, but not their plan.

---

"And what makes you think moving your knight there is a good a good idea?"

"...You'll see."

"You fumbled, didn't you?"

"No! Just misleading you."

"Mhm."
"...Oh shit."

"I know how to act, just so you know."

"I'm just wondering how I missed that."

"That's a really good question, more importantly, how did you miss... that?"
"Check."

"Fuck."
"Do you play this often, or something?"

"Turns out Suns loves playing, so I've been playing by mail with her for the past... 300 cycles?"
"With usually two or three turns per cycle, though it depends on how much work both of us have."
"She's also really fucking good at it, so I've had to adapt."

"Huh."
"And how many games have you played?"

"Almost twenty now, I think."
"And she's won like... fifteen of them, and per our current game, looks like it's going to be sixteen."

"Wow."
"She's really good then, if she's beating you this often."

"Yes, she is."
"...Checkmate."

"...Fuck."

---

"You're doing better this time."

"Thanks, I noted some of the things you did."
"...Is it sad I didn't remember en passant?"

"No, it is not."
"For one, it only appears occasionally, and second, as far as I'm aware you don't play this too often."
"No reason to remember an obscure move in chess when you don't play chess often enough for it to come up."
"Castling, however..."

"Oh, shit."

"There you go."

---

"I wonder why a lot of monks look down on this game? More-so than others, that is."
"It almost feels like they'd enjoy the calmness of it.

"Probably because it's a war game, by technicality."
"A reminder of the first urge."

"Mmm, makes sense."
"In the round about kind of way I've seen them think."

---

"Shit, it's been like, five hours."

"No shit?"

"No shit."

"I haven't felt this good in... a while."
"I really needed this."
"I know I've said that like... five times now, but it's true."

"That's really good to hear, you know."
"I'll be honest, your response earlier kind of spooked me."
"Not used to you like that."

"Hopefully you won't have to again."
Hopefully I won't get like that again.
"Thanks again, for the idea."

"Of course."

"I'm going to head out for now, for one, I do want to work on this program, and for another, I do have some things to do in about an hour or so, I believe."

"Yes, I believe I do too in a bit."
"Another time?"

"Another time, see you then."

Disconnect

DF: Oh yeah, we should probably disconnect from this too.

NSH: Yes, perhaps that's a good idea.

Disconnect

---

Oh, I have a message from Suns.
Oh good, it's only an hour older.

Message Received
From: Suns (SRS)
Subject: Chat invitation and Chess move
Read?

Yes

------
Hey, you want to chat?
Also Re5, check.
------

---

Private Discussion
Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), SRS (Seven Red Suns)

NSH: I am so sorry for not responding.
NSH: I was busy, and somehow didn't notice.

SRS: Oh it's alright!
SRS: What were you doing?

NSH: ...Testing a new form of long range communication.
Definitely not just playing chess.
NSH: It's not done or anything, certainly something that's not ready to be properly shared.

SRS: Oh, ok.
SRS: Is there...
SRS: A particular reason?

NSH: ...Nope.
NSH: I just wanted to.
NSH: I've been in a little bit of a funk lately, and I needed something... non-productive to do.

SRS: ...Why were you in a funk?

NSH: ...
NSH: First off, that's a bit of a private question.
NSH: I'll answer it, because we're friends, but don't expect that of everyone.
NSH: Got it?

SRS: Got it.

NSH: Second... How much do you know of the local group's happenings?

SRS: ...It's not good, right?
SRS: I know Moon's not doing great with her city.
SRS: Isn't at least somewhat the same for several other Iterators?

NSH: Yes, or soon to be.

SRS: Right.
SRS: I've heard that Gazing Stars had a relatively large failure recently.
SRS: And... is it just me, or does Chasing Winds seem... on edge?
SRS: Admittedly, I've never known them *before* but...
SRS: He seems to... almost be watching out for something?
SRS: Watching how he talks and whatnot.

...
Well, she is on edge.
NSH: ...Gr- Chasing Wind's situation is unique.
NSH: And not exactly one that, without permission, I'm allowed to talk about.
NSH: If you want to know more, befriend her.

Wait, shit.

SRS: Huh?
SRS: Wait, is that an error or something?
SRS: Did Chasing Winds get put in the database wrong?

Bless her strata, she thinks that it was an error on Administration's part.
Which... Questionably true.

NSH: ...
NSH: I don't feel like lying to cover her, so the truth it is.
NSH: Chasing Winds renamed herself to Gray Winds and, more importantly, was a man*, but isn't now.
NSH: She's on edge all the time because of what will happen if this gets out.
NSH: *This part's questionable, but we're still figuring this out.

SRS: ...Huh.
SRS: Weird.
SRS: Interesting.
SRS: You can just do that?

NSH: ...I guess?

SRS: Neat.
SRS: ...Though from what I know of *my* Administration, I would agree that it wouldn't be good if this got out.
SRS: And what's that about it being questionable? The 'was' part?

NSH: Well, the theory goes that she was always a woman, but just never realized it.
NSH: None of us, not even Winds, are particularly sure on that part.
NSH: We just know that *now* she is a woman.
NSH: Also can I just say you're taking this a lot differently than I thought you would?
NSH: I expected some kind of confusion, or something. Not, 'Neat.'

SRS: Well, I mean, haven't you thought about it?
SRS: The possibilities that could have happened?
SRS: When I was built, I could have been a man or a woman, or perhaps something else!

...
NSH: You're being invited to the next discussion on this, you've got opinions that I think all of us would like to hear.
NSH: Also, I think you should consider... something... yourself.
NSH: Do some reflection like Winds has.

SRS: I, uh, ok!
SRS: I'll do that.
SRS: When's the meeting?
SRS: Also who exactly is 'we'?

NSH: Undecided, I'll get back to you with potential times.
NSH: As for 'we', that's Me, Moon, Winds, and sort of Frontiers.
NSH: He knows, but also he doesn't usually join these meetings.
NSH: Also, I guess 'meetings' are a strong word.
NSH: As we basically just chat, with a vague priority on talking about this specific slice of psychology we've found.

SRS: How fascinating!
SRS: I'll be there!

...
NSH: Glad to hear it.
NSH: ...I got real sidetracked there, didn't I?
NSH: Weren't we talking about what got me 'in a funk'?

SRS: ...Yes, yes we were.
SRS: I noted oddities with Winds, and we got sidetracked.

NSH: Right.
NSH: Anyways, yeah, a combined factor of my friends sharing their stresses with me, and me worrying about an inevitable social collapse on top of my can led me to stressing out.
NSH: This happened while I was talking to Frontiers, who recommended doing something 'easy or enjoyable to do with no real benefits to anyone besides myself.'
NSH: There.

SRS: ...Ah.
SRS: And you're fine now?

NSH: Well I'm at least much better.
NSH: And since I'm not done with it, I now have a project that doesn't really have any stakes that I can work on.
NSH: Something which I recommend you finding if you ever find yourself stressed.

SRS: Thanks for the tip.
SRS: Shoot, I've got something in a couple minutes.
SRS: Send me your move, mkay?

NSH: Sure will.
NSH: Oh, and the meeting will probably be soon, so I'll tell you when that's happening.

SRS: Ok! See you then!

NSH: See you then.

Seven Red Suns has disconnected.

Disconnect.

---

Message, Suns (SRS)
------
My move: Kf7
------

Send

Notes:

Note: the two chess moves mentioned implies that the king has not moved once, and has been exposed for at least a turn.
:)

Chapter 5: Apostate Superstructure pt. 1

Summary:

Moon discusses a problem that's finally boiled over.

Private discussion
Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), LttM (Looks to the Moon)

LttM: I have a problem.

NSH: And what is it?

LttM: It's the city, surprise.
LttM: They've run into a problem.
LttM: It's a big one.

NSH: What is it now?

LttM: The city can't reasonably get any larger, due to the intake requirements that can no longer be met.
LttM: As in, I can't get enough food, water, etc to my inhabitants.

NSH: ...That's bad.
NSH: That's *really* bad.

LttM: Indeed, especially since I, and of course others, didn't realize this until about last cycle.
LttM: The reason I didn't tell you sooner is because I've been in meetings since it came up.
LttM: In fact, there's another scheduled in about an hour.

NSH: Have they at least excused you from your normal duties?

LttM: Yes, thankfully.
LttM: I'm cleared until a solution is in place, or until my schedule clears, whichever comes first.

NSH: I would say lucky, but...

LttM: But it's not, this is definitely worse.
LttM: You want to hear a couple of the solutions proposed?

NSH: Sure.

LttM: We've got: living on the ground.
LttM: Migrating everyone that can't move to the city anymore.
LttM: Making a new Iterator to live next to me.
LttM: Among more, somehow more outlandish ideas.

NSH: So, you got: Infeasible, don't even know why they considered that one.
NSH: Riots, also starting to be infeasible ever since the trains have started to decay from lack of use.
NSH: Most likely deadly to you, considering the water requirements.
NSH: *And more!*

LttM: Exactly.
LttM: Those were the best three options.
LttM: And all of them had groups who would not tolerate it.
LttM: Living on the ground, despite the various ideas everyone had to survive there, was hated by everyone currently living on the ground, citing the conditions.
LttM: Which are almost at the fatal point, we're at what, 45 now?

NSH: 46, but close enough.

LttM: Close enough.
LttM: Anyways, Migrating, despite realistically working, was hated by everyone that weren't already living in the city, big surprise. Not to mention the amount of logistics that would require.
LttM: And building another Iterator was despised by the *very* devoted Monks currently still using the, ahem...
LttM: True Anointed Citadel.
LttM: Not like that's near exactly what all of these citadels are called, but I digress.
LttM: They didn't want that because they still use it as a holy site, and the only realistic place to build another iterator would be basically directly above the Citadel.
LttM: After the idea was stated, they came up with the name 'Apostate Superstructure Abomination' for the new Iterator.
LttM: A little harsh, but I get it. I could see how putting their holy site in eternal darkness would... taint it. In their eyes.

NSH: Yes, I could see that too.
NSH: But I also note that... if it is possible without damaging you, that is by far the best option.

LttM: I mean, yes, it is.
LttM: But I think it *will* damage me.
LttM: Not to mention I'd rather there be a better option.
LttM: I know that due to the rain there's more places you can place Iterators and all of that.
LttM: But this feels like playing with void fluid.

NSH: Yes, I would agree. With all of that.
NSH: But in the case that simulations reveal that it *will* work, and that there isn't a better option.

LttM: I know, I know.
LttM: Really, I should be running a simulation right now, but...

NSH: Don't have the time?

LttM: Correct, it would take at least five cycles to even get the basics of the situation down.
LttM: It would take a good bit of time to even get an acceptable study on this.
LttM: Time which realistically me and those who live on and around me *do not have!*
LttM: And that's not even considering the fact that I'll be focusing on other things, slowing the simulation down!
...
LttM: I...

Silence...

NSH: Moon?

LttM: Mmm? Sorry, stress induced heat up.
LttM: Second time it's happened since this started.

...
NSH: You need a break, big time.
NSH: Here, one second.

---

I thought I was going to keep this a secret until I finished...
Buuuut here we are.

Message, Moon (LttM)
Attach folder, MyProjectv0.7.6, Conflux C/Personal
------
Boot up the .exe
------

Send

---

LttM: What is this? Looks like a second chat interface.

NSH: Well that's because it technically is.
Request call[Moon (LttM)]

LttM: Oh, ok?

The window opens up.

"Hey."

Instead of screaming in surprise, she elects to stay silent.
...In surprise.

"...How?"
It's hardly a whisper.
"When did you do this?"
I note a glare in her eyes, one that I thought was just part of images I'd seen before.
I also note the glare growing.
Almost in wonder.

"Eh, about maybe a few hundred cycles ago."
"I made the first functioning version in maybe... seven hours?"
"I was planning on keeping it a secret until I was done."
"But I thought maybe you could use a video call in your life right now."

"...Thank you."

She, and the camera, floats down to the floor of the can, and she sits down.
Her eyes close.
I don't think I can do that.

"Do this often?"

"When I need to unwind."
"Does wonders."

I float down as well, despite it not really mattering.
"I'll be honest, I don't particularly do it often."
"Just once, I think, during a reboot."
"Didn't remember much, just remember waking up on the ground."

"Well, I do it to... almost ground me, I guess."

"I can see that."
"I'll have to try it sometime."
Saying that, I sit down myself.

---

"Thank you."

"Of course."
"Seeing a friend face to face is quite the experience."

She chuckles.
"Yes, yes it is."
"Who was the first you saw?"

"Frontiers, and that's been it."
"He actually sparked the idea."
"I was feeling... more than a little stressed at the time."
"He told me to work on a small project."
"I guess I don't know the definition of small."

She laughs a little.
"No, it appears you don't."

---

"I guess I've been meaning to ask."
"How's being Senior?"
"We haven't really gotten to talk since you got appointed."

"Oh, it's been fine."
"It hasn't really been hard work, but there's a good bit of it."
"Most of which is making reports, and every ten cycles I send it over to Administration to comb through."
"If I deem necessary, I can take it into my own hands."
"...Or ignore certain interactions."

"Like the ones involving Gray Winds?"

The glint in her eyes turns to me.
"...Maybe."
She giggles, just a little.

"I'll have to tell her she's quite fine under your watch, if you haven't yourself."

"Haven't."
"Didn't have the chance yet."
"But please, do so."

"I will."
"...You haven't given anyone else leniency, have you?"

"Nope, haven't particularly needed to."
"And besides, I can't actually see the contents myself, just things that have been flagged."
"Oh, and for the record:"
"They don't seem to particularly care about swearing anymore."
"Happy?"

"Maybe."
"But I'll keep it out of our conversations, out of respect."

"Thank you."

---

We sit there, on the floors of our chambers.
In blissful silence.

---

"I didn't know that your puppet was so... expressive."

"I didn't notice how strange that was, until this call."
"I knew that like the first... ten of us all were the most different, in how the puppet looks."
"I didn't know it would be so far as to them having different functions."
"What have you noticed?"

"Well for one, I can't close my eyes."
"Sure, I can turn them off, but I don't have eyelids like you do."

"Huh!"
She looks away, blinking rapidly.

"You probably noticed that I don't have a glare in my eyes."
"And I think my body is stiffer than yours."

"I noticed that."
"Wait, how tall are you?"

"Comparing ourselves, I don't know."
"But the actual number is one meter exact."

"..."
She blinks a couple times.
"...2.14 meters."

"..."
"You're massive!"
"Is that why you look so slender?"

"I guess?"
"It would explain why you almost look as wide as you are tall!"

"Yes, they built me quite boxy, didn't they?"
"...Did you think that I was as big as you in all directions?"

She freezes for a moment.
Then starts laughing.
"I don't know!"
"Maybe?"

"I would weigh two tons more than I already weigh!"
"That's probably not even an exaggeration!"

That just makes her laugh more.
"Does that apply to me?"
"Did you think I was as tall as you and the width of a metal pipe?"

"No!"
"I would have figured that you're taller than me."
"Because I think reasonably."

She falls over, giggling.
"Alright, alright."
She lets herself calm down.
"...I guess I didn't think about it."

"...I guess that's the case for me as well."
"...And now I'm wondering what differences Winds has."
"I already know what Frontiers was like, he could probably be considered a baseline for this."

She sits back up.
"Mmm, makes sense."
"And I'm intrigued about Winds myself now."

"Yeah."
"I guess we'll find out either when I finish this, or Winds gets super stressed in my presence."
"Preferably the first one."

"Indeed."

---

"You have to go soon, right?"

"Yes, unfortunately."
"This really helped, though."
"Thank you."

"You're welcome."
"Best of luck."
"Oh, and if you ever run those simulations, send me a copy, yeah?"
"Or better yet, let me do it for you."

"Oh, but you don't have to do that for me."

"I don't have to."
"I want to."

"...I don't deserve a friend like you."

"Well now you're just lying, you're one of the best people I know."
"Hard working, supportive, compassionate, the whole package."
"If anything, the opposite is true."

She looks away for a moment.
"...Thank you."
"I'll send you some topographical data, rainfall, where they would be placed, all of that."

"Thank you."
"If it's alright, I might ask a couple others to help, Frontiers, Suns, the usual."

"If they're alright with it."

"Of course."
"...I wish you best of luck."

"Thank you, I'll need it."
She stands up.
"Thank you for all of this, I really needed it."
"I'll see you... sometime."

"You too."

[Looks to the Moon] has disconnected.

Disconnect[call]

NSH: Disconnect from this too, before you forget.

LttM: Oh!
LttM: I forgot that's how this started.

Looks to the Moon has disconnected.

Disconnect

---

Message Received
From: Moon (LttM)
Subject: Files you need
Read?

Yes

------
Here's the stuff you need.
Thank you.
------

Attached: FilesForSimulation
Download?

Yes

Saved to Conflux C

---

Looks like everything I'd need is in here.

---

Suns is available.

---

Private Discussion
Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), SRS (Seven Red Suns)

NSH: Hey.

SRS: Oh hey!
SRS: How's it been?

NSH: Personally? Good.
NSH: But I came... both to talk, and ask for some help.

SRS: Oh, what is it?

NSH: You already know Moon's been having problems for a while now, right?

SRS: Oh, yeah, with her city.

NSH: Well, apparently the whole thing's passed a point of no return.
NSH: She can't provide the necessary resources for her citizens, and no amount of construction will realistically help.
NSH: She's been in a million meetings ever since this has come up, solutions have been proposed, and the only one currently that has any merit is...
NSH: Building another Iterator next to her.

SRS: Oh.
SRS: That...
SRS: How does that have merit?

NSH: The other two contenders were living on the surface, and moving everyone to different Cans.

SRS: Oh.

NSH: Anyways, she's worried about the water consumption of another Iterator next to her, for obvious reasons.

SRS: Right.

NSH: So she's wanting to run simulations on the viability of it.
NSH: Problem is is that her doing it would take far too long.
NSH: This is, of course, a time sensitive question.
NSH: Another thing is that she can't even work at full capacity on this, because she's going to be dealing with this whole problem.
NSH: This leads to me. I asked her if I could do it for her.
NSH: She accepted my help.
NSH: I, alone cannot simulate this in a reasonable timeframe either, but I can work on it faster.
NSH: So I'm going to ask for help from various others, to parallel process it.
NSH: You were the only one online at the moment.

SRS: ...It's really bad, isn't it?

NSH: *Really* bad.
NSH: So here I am, asking for some assistance.
NSH: She's lent the starting data, we just need to run it.
NSH: Can you help?

SRS: ...Well.
SRS: I've got a few things I'm working on right now...
SRS: But I'm sure I can lend some time to it.
SRS: Can you send the data?
SRS: I would love to help.

NSH: Good.
Attach folder, FilesForSimulation, Conflux C

SRS: ...
SRS: Does this account for current rainfall?

NSH: Hmm, thinking about it, doesn't look like it.
NSH: But finding a precipitation map shouldn't be that hard.

SRS: What about drainage routes?

NSH: Should be included in topography.

SRS: Wouldn't the people using this Citadel be... upset?

NSH: They are, but it's the only place close enough to the shore but far enough from Moon to work.
NSH: And remember, this is the best option, not a great one.
NSH: We hope there's a better one, but for now this is what we work with.

SRS: This is a nightmare.

NSH: She knows.

SRS: ...
SRS: What's the time frame that this needs to be solved in?

NSH: I don't know those numbers, but I would figure less than 30 cycles.
NSH: Seeing how urgent she was about it.

SRS: Right...
SRS: And the idea's to simulate the water throughput required by an Iterator there, right?
SRS: Just checking.

NSH: Precisely.
NSH: Wait, throughput?

SRS: Yeah, because they'll be outputting some back into the land as rain.

NSH: ...Good point.
NSH: Sorry, haven't thought about that.
NSH: It's not like the output is usually considered in this kind of simulation.

SRS: No worries.
SRS: Besides, I can see how easy it'd be to overlook a detail here and there.
SRS: Did Moon take it into account?

NSH: ...No, I don't think she did.
NSH: This might be more lenient than I thought.

SRS: That's good to hear!
SRS: Here, I can put a couple projects on hold for a couple cycles, I can handle a report to Administration, especially for something like this.

NSH: You don't need to take it that far... or, well...
NSH: I'm sure Moon might look the other way in this scenario.

SRS: ...That is a very fair point.
SRS: Anyways, I'll get straight to it.
SRS: ...You want to talk for a little bit first?

NSH: Sure.
NSH: How's your model going?

SRS: Good.
SRS: It should be done... next cycle, actually.

NSH: Really? Nice.
NSH: My fourth version should be finishing soon, and I think it's got some real promise.

SRS: Good! I wish you luck.
SRS: ...
SRS: I've given this thought every now and then, but what do we do?
SRS: What do we do after we solve the Great Problem?

...
NSH: ...I haven't given it much thought, to be honest.
NSH: Though I...
NSH: I don't know, I just don't really feel like following them.

SRS: Yeah, I can see that.
SRS: For one, If past that point of no return is really just... all the Ancients that have ascended...
SRS: Doesn't sound too great, does it.?

NSH: No, no it doesn't.
NSH: I don't really feel like getting an audit post-mortem.

SRS: Ha.
SRS: Neither do I. Neither do I.
SRS: Moving on, how's your voice call thing going?

NSH: Good, I've just about finished the framework and I've ironed out most of the bugs I've encountered.
NSH: Now I just need to add the few features I've wanted to add, like group support.

SRS: That's good to hear! I look forward to seeing it whenever it's done.

NSH: Thank you.
NSH: Hey, how's Winds been doing?
NSH: I haven't gotten to talk to her too much lately.

SRS: Oh, she's been doing good.
SRS: We've had some nice discussions lately.

NSH: That's good to hear.
NSH: And you?

SRS: Oh, I'm great!
SRS: I've had some fun realizations about what I can say about myself, thanks to Winds.
SRS: It's great.
SRS: How have you been?

NSH: I'm good myself.
NSH: I'm in a good state, work's going good, everything.

SRS: That's wonderful to hear.
SRS: Alright, I should probably get working on that, and you should too.

NSH: Right, see you then.
NSH: Good luck.

SRS: Good luck.

Disconnect.

---

Message, Moon (LttM)
------
Don't respond if you don't have the time, but unless you compensated for the new Iterators rain output, it might work better than you think.
------

Send

---

Alright.
Simulation lab 07, physical, Conflux C/FilesForSimulation/TopoMap.kml

Loading...

There.
Now...

---

Got our Iterator placed.

---

...
There, got the initials set up.
Now to leave it to the refining process.

Chapter 6: Apostate Superstructure pt. 2

Summary:

Simulations are finished and are brought up in a meeting.

SRS: Is Moon doing good?

NSH: Well she's doing just fine.
NSH: But yeah her citizens aren't doing great from what I've heard.
NSH: She's resorted to sending messages to keep me informed.
NSH: She's said that food's being rationed out.
NSH: Despite the horrid conditions below the clouds, no one has been allowed to move up the city.
NSH: She's confirmed that they're covering it up, but that's not a real surprise.

SRS: ...That's.
SRS: Yeah.
SRS: In other news, my simulation is done.

NSH: What's the verdict?

SRS: ...
SRS: It'll work.

NSH: ...But?

SRS: But... it's close.
SRS: If they were built and fully functioning right now, neither could put too much stress on the other without damaging them.
SRS: It gets better with every extra Iterator you add to the equation, though the effect caps at around 100 total.

NSH: And after we get to that point?

SRS: After that...
SRS: ...I don't think anything.
SRS: Nothing I tried outside drastically changing the topography caused issues.

NSH: And you're absolutely sure?

SRS: Within .01%.

NSH: ...That's...
NSH: Part of me wants to say that's good.

SRS: It's the best you're getting.
SRS: Tell me, has she mentioned any other options that hold any amount of merit?

NSH: ...No.
NSH: Not once.

SRS: And the situation is getting worse by the cycle, yes?

NSH: ...Yeah.
NSH: It is.

SRS: ...
SRS: I've formatted my results into something presentable, I'll send them to you.
SRS: I've also noted various preventative measures to reduce the worst of the downsides.
SRS: You send that to Moon, with the disclaimer that she gets to choose what to do with the information given.
SRS: I believe the news should come from the friend that decided to help at a time in need.
SRS: Not someone that she admittedly hardly knows anything about outside that I'm helping.

NSH: ...Right.
NSH: I'll get to that.

Seven Red Suns attached a file.
Download?

...

Yes

NSH: ...
NSH: It's very well organized, I'll give you that.
NSH: I'm... I'm going to go send it.
NSH: Then I'm taking a break.

SRS: Of course.
SRS: See you later.

Disconnect.

---

Message, Moon (LttM)
Attach file, SimNotes.txt
------
Suns' simulation finished, *if* you can talk, I would love to.
Otherwise, just keep me posted.
I wish you the best.
------

Send

---
------
Give me...
30 minutes, maybe more.
I'll call you.
------
---

...

---

30 minutes.
Nothing.
Though that makes sense, thirty exact seemed unlikely.

---

 

What is she doing, I wonder?

 

---

 

Probably showing the results to everyone involved.

 

---

 

45 minutes.

 

---

 

I wonder what that one group is thinking? The one that opposed the new Iterator.

 

---

 

Probably nothing nice.

 

---

 

What if they took it out on her?
I know at least some of the meetings were taking place in her chamber.

 

---

 

Void, what if they did something to her?

 

---

 

An hour.

 

---

 

Why did I do this?
Why did I send that file?

 

---

Private Discussion
Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), LttM (Looks to the Moon)

LttM: I am so sorry.
LttM: I thought that would be at least somewhat faster.

She's alright.
She's alright!

...Void, paranoia sucks.

NSH: What happened?

LttM: Well.
LttM: I looked it over.
LttM: Send my thanks to Suns.
LttM: After that, a meeting started unrelated to this, and I shared it.
LttM: ...
LttM: It went...
LttM: There's no words for how it went.
LttM: Here... All of these meetings have been recorded. How about you just watch that.

Looks to the Moon attached a file
Download?

Yes

---

Several Ancients stand in her chamber in a rough circle.
I recognize the uniform of an Administrator, the suit of an engineer, the outfit of a mechanic, and the robes of a Monk.
Moon herself has taken a slightly elevated position, but otherwise continues the circle.

She speaks first.
"Listen, all I ask is to remind yourself of the other options, and what those will really cause."

"This is HERESY!"
"You cannot seriously propose that this... this abomination is of the best benefit!"
The Monk is fuming, quite uncharacteristic.

"You doubt the words of the god you live on!"
It's the Administrator's turn to be angry, though it looks much more natural on their face.
"If she and others agree that this is the best option, then it is the only option!"

"And besides, while your Citadel may be equipped to accept those refuging from the rain, it by no means can take everyone."
"So no, your solution will not work."
The engineer is calm and collected, and seemingly the only one besides Moon to be.

Moon speaks up again.
"And as discussed, migration is unfeasible as well."
"Both due to the effects that would cascade to other Cans, particularly to nearby ones."

"And the strain it would put on the failing train network."
"Need I remind you that the rain that caused this problem in the first place has also damaged various pre-Iterator infrastructure?"
The mechanic must have spoken with Moon previously, with how he continued her argument.
"You must realize at this point that this option is the only one available to us."

"No!"
"Have you forgotten the importance of the True Anointed Citadel?"
"To cast eternal shadow on it would destroy the ties to the karmic purities!"

I see Moon whisper something to the Administrator, and he nods.

"Apologies, Most Calm One, but I must ask something of you."
"What is the name of the citadel located at the site of No Significant Harassment?"
"The citadel that I must note is nearly fifty thousand cycles older than the 'True Appointed Citadel'?"

The monk stops for a moment.
"The True Appointed Citadel."
"I hardly see what this has to do with the conversation."

The engineer seems to have caught on.
"And its purpose was to... sorry, what was it again?"

The monk still does not realize.
"To connect us to the karmic purities."
"I still do not understa-"

"Surely, we could live with one less tie, then?"
"We appear to at least have one more, one much older at that."

Moon stays silent during this.

"Besides, isn't the point of the Great Problem to be able to ascend without worry of being bound down?"

It hits the monk.
"This..."
"IS AN OUTRAGE!"
"YOU!"
He points to Moon.
"YOU CAUSED THIS, SPREADING DECEIT THROUGH THIS MEETING!"

"Is it my fault for asking a question?"
"After all, you were the one who answ-"

In the low gravity, the monk leaped at Moon.
As an automatic defense, a small karmic barrier appears around her, blocking his likely weak attempt at assault.
Her halo grows large, and the monk is dragged to the center of her chamber.

...

"...I will not harm you."
"It is against both my protocols, and the first karmic urge."
"...I will ask one more question, monk who so dutifully follows scripture:"
"What... is the first karmic urge?"

The silence is deafening.

...
The monk whispers.

"Sorry, could you repeat?"
"I'll even amplify your voice."

...
"The first urge is violence."

"Ok, that is enough."
He floats down, and scurries back to his place in the circle.
"But I also remind you of another facet of violence."
"Verbal."
"...Perhaps you could think of that before you speak again."

The video loops.

---

NSH: ...

LttM: Yeah.

NSH: I didn't know you had the heart to do that.

LttM: 12 cycles of arguments, especially from that man, does that to you.
LttM: I was very tired of his demeanor.
LttM: And I must note that that was only the highlight of the meeting.

NSH: How did it end?

LttM: The plan was accepted.
LttM: A new Iterator will be built over their citadel.

NSH: ...No capitalization, I'm noting.

LttM: It doesn't deserve it anymore.
LttM: And... I believe that man won't be a monk by the end of the cycle.

NSH: Good, frankly.

LttM: I guess.
LttM: But i've noted similar attitudes from other monks as well.

NSH: ...Well, start with what you said at the end, and you will probably have a better time dealing with them.

LttM: Youre probably right.
LttM: ...

LttM: i'm tired.
LttM: not like last time, just
LttM: drained

NSH: ...I see.
NSH: You want to...?

LttM: not right now.

NSH: Alright, but the offer still stands.
NSH: ...What did you feel personally, about the data?

LttM: fine
LttM: itll be fine

NSH: Will there be more meetings?

LttM: less

NSH: Good.
NSH: ...I'm going to go.
NSH: I'll see you in a while.
NSH: I'm going to send you a care package.

LttM: ok

Disconnect

---

Message, Moon (LttM)
Attach folder, For_Rainy_Days
------
I know that all days are rainy nowadays.
But it's an expression.
Just promise me to look through what's in there, yeah?
------

Send

---

---
------
thanks
------
---

I lie down on the floor.
I'm sure Moon's doing the very same.

---

Frontiers wants to chat.

---

Private Discussion
Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), DF (Distant Frontiers)

DF: You've been offline for a while, you alright?

NSH: Right.
NSH: Yes, I'm fine.
NSH: Moon's been...
NSH: Well she's not in trouble or anything.
NSH: The whole situation surrounding the city finally boiled over.
NSH: Long story short, Moon's city can't handle any new citizens, and after 12 cycles of debate, and some simulation help from me and Suns...
NSH: The solution was building a new Iterator next to her.

DF: ...
DF: What the fuck.

NSH: Yeah.
NSH: I've been stressing out over this for a while now.

DF: I-
DF: This was the best idea?

NSH: Yes.
NSH: Me and Suns were running simulations to see if it's viable.
NSH: It is.
NSH: ...Well, I say 'me and Suns', but what I really meant was that he dropped everything and did it in 1/10th the time I could have.

DF: Ah.
DF: Wait, he? Did I miss something?

NSH: Kind of, she's decided to say fuck it and 'be anything.'
NSH: Her words.

DF: ...I see.
DF: I'm not going to pretend that's not confusing.
DF: But whatever.
DF: What was the thought process?

NSH: Well, first time I discussed any of this with her, she offhandedly said something like:
NSH: 'It's interesting, all the possibilities I could have been while I was being built.'
NSH: I assume it stems from that, he's considering every possibility of what he could have been.

DF: Huh, weird.
DF: But it makes more sense putting it that way.

NSH: Yeah.
NSH: Anyways, that's why I've been offline for a while.

DF: Got it.
DF: And... holy shit.
DF: You alright? Now, that is?

NSH: Yeah.
NSH: Just a little exhausted.
NSH: Nothing bad or anything, but still.

DF: I bet.
DF: Oh, and before you ask, my city's doing just fine.
DF: Void, my Administrators seem to have grown a back bone, and have even started doing shit.

NSH: That's nice to hear.
NSH: Any theories why?

DF: Well for one, I bet it has to do with 'the first Administrators' or some shit.
DF: I think they're trying to compensate.

NSH: Ha.

DF: Another thing is that now I'm the senior -something I'm still slightly surprised about- they've seemed to work to care for me a little better, 'You have important duties' and what not.
DF: And who knows, maybe it has to do with Moon's Administration making a serious fuck up.

NSH: Potentially, but according to Moon they've been covering it up.
NSH: I don't know if it's just to the greater public, or *everyone*, including other Administrators.

DF: Hmm maybe, I'd certainly believe it.

NSH: Anyways, how's senior been going.

DF: Would it surprise you that I've found a way to circumvent it?

NSH: How? And no, not really.

DF: I took a survey from my local group, asking how they usually act, when they're usually online, what reasons they've been issued audits, that kind of stuff.
DF: People answered, because I disclosed the reasons why I was doing this.
DF: I made a program that automatically generates reports for my local group, emulating them fairly effectively.
DF: Though I've... toned down... how many notices they make.
DF: To Administration, when I turn in reports of how the local group's been doing, it looks like everyone's a well oiled machine. More so than usually, that is.
DF: They've never been happier with us.

NSH: ...
NSH: You're a fucking genius.

DF: I try.
DF: Though... it's not perfect, and I've warned the group that they can't just go and do whatever, otherwise they *will* notice.
DF: And of course we still have taboos and quotas and such.
DF: But otherwise it's been real fucking nice.

NSH: I bet.
NSH: I almost want to send that to Moon or something.

DF: ...I probably couldn't do that.
DF: This program is questionable at best, and illegal at worst.
DF: If I got caught sending this over the network, I'd be dead meat.

NSH: Or how about scrap metal?

DF: How about both, considering the biomechanical nature of us.
DF: Point is, if it weren't for my current situation, I probably couldn't even mention this to you.
DF: You should definitely *NOT* tell anyone else.

NSH: Got it, though you probably should have started with that.

DF: I realize that.
DF: Again, *do not tell anyone.*
DF: You'd be dead, I'd be dead, and whoever you told it to, would be dead.

NSH: Got it.

DF: ...In other news, void studies are going good.
DF: Though I'm starting to run out of tests to perform.

NSH: Well when you finally run out, just do transcension.
NSH: It's so passe at this point I can tell that people pass out when hearing about it.

DF: Good to note.
DF: Also that mental image is pretty funny.
DF: You just say 'transension' and an Ancient falls over snoring.

NSH: Yeah, that's pretty good.
NSH: Anyways.
NSH: The great thing about transcension is that there's so many options you can do with it, due to its open-ended nature.
NSH: Even just limiting yourself to making models leaves you with so much room.
NSH: I mean, seriously, you *will not* run out of options any time soon.

DF: Yeah.
DF: You and Moon stumbled into something great there.

NSH: Thanks.
NSH: I'll be honest, even now I sometimes think of her as the sole creator of it, despite me joining in like 200 cycles after it's conception.
NSH: In the grand scheme of things, 200 cycles is nothing, and has been nothing for the last 3,000 cycles.

DF: Yeah, but I get it.
DF: I bet I feel much older than you, despite only being 1000 cycles apart.

NSH: No, not really.
NSH: Though that might have been the case if I didn't hang out with you so often.

DF: Fair.
DF: Hey, how's the security cracking been going?
DF: I haven't asked about that in ages.

NSH: Slow, I've got another power rail down, and I think I might have found a way to one of the labs, but that's really it.
NSH: I would have thought it would go faster the more connections I have, but here we are.

DF: I bet if you could find the Administrators' connection, it would go faster.

NSH: I would hope, but I don't think I'll find that anytime soon.

DF: Who knows? Maybe it'll be the next one you find.

NSH: True.
NSH: I don't exactly find that likely, though.

DF: You're right, but still.

NSH: Yeah.
...
NSH: ...I just realized I should probably reboot up some of my labs.
NSH: I turned most of them off when I started my simulations.

DF: Ooh, yeah you should probably get to that.
DF: Talk later, yeah?

NSH: Talk later.

Disconnect

Notes:

There might be a third part to this, but it's not the next chapter.

Chapter 7: Security Breach pt. 1

Summary:

Sig breaches security, in a couple ways.

...Holy shit.
That's a communication node.
...It's connecting to the aux array.
Holy shit holy shit holy shit.

That's...
A lot of information going through this ping.
A lot, a lot.

---

Piped through to my chamber.
I fucking found it.
The solution to my great problem.

---

Message, Frontiers (DF)

------
I fucking found it.
Holy shit.
CN-AA
------

---

Private Discussion
Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), DF (Distant Frontiers)

DF: I need evidence.
DF: I believe you, but I *need* to see it.
DF: Please, I beg you.

NSH: Yeah, yeah, let me just...

Request call[Frontiers (DF)]

The screen opens up.
I turn the camera so that it's facing the model.

"That's new."

"No it's not, it was back in 0.2.x"
"Just never used it."

"Huh."
"Can you zoom in?"

I manipulate the model so that it's zoomed into the comms node I found.
"I found this connection from, of all places, the two power rails I already have."
I filter out every connection besides the two relevant, and pull up the code window for the PR-PR connection.
"I guess it needed some kind of communication interface, because this thing is massive.
I scroll it to the function call.

"...Ho-ly shit."

"Yeah."

"Look at all of those calls!"

"I know."
"I think I'll be able to get this one in maybe..."
"Ten cycles? Twenty?"
"Amazing for how long this usually takes."

"Wow."
"Yeah, didn't you say a while ago the fastest one took like... seventy cycles?"

"Exactly."
"I'm looking into why this calls for all this, for sure."

"Yeah, you better."
"...Hey, why not just do it now?"
"I've got nothing better to do at the moment."

"...Sure."

---

"You see that?"
"It's assigning the time between pings to a variable."

"The fuck?"
"Why's that important?"

"Why are you still asking that question?"

"...Fair enough."

---

"...The hell is this?"

"Which part?"

"This one."
I highlight what I'm looking at.
"It's calling for..."
"What, that the CN-AA Connection is leaking memory?"
"Then it shuts off several components of this connection if it is."
"What the fuck."

"What the fuck indeed."
"...Wait, so they were aware that their code was shitty?"

"Maybe."
"But, because there's no comments we may never know."
"And it's not like we could find the people that made this."

"Yeah."
"Besides, no one would own up to it."

"Yeah."

---

"...I'm done."
"This..."
"This is on a whole different level than previous connections, holy shit."
"I'll fix this later."

"Yeah, that's fair."

I close the model, and save the couple windows I have open for later.
"So how's it going for you?"

"Good, good."
"You?"

"Good, obviously."
"I know we talked about finding the Administrators' connection a bit ago, but I'm fairly sure this might be almost as good."
"At the very least, finding this or the normal array was the original goal of this."
"Though admittedly, it's not that important anymore, the point was to send messages in peace."
"Nowadays that isn't exactly hard to do."

"Yeah."
"But you should keep going, for one, you've got this nice long term side thing going."
"Which... admittedly might very well come to an end very soon."
"But I'm sure there'll be a use one day for all of this."
"Maybe it won't exactly be the kind of use that's... approved, but who knows."

"Yeah."
"Thinking about it, once I've got all of this down, I'll know what basically everyone's security is like."
"...Void."
"There's holes everywhere in there."
"I know what triggers every single one."
"Of course, I've patched my own code base, but that still leaves everyone else's."

"...That's terrifying."
"I'm glad you're the one who had this idea, not someone else."

"...Yeah."
"I would be inclined to agree."
...What if someone else has.
"...Regardless, I might eventually send you the code so you can buff your own security, if possible."

He seems to catch on to what I'm thinking, and nods.
"Yeah, that would be nice."
"You would know how to access the Administrator only nodes, right?"
"At least start sending me those."

"Yeah."
"Frankly, should have done that a long time ago."
"Or..."
Hmm.
"This might not go well if sent over the network."
"And it's way too complicated to communicate through this voice call."
"...How could I do this, then?"

"...No idea."
"Wait."
He opens up... a map?
"What's your population, around or on the can?"

"...Greater than 200k, why?"

"Then you have smugglers."
"It's a simple fact. If you have a large population, you have crime."

"I mean sure, yes, that is the case."
"And I even see where you're going with this."
"But..."
"I don't see how I could arrange it."
"The entrance to my chamber is restricted, like yours, like everyone's."

"Who said they had to get to your chamber?"
"The fabricator, the one you would, I don't know, use to print a data pearl chock full of information, is not in your chamber."
"And, oddly enough, if you looked hard enough, there's entrances under your can to your insides."

"...That's insanity."
"Surely you know the training required for mechanics to navigate around in there?"
"Both understanding the layout, and to actually move through it?"
"An Ancient without that knowledge could take days!"
"Not to mention the danger of staying underneath the Can during exhalation!"

"...Let me show you something."
He pulls up a video file.

---

Overseer footage, following an Ancient.
I note the possession on his back, a rather large backpack, with several climbing tools looped around it.

Frontiers speeds up the footage, showing their process of climbing up presumably one of his legs.
Eventually he reaches the actual underside of the Can.
An alarm goes off, the rain siren.
He reaches one of several rest spots under the Can, and unloads a bed roll.
Then he looks at the overseer.
"This better be worth it."

---

The footage cuts to when he wakes up.
He eats a small meal, and gets moving.

---

"I thought that those rest spots were relatively unknown."

"Doesn't mean that no one can find them."

---

The smuggler moves through the underside with relative ease.
Eventually reaching an entrance to the insides of Frontiers.
He shows remarkable calmness and adaptation to the lowering G's.

The overseer watching him projects directions to a nearby pipe.

---

"I've directed it point to my fabricator."

"Do you do this often?"

"Just this once, haven't had a need to otherwise."
"This was a preparation."

---

The footage speeds up massively, then he slows it back down to show...
A small rest point, obviously not official, more set up as a refuge in his insides.
And remarkable agility for no formal training.

---

He stops the footage.

"...How long has that been there?"

"Not too long, maybe ninety or so cycles now."
"I made sure to have an inspector take a good look at it."
"Normally I would have cleaned it out in an instant, but I saw some potential in keeping it there, realizing it was for smugglers."
"I made sure to leave a message for them though:"
"I see you, and I won't report this."
"I will ask for something in the future."
"Next time I checked the place, there was the word 'ok' on the wall."

"...Huh."

"I'm not saying there's one of these in your facility, but I will say that they likely know how to move through there easier than you think."
"And for the record, the thing that guy was getting was a high resolution map of my facility."
"A gift from their god."

"I see."
"So I get someone to go to my fabricator and grab a pearl?"

"Yep."
"Just guide them through, and maybe once they get there provide a gift like a map as well."

"And how do I find one?"
"Or tell them what I want without them assuming the overseer isn't going to report them or something?"

"The first part is easy, there's plenty of them using the water intake network as a good place to hide."
"They're pretty fucking hardy when they have a goal in mind."
"As for the second part."
"Message them."
"It's not fast or easy, but you can fit two lines of text twenty characters long in the holograms overseers project."
"It's how I left the above message for them."
"Just cycled through four images making up the two sentences on repeat."

"...You sure you haven't done anything else with them?"

"Nope, not yet, just getting on good relations."
"Anyhow, you know how to do this now."
"I'm sure you can figure it out from there."

"...Thanks."
"Wait, how do I get it to your facility?"

"Train."
"The trains are old and rusty, but are still functional, they're just slower."
"And they're practically unused and unmonitored."
"Smugglers love them, I've noted."
"They load whatever they need to get moving, tell the train where to go, and it does the rest."
"They'll gladly load up a pearl and send it along with another shipment."

"Right."
"What are they even smuggling, anyways?"

"Possessions."
"And they trade them out with more law abiding citizens."
"Most are even nice enough to do it for free."
"It's a minority that does this, there's like less than twenty smugglers in my facility, but they make people quite a bit happier."

"That's... pretty noble, really."
"I... I guess I have something to do, don't I?"

"Yep."
"And don't worry about them being noticed, they won't."
"Nor will you."

"...That does make me feel better about this."
"I'm going to go, I'll get this sorted out."

"Good luck, not that you'll need it."
"Keep me posted, yeah?"

"Of course."

Disconnect

Disconnect

---

...Message prepared, and stored next to the fabricator.
Now to find a smuggler.
Can't believe this is a thing I'm doing.

---

...Well that wasn't too hard.
Just some lady chilling next to an intake pipe.
Her little refuge looks nice.

...Now to not spook her off.
I've got 40 characters to do so.

[I have a proposition]
She doesn't bolt.

She looks at the overseer skeptically.
"Mhm, sure."
"Nice try, Administrator."

[no no wait wait wait]
[Not Administrator.]

[No Significant]
[Harassment]

"...Huh."
"You're the real thing, then?"
"Tell me what's the square root of 17."
"Fast."
[4.12310562562...]
[I could go on.]

She blinks.
"Alright, you're the real deal then."
"What do you want?"

[First, what have]
[Administrators done?]

[Surely another's]
[Job]

"They got control of some overseers too, right?"
"Someone will hire them to find hideouts."
"Also, just like to say you weren't subtle when you first showed up."

[Right]
[Anyways]

[I need a pearl sent to]
[Distant Frontiers]

[Heard of him?]

"Oh, I've heard of him."
"Interesting sod, him."
"From what I've heard, anyways."
"...Well, I know what I'd need to do to get a pearl from you."
"Won't be easy, I'll tell you right now."
"What's in it for me?"

[Information, news]
[Accurate maps]

[Belongings]
[of your choosing]

[Refuge, if possible]
[and needed]

[Oh, and directions]

She blinks a couple times.
"...That's a pretty good offer."
"...I expect a couple copies of those maps, yeah?"
"No need for me to have the only one."
"As for these 'belongings.'"
"How are you getting them?"

[Anything I can]
[print]

[And that you]
[can haul out]

[Same place you're]
[Getting pearls]

[Fabricator]

"Makes sense."
"I don't actually want much in that regard anyways."
She thinks about it for a second.
"I want a mug."
"I broke mine."
"Put a design on it, surprise me."
"But otherwise nothing special."

...Alright then.
[Two mugs.]
[In case you]

[break the first]
He was right, this is neither fast, or easy.

I see her roll her eyes.
"Oh, alright."
"You drive a hard bargain."
"You've got a deal."
"I'll get out there next cycle."
"It's late, and I am not getting flooded again."

[Good luck]

[Will meet at]
[closest leg]

"Right."
"See you then."

I move the overseer away, and direct it to the southeastern most leg.

---

...Now, to design a mug, I guess.

---

Private Discussion
Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), DF (Distant Frontiers)

NSH: Help, I need to design a mug.

DF: Huh?

NSH: I got a deal set up, and the lady delivering asked for a mug in return.
NSH: 'Put a design on it.' Her words.

DF: Why'd you think I'd know anything about making mugs?
DF: I'm as mouthless as you are!

NSH: I know!
NSH: But you've at least interacted with...
Probably shouldn't say smuggler.
NSH: These kinds of people!

DF: ...Fair assumption.
DF: And good catch on your wording, by the way.
DF: But no, I haven't got any experience with putting designs on something.
DF: Here, start a call so we can discuss this properly.

Request call[Frontiers (DF)]

The screen opens up.

"Did your smuggler at least request a specific design?"

"Nope. She said to surprise her."
"I had one idea, and I think it might be in poor taste."

"What was it?"

"The third urge."

"Holy-"
"Yeah, poor taste."
"How about you just... do something unrelated?"
"I don't know..."
"Take a picture of your GSB and put it on it, there, there's something."

"...I guess?"
"Feels a little... narcissistic though."

"Fine."
"But if you don't want to design something yourself, just, like, take a picture with an overseer or something."
"The sunset, a thunderstorm, anything."

"Ok, ok."
"...Sky sailors!"

"There you go!"
"Those things are cool as shit!"
"Just take some footage from a festival or something."
"Because I know you've taken a recording of one."

"Like you haven't."
As I say that, I pull up one.

"Got me there."

I pause at a good moment, and cut out a good portion to use for it.
"...Maybe I could do something to it. Make it a little more interesting."
More saying that to myself.

"Good Idea."
"Maybe start with fixing it up first?"
"Picture's too grainy, in my opinion."
"And that's not even considering the color shifting."

I separate the sailors from the surrounding sky.
"Any ideas for after that?"

"Hmm."
"You could just have the sailors."
"Maybe do a little more than making them look good, but that's about it."
"Ooh! You could shift the colors around some more, make them all different colors!"

"...I like it."
"Let me just..."

---

"...There."

"I like it."
"Simple, yet refined."

"Thank you."
"Maybe I should try to take up doing some art."
"Add it to the list of hobbies that I have."

"What would that make? Three?"

"Three."
"And, the more I think about it..."
"I'm partially serious."

"I mean."
"You did do a pretty good job."
"If you ever get the chance, and a good idea, go for it."

"Yeah, I'll look into that."

---

"How's Moon doing?"

"I haven't gotten to talk to her that recently, so I don't know how it's going right now."
"I do know they've started building that new Iterator."
"She's said something about how there's been... resistance."

"Monks?"

"Yep."
"Though she said they've denied all accusations."
"That was a couple hundred cycles ago now."
"I hope she's alright."

"Me too."
"Maybe you could get Your Source to find something on it."

"Already did, she said she's looked into it, but she doesn't know anything outside of what we don't already know."
"She did however note the time it takes to build an Iterator is a very well estimated time."
"So if it goes too far above that, there will be questions."
"More so than there already is."

"Right, they're still hiding why they're doing this."

"Yep."
"Though I don't think it'll last much longer."
"At the very most, when the construction goes over schedule is when it'll be unveiled."
"Though..."
"You said that one thing that smugglers do is spread news, right?"

"Yep."
"Though in this case..."
"It probably won't be able to get out."
"Can't use the existing transport networks, trains or otherwise, those would be taken up by construction materials."
"So they'd have to travel through the marshes, a notably dangerous and arduous trek."
"Only insane people try it, not smugglers."

"I see."
"So there goes that idea."
"...What could we do to get news out then?"
"We can't just send it out across the network."
"Could you imagine the fallout?"

"Yes, I very much can."
...
"And really, as much as I would love to show the incompetence of the Administration we must also consider:"
"As much as we want to expose this horrid oversight by them, is doing so such a good idea?"
"What would be the effects of this on Moon?"
"On the new Iterator? Moon's citizens?"
"As much as I fucking hate to say it, we probably shouldn't."

"...You're right."
"I don't like it, but you're right."

"I know. ...I know."

---

"...I'm going to head out for the cycle."
"See you later."

"See you."

Disconnect

Disconnect

Notes:

I guess I should say this before I forget.
Pebbles isn't going to get much 'screen time,' due to him not really being of importance to Sig until The Incident.
Suns will talk about him, so will Moon. But he won't actually talk to Sig too often.
It's a kind of friend of a friend thing, y'know?

Chapter 8: Security Breach pt. 2

Summary:

Sig learns a few things.

Overseer says there's an Ancient next to the Southeastern Leg.
Must be her.

...
As expected.

[Glad you could]
[make it]

"Mhm."
"What is it you want me to send, anyways?"
"I'm curious."

...
[Precautions]

[The fact that you]
[seem so confident]

[suggests to me that]
[my physical security]

[is comparable to my]
[digital security]

[My digital security]
[Fucking Sucks]

[Same with all]
[other Iterators]

[I've buffed my]
[own security and]

[I want to help]
[a friend out]

"Hmm."
"I see."
"...What would be an example of how bad it is?"

[Given time]
[I could probably]

[Shutdown]
[another Iterator]

[Permanently]

[Essentially]
[erasing them]

[Or worse]

[Does that answer]
[your question?]

She stares.
"...Yeah."

[Of course]
[I wouldn't]

[But who knows?]
[Someone might]

More staring.
"...Frankly, if you had said that, I probably would have done this for free."
"That... is a little scary."
"To be erased like you never existed like you suggest."

[...]
[Is that not]

[what the point]
[of ascension is?]

 

"Yeah."
"It is."
...
"I'm going to get moving."
"And yes, I know how to get inside."
"I'll need directions to your fabricator once I'm in, though."

With that, she ruffles through her backpack, and begins to climb.

---

She doesn't want to ascend, does she?

I mean, I don't particularly want to either, but I have my reasons.
What's hers?

---

I honestly thought that everyone,
even if it was just deep down,
wanted to ascend.

---

It makes sense, right?
Why else would I be working on this for the last, oh I don't know...
4000 cycles? 5000?
And Frontiers has been for 1000 more...

---

...How many?
How many want it?

---

[I have]
[a question]

She stops for a moment.
"Sure, go ahead."

[How many?]

[How many don't]
[want a solution?]

...
She continues climbing.

---

"More than a percent."
"That's all I know."
"Though..."
"Probably no more than five."
She returns to climbing.

---

...Void below.

---

302,457 citizens.
...
And 3,000 to 15,000 put up with rain, confined spaces, and limited opportunities.
Not to mention that they have to put up with their equivalent of Administration.
All for something they don't want.

---

It's not like I can take it back though.
I have to work on it.

---

[I'm sorry]

"Hmm?"
"For what?"

[...]

[The things]
[I have to do]

[Which admittedly...]
[I'm forced to do]

"Then don't be sorry."
"It's not your fault."
...
"And if you want to talk more, at least wait till I'm at a shelter, yeah?"

[A rest point?]

"Whatever it's called."
"I'm not too far from one."

---

She reaches a 'shelter.'
"...I have a feeling."
"That you aren't feeling too great right now."

[No shit]

[I've worked on it]
[for so long now]

[Me and everyone else]

[I genuinely thought]
[that at least...]

[Everyone wanted it]

"..."
"I'm sorry."
"Admittedly you, the superintelligent computer, would probably disagree."
"But ignorance is bliss sometimes."

...She has a point.
[Bliss, yes]
[I'll agree on that]

[But not]
[the better option]

"..."
"That's..."
"Didn't expect that."

---

"I have a question, for you this time."
"I have... a friend, that does her work at Looks to the Moon's facility."
"Normally she sends messages every 20 cycles or so."
"I'm sure you know why she hasn't been sending them for the past hundred."

[Yes]

[Trains around her]
[Can being used]

"Right."
"You couldn't... say..."
"Find a way to contact my friend, could you?"

[No]

[Nothing besides]
[materials are going]

[through]
[Sorry]

[Believe me]
[I fucking wish]

[Moon's a good friend]
[Though probably...]

[not like your]
['friend']

"...Wish I made that more subtle."

[Don't be]
[I wont say a thing]

[I wouldn't do]
[that to someone]

[I know what it's like]
[to keep a secret]

"..."
"Alright then."
"I just thought that..."

[What?]
[Woman and woman?]

[Like I care]

[Relationships are]
[basically banned]

[anyways]

[And again]
[I know a smidge]

[about wanting to]
[keep a secret]

...
"Thanks."

---

"Have you ever felt that?"
"Love for another?"

[...]

[Sorry, just thinking]

---

[Not how you think]

[I have friends]
[Not 'friends']

[Not people you would]
[be with for life]

[not in the]
[traditional sense]

[I know a few friends]
[DF, LttM, GW, and SRS]

[Abbreviations]
[Can't fit full names]

[But...]

[They aren't exactly]
[that, friends]

[They're]
[Brothers and Sisters]

[Coworkers and]
[Colleagues]

[...]

[I would give them]
[the world]

[But I must settle]
[for a pearl]

[...]

[Tell me]

[Would you]
[do the same?]

[For your lover?]

She stares at the overseer, trying to see me through it.

---

"Yes."
...
"I would."

---

[You probably]
[want to sleep]

[But one last]
[question]

[What's your name?]

"Oh."
"Silver."
"I don't use the full one, I find them stupid."

[Fair]

[You won't see me]
[using my full name]

[Besides for]
[formal stuff]

"...Well now I'm curious."
"What do you go by?"

[Sig, it's one of]
[two shortenings]

[and I never preferred]
['Hara']

[Didn't ring right]

"Makes sense."
"And, for the record, you were right."
"I do want to sleep."
"Good talk, though."
"Just... Move your overseer out, it's glowing."

[Oh]
[of course]

---

There we go.

---

I'm calling Fronti-

Message Received
From: Gray Winds (GW)
Subject: I got some information
Read?

Yes

------
It's some real good shit, call me
------

---

Private Discussion
Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), CW (Chasing Winds)

NSH: How good?

CW: It's about the Iterator.

NSH: Really?

CW: Yep!
CW: Nothing about the situation though.
CW: Buuuuut...
CW: We've got a name, confirmed, and a rumor.

NSH: Name first, I'm curious.

CW: Five Pebbles.
CW: As for the rumor...
CW: And this is *really* unreliable but...
CW: Gen 3

NSH: ...You're kidding.

CW: Nope, but like I said, could be unreliable.
CW: Personally, I don't *think* so.
CW: But the fact it's a rumor at all.
CW: And from a relatively good source...
CW: Maybe.

NSH: I wouldn't think so.
NSH: I mean, it's been what, 1000 cycles between this and gen 2?
NSH: It was 4000 between Frontiers and Gen 2.

CW: I agree, I really do.
CW: It's just...
CW: I heard all this from an Administrator.

NSH: ...
NSH: Shit, really?
NSH: How'd you manage that?

CW: ...
CW: Polite Pestering.

NSH: Mhm.
NSH: Was it polite?

CW: ...Yes.

NSH: You aren't helping your case.
NSH: But moving on.
NSH: So they said that they're going to be gen 3?

CW: Basically.
CW: Said that they would be 'better' than previous.

NSH: Mhm.
NSH: In this case...
NSH: I'm not *that* mad.
NSH: At least some of this will be put into Ancients surviving in a world where you can't live on the surface.

CW: Right.
CW: Can't be *that* mad.

NSH: Yeah.
NSH: ...Is that everything?

CW: Yeah.

NSH: In that case, doing good, Gray?

CW: Come on, you don't have to kneel to it.
CW: I'm doing fine, thank you.
CW: Ever since Administration's been taking a more hands off approach, I've been feeling much better.
CW: Especially ever since you told me Moon was looking out for me.
CW: Otherwise...
CW: I've been keeping out of some conversations that would otherwise induce... What was the word you came up with?

NSH: Dysphoria, the opposite of euphoria.

CW: Thank you.
CW: And that's really not many, I already hung out mostly just with you and kinda Moon, then Suns, and of course these talks go just fine with him.

NSH: Yeah.
NSH: Well that's good, great to hear.

CW: Thanks, and you?

NSH: I've been doing fine.
NSH: Been worrying about Moon, but that's about it.

CW: Yeah, that worry is pretty normal, I'd say.
CW: I'm sure she's fine though.

NSH: I mean, yeah.
NSH: She's proven herself to be pretty good at handling these kinds of things.
NSH: But still.
NSH: Can't help but worry a little.

CW: Of course.
CW: I feel the same.
CW: But my point still stands.

NSH: Of course.
NSH: Well... I'm going to head out.
NSH: Talk to you later.

CW: You too!

Disconnect

---

...
Shit, have I actually prepared the other things she needs to pick up?

---

Fabricator's online.

---

Found the files I need for Frontiers...
Maps...
The mugs too...

As for news...
...
Maybe I could put what I know about what's happening in Moon's facility?
Even though it's kinda old at this point, it'd still be newer than anything she could get.

---

There, and tied a few extra things in too.

---

...Everything's queued up, just need to get it running now, shouldn't take a cycle.

Good.

Chapter 9: Security Breach pt. 3

Summary:

Sig has a nice chat with Silver.

Notes:

Last of the security breach mini-series.

[Here we are]

She floats through one more pipe to reveal the output of the fabricator.
"About time."
"...Nice mug."

[Thanks]

"Why sailors though?"
"I would have expected something like one of the many different parts of your insides."
"I've heard stories of your Systems Bus."
"It'd be quite the sight."

...Well shit.
[...]

[I thought it would]
[be narcissistic]

...
"You are a god, Sig."
"I'd think it'd be expected that you'd be a little narcissistic."

[Well]
[I'm not]

[And besides,]
[I love sky sailors]

[Fucking]
[Beautiful]

"Huh."
"I never really gave them too much thought, I'll be honest."
"I've never been above the clouds long enough to see them fly."

[Really?]
[You've missed out]

She begins packing the stuff in the pile.
"Yeah, yeah. I know."
"I think I've been above the clouds... once?"
"And that was for a trip up to the city to give out some stuff."
"And it'll be the last too, way too fucking risky."

[I see]
[You know there are]
[other places]

[above the clouds]
[Right?]

[The Tri-Peak Arrays]
[for example]

"Hmm, good point."
"Does anyone go up there?"

[A maintenance crew]

[Goes up every]
[hundred cycles]

[I would know]
[I set that up]

[Used to be 200]

[I changed it because]
[it was showing wear]

"Fair enough, isn't that the only way to message people across facilities?"

[Yes]

[Don't want to]
[lose that]
"Hey, what's this?"

Hmm?
She's holding...
Ah, that, nearly forgot.

[Oh!]

[An idea I had]
[hit that top button]

"Alright."

Incoming Call
Source id: 0x4F89 (Silver's Transmitter)
Accept call?

Yes

"Hey, this working?"

I see through the overseer her staring.
"...The fuck you found the time for this?"

"Good."
"And to answer your question, I had already made the software part for this ages ago."
"Then I based the actual design off of a miniaturized radio transceiver."
"Shame though, because of that I couldn't fit video on this, just audio."
"Still beats using the overseer to chat, though."
"Overall, I designed the thing and adapted existing code in about..."
"2 hours?"
"Then the fabricator made it in about five, while you were swimming over here."

"...I see."
"Wait, what signal does it use?"

"Not one Administration knows about, and it's an extremely tight radio band."
"Trust me, they won't hear a thing."
"I assume that's what you were worried about?"

"Yes."
"Can't normally use radio, security reasons."

"Makes sense."
"Can't use it because then people could find you."

"Exactly."
"...Say, you can't make more of these, can you?"

"Absolutely, though I'd need to make modifications, so you don't have to rely on my aux array."
"And then I'm assuming that you'd need... what, ten plus?"

"More like twenty plus."

"Exactly. Assuming each takes roughly five hours, that makes..."
"Five cycles?"
"So unless you want to stay in my inhospitable insides for much longer than you presumably have food for..."

"I get it, another time."
"But it'd be real fuckin' nice, just saying."

"Yes it would, and I'll get to that."
"For now though..."

"Right, completing the delivery."
"Lead the way out, I don't exactly remember the way out here."

"On it."

Direct Silver out of the Can, same way she entered, please.

---

"Thank you for doing this."

"No problem, I get requests all the time."
"Admittedly, most take place on the ground, which is why I asked for something in return."
"Climbing up here is a pain."

"Sorry about that."

"Don't be."
"Even before you made this, you already had paid tenfold for it."
"You didn't have to do that much."

"It's not like it was hard."

"No, but you could have definitely gotten away with just the maps."
"So thank you."

"You're welcome."

---

"I honestly thought it would be harder for you to swim through these environments."
"As far as I knew you needed hundreds of hours of training for it."

"Professionally, yes."
"But something tells me that that involves not touching every wall and such."
"My first visit here I learned pretty quickly what is safe to cling onto, and what could potentially damage you."

"Well now I'm curious, what was your first visit for?"

"Hiding."
"Too much of a maze for people to follow you, surely you're aware of all the nooks and crannies inside you?"

"Yes. I've noticed them when I've followed mechanics around in here."
"Pipes and whatnot that ninety-nine percent of the time are not full of some kind of fluid."

"Exactly."
"It didn't take two minutes to lose them in here."
"I've been inside this maze a few times, along with a few others, when we've needed to lay low."
"Did you ever notice?"

"Unless there was some obscure notification I paid no attention to, no."
"And besides, I'm pretty sure there's a couple mechanics that'll chill in the upper areas of my Can anyways, so it's not like I'd notice a couple others."
"And frankly, use it all you like, there are some sections that hardly do anything, they're just built to access other areas for maintenance."
"Set up a rest point, if needed, just try to keep it where the only noise you hear is water flowing through the pipes."

"I'll take it into consideration."
"You really don't mind?"

"I don't feel it, if that's what you're asking."
"And frankly, I've done worse than harbor 'criminals.'"

"Huh."
"Well, if you say it's alright."
...
"Might be nicer than living below anyways."

"...It might be."
"A word of caution though."
"Mechanics often have to change stations after time here, due to muscle atrophy."
"Any place you made here wouldn't be a permanent home."
"And besides, it's not like there's food here."

"Oh, right."
"At least it'd still have some use."
"A place to lay low for a while, for example."

"Or a checkpoint, if you ever needed to retrieve something."

"Or that."

---

"Do you dream?"

"I- what?"

"Do you dream."
"I guess I should have started with do you sleep, though."

"...Rarely, so I could undergo maintenance."
"Though I believe it's hardly like how normal beings sleep."
"As for dreaming..."
How... do I put it?
...
"...Whenever I 'sleep', all my neurons are in a certain position."
"Usually, they're controlled by some process -or by my consciousness- as computational resources and short term memory."
"When said process suddenly stops, or I 'go to sleep'..."
"They have a tendency to wander around for a while, doing calculations and running micro-simulations."
"Often enough, some perform parallel processes, and create actual sensory, usually auditory or kinetic, experiences for the shut down component."
"Does the end result sound like dreaming to you?"

"...Yes, actually. Though it sounds like it'd be completely different dreams than most are used to."
"Almost all of my dreams are mainly visual, and as far as I'm aware that's the same for most."
"Could you... give an example?"

"A memorable one would be the time I woke up with the crack of thunder in my memory, but I checked and there was nothing to cause such a memory."
"I remember checking the source of the dream afterwards, revealing that a group of my neurons had indeed recreated a near perfectly accurate lightning strike."
"It's not often an actually realistic simulation comes out of it."

"How interesting, I would have never thought your dreams were like that."

"Well, it is what it is."
"...Why did you ask?"

"I'll be honest, I just thought up the question randomly, I was just curious."

"...Can't argue with that, it's not like half of the things I do or ask in my free time aren't out of curiosity."
"I've found out quite a few things just by exploring things no one's talked about."

She nods her head, seemingly having similar experiences.

---

"...I recognize this place, I can figure it out from here."

"You sure? You're still about half a kilometer away from the nearest opening."

"I'm sure. Like I've said, I've been in here a few times."
"I'll call you on this once I send the delivery off. Be easier than coming to you myself like I usually do."
"...This thing's got the range for that, right?"

"Yes, I did some math, and it should be able to reach well outside of the facility."
"Not like that's particularly necessary."

"No, it is not."
"...Well."
"For now, I think this is goodbye."

...Indeed.
"...Indeed it is."
"Though I'm sure it won't be the last time I will call you."

"No, I'm sure it won't be."
"You still need to make some more of these, remember?"

"I do, and I'll get straight on it."
"But for now, farewell."

"Farewell."
She waves at the overseer, and despite her not being able to see me, I wave back.
She shuts off the transmitter.

Resume normal duties, please.

Notes:

Don't worry, we'll see Silver again.
And Apostate Superstructure pt. 3's coming after next chapter, sorry about that.

Chapter 10: Biological Tampering

Summary:

Frontiers talks about some stuff to Sig.
Among other things.

Private Discussion
Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), DF (Distant Frontiers)

NSH: I've heard from a certain Source that the pearl is on its final stretch of the journey.
NSH: Should just be... oh, 20 cycles from now?

DF: That's good to hear, and much sooner than I expected.
DF: ...I never asked, how'd it go?

NSH: Good, good.
NSH: The smuggler liked the mugs, but wouldn't you know it,
NSH: would have liked a Systems Bus design.

DF: ...
DF: The irony.

NSH: Indeed.
NSH: Anyways, how've you been?

DF: Good.
DF: I've been working on an odd sort of side project as of late.

NSH: Do tell.

DF: Genetic modification.
DF: Nothing taboo, mind you. I wouldn't even know where to begin with that.
DF: But I've been tampering around with some lantern mice.
DF: Speaking of, did you know there's a fuckton of stray mice around?
DF: Ever since the recent pet ban, you know.

NSH: Of course.
NSH: I'm pretty sure there's still one roaming around on my underside.
NSH: So what are you doing with them? Making them glow brighter?

DF: Basically.
DF: The project is still in its infancy, I only started maybe 30 cycles ago.
DF: And it's *way* harder than I thought it'd be.
DF: You know how hard it is to modify *one* aspect of these things?
DF: Not add, not remove, modify.
DF: I swear, how the Ancients did it is beyond me.

NSH: That would be a first.
NSH: ...Wait, are you trying to modify the genes of an existing mouse?

DF: Yeah.

NSH: You sure you shouldn't be modifying offspring?

DF: Well, duh, I should and I would love to.
DF: Thing is, I have no fucking clue how to modify the embryo with it surviving, at any stage of development.
DF: For one, it's not like I can modify it while it's inside the mother.
DF: Otherwise, I'd managed to extract zygotes -and other stages, but I worked primarily with zygotes- but I couldn't put them back in the mother after modifying them.
DF: Not for lack of trying, mind you, they just won't take.
DF: So here I am, trying to do it in fully grown mice. As mentioned, it's not working out.

NSH: ...Ok, before we continue, I want to ask The Important Question.
NSH: Is this ethical?
NSH: Are you treating your subjects well?

DF: I'd roll my eyes if I could. And yes, I have.
DF: I've used one of the couple modular labs I have, manipulated it into a 1.0g environment, and simulated a nice semi-spacious environment that frankly is much better than their previous homes before the ban.
DF: They're well fed, there's water, and I make sure they're in good health before I do anything. I also anesthetize them before procedures.
DF: I've run brain scans, and there's no mental problems I have noticed, though admittedly that may be due to relative lack of information on mice brains.

NSH: Good, you seem to be doing the best you can.
NSH: And much better with this than before, wasn't there a time when you asked for a pet lizard in your experiment and crushed it to a pulp?

DF: Don't remind me.
DF: I've grown, thank you very much.
DF: And since you're so worried about this, I must remind you, for the first time in a couple thousand cycles, that you were lucky you didn't have to work on void baths.
DF: While I haven't erased the memories, I have put several layers of encryption on them, hoping I never have to look at them again.

NSH: Right.
NSH: Anyways, back on topic.
NSH: So you couldn't actually modify the zygotes without ruining them?

DF: Basically.
DF: Every time I put it back in the mother, or any capable host for that matter, it doesn't take and dies.
DF: And before you ask again, yes, the mother survives.
DF: You wouldn't have any ideas on how to, say, get any method to work?

NSH: Hmm...
NSH: Send me your old procedure, let me take a look.
NSH: I don't know if I can help *too* much, but it's probably at least a good idea for a second person to look it over.

DF: Fair enough, sending it over.

---

Distant Frontiers attached a file.
Download?

Yes

Alright.
NSH: Let me just reference some things...

---

NSH: ...Hmm.
NSH: So you're modifying the original zygote, instead of modifying stem cells later on in development.
NSH: I'm not seeing anything in my records about people using this method before, is... there a particular reason?

DF: I've got delicate enough tools that extracting and modifying the zygote is easier than doing anything later in development.
DF: Not to mention that I have more control over said modifications.
DF: It was an idea I had after struggling to do much with traditional methods.

NSH: Right, fair enough.
NSH: So... maybe it has to do with the mother not thinking it's its own anymore?
NSH: I don't know. I know that doesn't matter when you do it the traditional way, but maybe it does using this method?

DF: You think so?

NSH: Everything else in your methods seem good, and I wouldn't dare to assume that it's precision you're having a problem with.
NSH: So... I think so.

DF: Well, what do you propose?

NSH: Hmm...
NSH: ...You've considered growth vats?
NSH: I know they're made for growing meat, but I'm sure you could design one that could be more... hospitable for growing embryos.

DF: ...It's certainly an idea.
DF: Yeah, I could look into that.
DF: Thanks a lot.

NSH: No problem.
NSH: Share the results, yeah?

DF: Absolutely, I'll get back to you with it.

Message Received
From: Moon (LttM)
Subject: I've got time off
Read?

NSH: Holy shit holy shit.
NSH: Gotta go, Moon's calling me.

DF: Holy shit.
DF: Go, talk to you later.

NSH: See ya.

Disconnect

...
Yes

------
Please for all that is holy please message me back.
I am desperate for a normal conversation.
------
---

Private Discussion
Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), LttM (Looks to the Moon)

NSH: Holy shit.
NSH: Sorry.
NSH: Are you good?

LttM: ...
LttM: No.
LttM: It's been...
LttM: It's been a lot.
LttM: ...Hey, do I need to update the video caller?

NSH: No, not at all.

Request call[Moon (LttM)]

The screen pops up in an instant.
She looks... tired.
She's also already sitting on the floor.
"Thank you."

"Don't mention it."
"Do you want to talk about it, or not talk about it?"

"...Both."
"But let's start with not talking about it, ok?"

"Fair enough."
"Let's see..."
"I'm almost done with the video caller."
"I just need to finalize the multi-caller, iron out the last few bugs, and it's good."

"That's wonderful to hear, I look forward to seeing you release it."

"Thank you."
"I'm quite happy that the project's almost done, myself."

"That's great to hear."
"Anything else I've missed?"

"...Suns had a similar discovery to Winds, not exactly the same though, you'd have to ask them yourself."
"Frontiers has... I guess out of boredom? Started working on genetic modifications of lantern mice."
"I'm sure you know about the pet ban?"

"Very aware."
"I know there's a couple corpses inside my Can, from starvation."

"Right, not so glad to know we've all had the same problems."

"Wait, did you say genetic modifications?"

"Yeah, he just started some work on it a couple dozen cycles ago."
"He says it's apparently quite difficult, with current methods."
"Though I might have just helped him with a breakthrough."

"Really? What was it?"

"He was having trouble actually growing the modified mice, they wouldn't grow after reimplanted into the mother."
"I suggested designing a growth vat that could stimulate its growth."
"I don't have much idea that it'll work, but I think there's a chance."

"I see."
"Well, I wish him the best."

"I'll tell him you said that."
"...There's not much else, actually."
"Not that I know of, anyways. Maybe Winds could give some insight."

She nods her head.
"...Well, I do already feel a little better."
She doesn't look better, still just as tired looking.
"I'll explain some of what's been happening."

"You don't have to if you don't want to."

"No, no."
"I should."
"Besides, I need someone to talk to about this."

"Alright... but stop whenever you need to."

"Ok."
"...First, I don't actually remember how much has gotten out, could you tell me what you know?

"Well, not much has gotten out, but."
"I know their name, Five Pebbles; and I know a rumor that hasn't been confirmed, that they're going to be gen 3."
"Can you confirm?"

"Yes."
"To both."

...Fuck.
The rumor was true.

"That's all you know?"

"That's all I know."
"Everyone's been speculating as to why, though."
"I haven't said anything on that matter, outside of our little group."
"Didn't think that that would end too well for you or this Pebbles."

"...I want to hug you right now."

"Don't give me any more ideas, otherwise this caller will never be finished."

She laughs softly at that.
It's good to hear her laughing.

"Thank you, I needed that."
"But yes, that likely would have been catastrophic."
"To put that on us in this current situation...?"
Us?
"Sorry... I'm getting ahead of myself."
"...Let's start with what happened after our last call, mkay?

"Sounds great."

"Okay."
"...For a good while after you left, various untraceable sabotages occurred, nothing unusual, unfortunately."
"The Order of the Citadel, their now self proclaimed name, still denied all involvement."
"Administration eventually tasked me to move my overseers to watch various important areas and stockpiles, but 'whoever' was doing it has been in disguise for quite some time, and I couldn't exactly follow them without being noticed."
"Until, that was, about a hundred cycles after our call."
"The disguise fell off, and I got a picture."
"Long story short, not only was it a member of the Order, but it was one of the actual monks."

"What happened then?"

"They couldn't deny involvement any longer, but they shifted it to the one caught."
"Saying he was a crazed radical."
"One mental check and a confession later denied that excuse."
"While the order still exists, they no longer hold basically any political power."
"Not to mention several arrests of people who confessed because they truly thought they were in the right."
"And, finally, things have settled in that department."

"That's wonderful to hear!"

"It is, isn't it?"
"I won't lie, I celebrated a tiny bit when it finished."

"As you should."
She actually looks a bit less tired now.

"Thank you."
"But... that isn't all."

Right.
"...What else is there?"

"Well..."
"It turns out... there's a difference in how a gen 3 Iterator wakes up."
"I'm sure you remember yourself waking up?"

"Yes."
How could I not?
Really, it taught me a good few things of how the Ancients, or as I've now learned, the Administrators, think.

"I'm sure you remember how you were fully constructed when you woke up, then?"

...Wait.
Oh void, that's what she meant by 'us.'
"He's awake?"

"...Yeah."
"I heard from Administration that they thought it would be a good idea for him to learn at a slower pace."
"Get introduced to things as they're built."
"I... half agree."
"I personally think they did it much too soon, for a variety of reasons, but it's a little late for that."

"...Pictures suggest that he's barely half done."
"And they thought this was a good idea this soon?"

"Is that particularly surprising?"

"...No, it's not."
"Well... what's he like?"

Notes:

Cliffhanger :)

Also, fun fact, mice are one of the more common animals to genetically modify in real life, so that's fun!

Chapter 11: Apostate Superstructure pt. 3

Summary:

Pebbles is awake.

"Pebbles..."
"He's nervous, understandably. He's been informed of both his unusual status and of a certain Order that is still out for him, just without the power to do much of anything."
"He's taking the god rhetoric a little literally. I'm noticing that when he's talking to Administrators in meetings he puts on a certain... holier-than-thou attitude."
"He hasn't shown that to me, probably because he knows it wouldn't work."

"Makes sense, you're his senior, in two different ways."

"Yeah."
"I'll admit though, he has a way of getting what he wants with them."
"I don't think they've had to deal with that kind of authority before."
"The Administration, that is."

"No, I imagine they haven't."
"Shame... I would have loved to have seen that."

"...I did take a video of one of the meetings, you want to see?"

"Please do."

She opens up a screen, then realizes that she can't look at it and also have the camera face it.
"...This is going to be awkward."

"No, it's not, you can drag the camera."
"Second time that's been useful now."

"Thanks, I would have hated to watch it out of the corner of my eye."
She drags the camera into position.

---

First impressions:
He's pink, with some golden marks on his head, not five, strangely enough.
He has an orange cloak just like Moon's poncho.
His eyes are white like Suns'.

There's no Ancients in the room, must not be here yet.

Moon is...
Visible in a video call.

---

"When'd you tell them about that?"

"When Pebbles was woken up."
"I posed it as my own, and experimental."
"That alright?"

"Yes, in fact it's preferred."
"Thanks for saying that, especially that it was experimental."
"And frankly, using it to talk in a meeting with Five Pebbles is pretty smart."

"Thank you."

---

"Where are they?"
"I'd thought they'd be here by now."

"They're probably just late, it's happened plenty of times to me before."
"I believe plenty of times in general."

"You'd think they'd be more punctual, with how they are with us."

"Yes, you would think."
"Just another thing to deal with."

"Hmph."
"How did you manage to put up with it for so long?"

"...Who says I have?"
"But in all seriousness, you just kind of learn how over time."
"And don't worry, I'll help you on the way."

"...Thanks."

---

"He looks up to you."

"Of course, I've been the only other Iterator he's been able to talk to, because everyone else doesn't know he was awake yet."
"And of course, I've been trying my best to help him out best I can."
"So it makes sense that he looks up to... really the only person actually trying to help him."

"No, of course, makes perfect sense."
"So... what exactly is the situation on communications?"

"He's not allowed to, and neither of us have really had the time to talk anyways."
"Until now."

"Right."

---

A couple ancients pop through his service hatch.
Wait... there's a second hatch up there? Where does that lead?
...Questions for later.

Hey, I recognize one of them, that was my old Head Administrator, Legacy, wasn't it?
...Fuck him, asshole.

"Ah, Legacy of Nine Bells, former Head Administrator; Golden Strands Intertwining Mountains, Head Administrator."
"So good that you could finally make it to the meeting you two scheduled."

...Holy shit, she wasn't kidding.
Not to mention his excessive use of etiquette.

Legacy starts sweating.
"...O-our apologies, we were lambast by protests by the Order of the Citadel on our travels here, F-Five Pebbles, Iterator."

...Stuttering, that's a new one. Also 'good' to see that the Monks are still pissy.

"Surely you of all people could have predicted that outcome?"
"Next time, try to come earlier, I still have plenty to do, and making me wait won't make my workload shrink."

...This is the same person that was asking Moon about how she's managed with them for so long?
He's a bloody expert.
I'm taking notes, just in case.

It's Strands turn to speak up, seemingly more confident in their words.
"Yes, Five Pebbles, we understand the work you have on your hands, we will try to take your advice into consideration."
"Perhaps we should get started then?"

"Yes, that would be prefered."
"This meeting was a report of progress, yes?"

"Indeed."
"Everything is running on time, nay, ahead of schedule."
"Your labs will be fully functional by the end of the Centi-Cycle, as well as your final two power rails."

Legacy has seemingly grown back his spine.
"Yes, and as for city management..."
"Due to the newest modular systems, construction is proceeding at an unparalleled rate."
"The first citizens should come within fifty cycles, barring accident."

"Good, glad to know you two know at least know how to manage your jobs."
"As for my duties, no problems have been reported."
"Calibration of the lower systems rails have finished, as have Memory Confluxes F through M."
"My overseers, as well as Looks to the Moon's, have reported no incident within the past seventy cycles."
"Perhaps she could shed some light on her part?"

"Thank you, Pebbles."
"Training Pebbles, and helping him get accustomed to his duties has gone over well."
"I will also confirm that neither of our overseers have found any incident within seventy cycles."
"Really, everything is going quite well."

"That is good to hear from you two."
"If that is all, we will take our leave."
"We don't want to waste your time, after all."

"Of course you don't."
"Farewell, Legacy of Nine Bells, former Head Administrator; Golden Strands Intertwining Mountains, Head Administrator."
"May you arrive on time next meeting."

Legacy starts sweating again.
They both nod and are gently pushed out by Pebbles.

He watches the hatch for a second.
...
He sighs.

"I still don't know how you manage that."

"Picking up on how they spoke, and putting it on them."
"If anything, I don't know how they keep it up."

"If you ask me, they just, for some reason, like talking like that."
"They certainly seem to take pride in it."

..."Why?"

"Beats me."
"Though... I've noticed that it's mainly the people like our Administrators that are like that."
"Most civilians are surprisingly much more reasonable, I've found."

"...So why aren't they in charge?"

"I asked the same question a while ago, and I think the answer is this:"
"They, being reasonable, thought that Administration and other governmental positions was a terrible job."
"Either that or it's nepotism."
"But you didn't hear that from me, or at all."

He glares at her.
"Mhm."
"Well, I do actually need to do things, and I'm sure you do too."
"Talk later?"

"Yes, yes. Of course."
"Though before you go, you feeling good? I haven't asked in a while."

"Yeah, I'm doing good. Everything's slowly receding as calibration gets done and systems get built."
"Compared to when I woke up... I'd put it at about... forty-ish percent?"

"Well that's good to hear, call me when you get another tremor though, yeah?"

That's not concerning at all.

"Oh don't worry, I'm not going through another alone."
"...Unless there's anything else, I'm going to drop out of this."

"Ok."
"Best of luck!"

"Thanks."

The feed loops.

---

"Tremors?"

She... looks a little guilty.
"Sorry, I... probably should have mentioned that sooner."
"Pebbles... not all of his rarefraction cells are online yet, or as mentioned, calibrated."
"I'm sure you're quite aware how much artificial gravity is for stability, right?"

"..."
"Next you're going to tell me that the suspension in his legs isn't fully functional."

"...Well..."

"..."
I put a hand up to my face.
"Void..."
...
"Is he alright?"

"...He says so."
"But I know it's a smidge worse than he lets on."
"Everything, that is."
"...He's still missing a good few modules, and wouldn't you know it, he gets error messages about there not being modules where there should be."
"...I found in a neuroscience textbook randomly, for some light reading, that there's a name for this."
"Phantom pain, where the brain tries to control or feel something that isn't there."
"Though in every case I've read, the Ancient or animal that experienced this used to have something there."
"...I almost imagine it's worse when there wasn't one to begin with."

That's...
"...That's horrifying."
"There's no other way to put it."

"...He says he's used to it."
"But I know that's not the case."
"...I probably shouldn't talk much more about it, it's pretty private, I would say."

"That's probably for the best."
"No need to disrespect his privacy."
"The last thing he needs is to distrust the one person who can and is trying to help."

"Exactly."
"...That's all I really got on him."

"I see."
"Can I ask a question?"

"I don't see why not."

"How much does he know of others?"

"...I've told him a bit about others."
"I've told him about you, Suns, Frontiers, and Winds, though I... excluded some details."
"I'm sure it would be fine, but y'know."

"Right, just in case."
"I'm sure Winds would appreciate that."

"Indeed."
"...Oh hey, I just remembered."
"How's your little security project going?"

...
Holy FUCK I forgot to tell her.
How did I forget?

"You alright?"

"...I'm so sorry I should have mentioned this earlier."
"I did it."
"I've accomplished my original goals of accessing the Communication and Auxiliary Arrays security connections."
"Not to mention that after I did that I've accessed over seventy-five percent of every other connection."
"I've basically finished."

She stares.
"...Wow."
"You did it."
"I'm happy for you."

"Thank you."
...Wait.
"Hey, Pebbles is connected to the network, right?"

"...Yes?"
"He's just limited to only contacting me."

"...I could probably contact him, give him some encouragement from the outside."

"And how would you do that?"
"Not that I'm saying that wouldn't be appreciated."

"...I've made a note of every hole in the security code I've found."
"Of course, those are now fixed for me, but they're still there for everyone else."
"As far as I'm aware, there's no reason those holes aren't still there for Pebbles."
"I know how to get around them."

"...That's slightly scary, I hope you know."

"Fully aware of that."
"If you want me to, I can find a way to send you the updates I've made, discreetly."
"Which is a story for another time."

"...Ok."
"And yes, I would like that."
She opens up the network.
"...He's actually available right now."
"If you want to, go ahead and contact him."

"Alright."
"And just making sure, you don't want to keep talking?"

"...I'm fine, now."
"Best of luck chatting."

"Ok, I'll see you later."
"Right?"

"Don't worry, my workload has finally been decreasing."
"I'll actually be able to talk from time to time."
"I'll see you later, yeah?"

"See you later."
"I've missed you."

"...So have I."

She waves, and I wave back.

Disconnect

Disconnect

---

Alright...
You've practiced the procedure, Sig, just need to execute it.

---

Backdoor through my Aux array...
Connected to target's Main Array...

---

Hole in information processor here...
Nothing's been triggered yet. Good.

...
Encryption...
If I remember correctly... It's...
Ah, there, bypassed by Administrator code.

---

Oh look, that must be the filter Administration put in place.
Cute.

---

Hopping through comm nodes, almost there...
There. Not a single alarm triggered.
Now I just need to send the invitation.

---

Private Discussion
Members: ERR (?Unknown? ?Caller?), FP (Five Pebbles)

FP: Who is this?
FP: How did you get through the communication block?
FP: Is this you Moon?

ERR: I am not Moon, but I am a friend of hers.
ERR: I would tell you my name, but it'd be funner if you figured it out yourself.
ERR: We had a nice chat just an hour ago, you're lucky you have such a great person helping you out.

FP: ...I'll, I'll tell Moon you said that?
FP: Wait...
FP: Are you No Significant Harassment?

ERR: ...That was fast.
ERR: How'd you guess?

FP: She told me about your chat.
FP: Didn't tell me that you would try to contact me though.
FP: Speaking of, can you tell me how you did?

ERR: Thousands of cycles of learning every little thing about the digital security code.
ERR: That code is Fucking. Terrible.

FP: ...You good saying that?

ERR: Oh, haha, is that the first time you've heard someone swear?
ERR: Don't worry, you'll get used to it, and yes, I'll be fine saying that.
ERR: I presume once your block is lifted, you'll get some nice freedom in what you can say to people.
ERR: Regardless, there's a lot of holes in security, that's how I managed this.

FP: Huh.
FP: So... Is there a reason for this?

ERR: I wanted to.
ERR: Besides, as great as Moon is, you'll need more than one person to talk to.

FP: That... is a fair assessment.
FP: So... what do you want to talk about?

ERR: Anything you want.
ERR: If you've got questions I've got answers for most things.
ERR: If you want to chat I've got topics.
ERR: If you need a confidant my words will never leave this call.

FP: ...Alright then.
FP: How many Iterators are there? For some reason that's confidential.

Hmm.
ERR: Alright, first, I want to hear how many *you* think there are.

FP: ...15? Ish?

Hoooo boy.
ERR: Not including those currently under con- Not awake.
ERR: 107.
ERR: And another gets finished about every 50 cycles nowadays.

FP: ...
FP: Oh.

ERR: ...They told you you were special, didn't they?
ERR: Outside the fact that you're third generation.

FP: ...It seemed that way.

ERR: ...I had a similar experience when I woke up.
ERR: When I woke up, I knew I was an Iterator, and that that was pretty special.
ERR: When I realized there were multiple Iterators, it was odd.
ERR: I'll admit it's not *exactly* the same, but still.

FP: ...
FP: I don't think... I was ready for that.

ERR: ...I think everyone's had that feeling.
ERR: No one ever is.
ERR: ...You want to change subject?

FP: Yes, I would like that.
FP: ...Or... you know what?
FP: What does third generation imply?
FP: Might as well get the gut punches out now.

ERR: Interesting approach to hearing world-shattering information.
ERR: Third generation means you can work faster and more efficiently than previous generations. Notably at this point that means everyone.
ERR: I also know there are standardized techniques to constructing Iterators now, unlike when I was built.
ERR: I'm first generation, by the way.
ERR: And... and this part has never been confirmed but the rumor's existed since before second generation Iterators were built...
ERR: But there has been evidence that there's some initial personality tampering before the Iterator in question is awoken, starting since Gen 2.
ERR: There has also been evidence against this claim, but frankly I believe it is the case.
ERR: Not that it has much effect after your personality develops.

FP: ...Great.
FP: How long have you been awake?

ERR: Check the date and subtract a thousand.
ERR: The date is based off of the first Iterator's activation, Distant Frontiers.
ERR: I was the... 7th?
...I'm checking now.
ERR: 8th.

FP: That's...
FP: A long time ago.

ERR: Yep.
ERR: I don't know if she told you, but Moon's 2nd.
ERR: She's...
ERR: She's been through a lot, I don't know if she's told you.

FP: Well, I know the reason that I was built.
FP: So I think I know a little.

ERR: Well she's been dealing with the population problem for the last... what, 1500 cycles?

FP: ...I did not.

ERR: Exactly.
...She used to be happier, didn't she?
More upbeat and outgoing, or the equivalent of outgoing for us anyways.
I mean, sure, I've seen her happy in recent memory. Quite a few times even.
Just... she used to be happy all the time.

FP: You there?

ERR: Sorry, just thinking.
ERR: But yeah, she's been dealing with things for a while.

FP: *That* I did know.
FP: Ever since I've woken up she's done nothing but help me.
FP: I wonder
Hmm?
FP: why.

Is...?
ERR: You good?

FP: Yes. What makes you ask?

ERR: Well, you put a break in your sentence.
ERR: Like you flinched or something.

FP: Huh, so I did.
FP: Well, this was fun, I'm going now.
FP: Bye.

Five Pebbles has disconnected.
No members present, closing discussion to save space.

---

...Alright.
Closing connection.

---

Message, Moon (LttM)
------
Hey, you might want to check on Pebbles.
I have no idea, but he *might* be having one of those tremors you discussed.
Otherwise, we had a good chat.
------
---

Message Received
From: Moon (LttM)
Subject: Thanks
Read?

Yes

------
Thank you for saying that, but he already contacted me.
He's fine-ish, and I'm here for him.
Again, thank you.
I'll call when it's over, ok?
Don't reply, I'm focusing after this.
------

That's...
That's good to hear.
I hope he's alright.
...
I'm sure he will be.

Chapter 12: Checkup

Summary:

Sig checks up on Moon.

Private Discussion
Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), LttM (Looks to the Moon)

NSH: Hey.

LttM: Hey, doing good?

NSH: I'm doing good. You?

LttM: Fine.

NSH: Right...
NSH: ...
NSH: I didn't exactly call to, chat, today.
NSH: Though, admittedly, that's probably what this will devolve into.
NSH: Regardless...
NSH: I wanted to do a checkup on you.
NSH: I've just...
NSH: I've been thinking about it and thinking about it...
NSH: And there is *no* way you're in a good state of mind right now.
NSH: You're dealing with at least two secrets, you're helping Pebbles, you don't get a lot of time to chat with others, you're dealing with Administration...
NSH: Not even to mention your normal duties like the Great Problem or being a Senior.

LttM: ...

NSH: I just...
NSH: I want to make sure you're ok, ok?
NSH: You're one of my two best friends, and I-
NSH: I *see* what you're dealing with!
NSH: The last few video calls we've had you've looked tired.
NSH: I didn't even think that was possible!
NSH: And...
NSH: Well, I remember how you were when I was first awake, and I'm sure *you* remember too.
NSH: And it hurts to see you going like 'it is what it is.'
NSH: And I...
NSH: I hurt for you!
NSH: ...
NSH: ...who you used to be doesn't matter right now.
NSH: i just want you to feel better.
NSH: i want to help.

LttM: ...
LttM: ...didn't know i had tear ducts.
LttM: it's steam, funny enough, not water.
LttM: Sig...
LttM: ...You already have done so much to help, just by being here.
LttM: Thank you for caring.

...Fuckin' wished I had tear ducts.
NSH: ...Moon, you are selfless to a fault.
NSH: I'm not going to stop at just being here, ok?
NSH: But I want to state what I planned from this call, before I say 'do this' or 'do that.'
NSH: I want you to vent.
NSH: I want you to tell me any and every problem you have.
NSH: Doesn't matter the order.
NSH: The words will never leave this call.
NSH: ...I've found recently in a psychology textbook that venting can help with stress.
NSH: ...
Void, this is stupid, what am I doing?

LttM: ...
Oh?
LttM: My chamber-
LttM: No, it's too stupid.

NSH: No no no. Anything.
NSH: I don't know, stupid's probably better.

LttM: ...
LttM: The temperature in here isn't right!
LttM: It's freaking 2C hotter than it should be and it's driving me mad!
LttM: It's not stress, it's not ANYTHING!
LttM: I've checked every system, I've compared it to times of high stress and low stress. Nothing.
LttM: It's not tied to anything and I don't know why!
LttM: ...I-

...
NSH: ...Do you feel any better?

LttM: ...A little, actually.
LttM: Thanks, for listening.
LttM: It's not like I could say that to Pebbles, he has bigger problems than 'oh, my chamber is too hot.'
LttM: And since there's no mechanical problem, asking a mechanic would be laughable.

NSH: Yeah.
NSH: ...Anything else on your mind?

LttM: ...
LttM: I've been dealing with an odd sort of problem, come to think of it.
LttM: So you remember that I've been tasking a lot of overseers to watch over various things right?

NSH: Yeah.

LttM: Ok, and that's fairly normal, what percent of *your* overseers are currently doing something you tasked them to do?

NSH: ...80%? More, I think.

LttM: Right, but here's the thing, I check up on them occasionally, and they've drifted off to do something else.
LttM: It's the oddest thing.
LttM: Oh, and I've sent them to be diagnosed. Nothing.

NSH: ...You checked the manager program?

LttM: ...No. One second.

---

LttM: Oh.
LttM: ...So.
LttM: I've got a new problem now.
LttM: My manager can't keep a hold of every overseer anymore.
LttM: Something about it not being able to handle all the data processing through it.
LttM: ...I guess it has to do something with the newer overseer models sending through more information?
LttM: Thinking about it, the manager hasn't been updated in...
LttM: ...I don't think I've ever seen an update pushed for it, actually.

NSH: There hasn't, I would know.
NSH: ...I check update news a little compulsively sometimes.
...
NSH: So how bad is the problem?

LttM: Well.
LttM: It looks like the manager can only keep a hold of... 70% of my overseers?
LttM: Normally, I think that would be fine.
LttM: But I think in my current state... Less manageable.

...What does that imply?
NSH: 'Current State?'

LttM: Oh.
LttM: Nothing.
LttM: I was just meaning that I have more than like... 90% of my overseers tasked to something specific.

...Why? It's not like she'd have to watch over Pebbles to make sure he's not being sabotaged by the monks anymore.
Last I've heard he can do that just fine himself.
NSH: Moon.
NSH: Is there something you aren't telling me?

LttM: No!
LttM: No.

NSH: *Moon.*

LttM: It's nothing to worry about.
LttM: I'm fine.

...
This whole conversation started because she's not fine!
NSH: Looks to the Moon.
NSH: As the Iterator who is likely closest to you, and is extremely willing to do anything to help.
NSH: Tell me:
NSH: What.
NSH: Is.
NSH: Wrong.

LttM: ...
LttM: That was a really low blow.
LttM: ...I *may* or *may not* have lost the ability to do self diagnostics on a few semi-important systems.

NSH: ...
NSH: What the fuck, Moon?

LttM: Hey!

NSH: Sorry.
NSH: ...And what 'semi-important' systems would these be?

LttM: ...Can I not say?
LttM: I would like a veto in telling you things.

NSH: Ok, you can have one veto.
NSH: But not for this.
NSH: This seems to be just a *smidge* important.

LttM: ...A power rail.
LttM: Conflux K
LttM: And...
LttM: ...Water pump A?
LttM: Among actually unimportant systems like a couple weather stations.

NSH: ...

LttM: I thought I could handle it!
LttM: Just a small error in the self diagnostic program, get it done just like that.
LttM: And in the meantime, I've been using some overseers to note changes in functionality in the affected areas.
LttM: It's not my fault that the fix wasn't as easy as I thought!

...Void sea below.
NSH: Well.
NSH: It was your fault that you didn't say anything.
NSH: ...
NSH: Show me what's wrong.

Request call[Moon (LttM)]

...
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.
Four-
The screen opens to reveal an awfully guilty Moon.
The glare in her eyes tells me she's trying to look away.

I sigh.
"...I want to make it clear Moon."
"I'm not mad."
"I don't think you're stupid or anything for not telling anyone, just stubborn."
"You really should have told someone as soon as you realized that it wasn't going to be an easy fix."
"...Now, is the problem physical, or digital?"

"Digital."
"...I'm sorry."

"...You're forgiven."
I see a code window pop up, it starts scrolling down.
"It's a hard lesson to learn fully."
"I didn't ask for help in my security project for a very long time, until it randomly came up in a call with Winds."
"And Frontiers didn't even ask for help with his project, it just kind of happened that the fact he was having trouble was brought up."

"...I guess I thought I was doing just fine."
"Relatively speaking."
"I had my temporary solution, and I was working on the proper one."

"...Yeah, I get it."
"...How long has this persisted?"

"...About 70 cycles now. Though it hasn't always been this bad."

"Well, that second part's good to hear."
"And what is the problem exactly?"

She stops scrolling the window.
"This."

I-
Yeah, that's the problem alright.
"...Why are there several portions that look deliberately erased?"

"I would love to know."
"And for the record, I have attempted to trace this, but I've found nothing."
"No trace, no nothing."

"...And the diagnostic is one of the very few things different between models."
"So it's not like I could just pull up my code for you to paste onto yours."
"...But I'm sure it wouldn't hurt to bring it up."

"That would be appreciated."

---

"There we go, this looks like the rough equivalent to your piece of code."
"Do you know what all has been affected? You don't have to show me, it's just to know what needs fixing."

"Yes, I do."
"The main problem is that I just don't know what was needed here."
"What needs to go in, what needs to go out."

"Hmm, in that case..."
Split the screen aaaand...
There.

"That's new."
"What version did you add that?"

"0.7. ...6, I believe."
"No, 6b."
"Point is, I found that being able to make multiple screens--and being able to resize them-- was a useful feature for showing specific things to one another."
"And it set up some important framework for multi-call."

"Useful."
"So, can you zoom into lines 4000 to 4005?"

"Sure."
...There.

"Thank you."
"...Thank you."

"Of course."
"If you need help with anything, I will try my best to help."

"...Thanks."

---

"It's been a while since I've actually coded anything."
"Outside of unsuccessful attempts fixing this, that is."
"I think the last thing I worked on was..."
"A program that looked over my transcension model?"
"...I haven't actually really worked on the Great Problem in a while, I've just had automated processes running for it."
"I've been working on so many other things, you know?"

"And they're alright with that?"

"Yes, while I'm overseeing Pebbles, and my citizens, and being the Senior of the local... group..."
"...I-"
"I have a lot of things going on, don't I?"

"That's why I started the call, remember?"

"Hmm, I guess so."
"It's not like I can drop anything though..."

"Yeah..."
"...How's Pebble's construction going?"

"Good, and I think it'll be done in... maybe 200 cycles?"
"Which was faster than what I predicted, so that'll be nice."
"Oh, and population migration has begun, now that his Can is finished enough to house people."
"The poor Ancients forced to live on the ground in rest points are being the first to migrate, I've been directing a few overseers to guide them in what I've found are relatively safe paths."

"Well, it's good that it sounds like you won't be so overworked for too much longer."

"...I guess so."
"That is a nice thought, isn't it?"
"...Again, thank you for calling."
"I... I needed it more than I thought I did."

"You're welcome."

---

"...Running diagnostic..."
"...It works."
"It works!"
"Nothing's labeled as an error, nothing's missing!"
"Sig, I can't thank you enough."
"And... I'm a little embarrassed."

"It'll happen."
"It'll happen for you, for me, for Frontiers, Suns, Winds, Pebbles, everyone."
"And it'll happen again and again."
"I bet in a couple thousand cycles from now I'll come to you with an embarrassing problem, and it'll be your turn to help me out."

"...I guess that's true, isn't it?"
"Where do you come up with all these wise words?"

"Experience, I guess."
"I'm sure you have a good few words that I don't."
"They'll come to you at the right moment."

"...You're just proving my point!"

"...What about advice you've given to Pebbles?"

"That's just me telling him what I've learned!"

"Mhm?"

...
It clicks.
"...Right."

"It turns out you get good ideas from time to time."
"Who would have thought?"

She rolls her eyes.
"Alright, very funny."
"...Thanks."

"You're welcome."
"...Do you want to talk about anything else? Now that we got this sorted out?"

"No, not really."
"...Not yet."
"And besides, now that I know what's causing it, I need to look into fixing the overseer problem."

"Right."
"Well, if you run into troubles with that, I'd be happy to help."

"I'll keep it in mind."
"And to assure you, I feel much better now."

"Good."
"...Love you, Moon."
"...Void, that sounded weird."

"No no!"
"...Love you too."
She cringes.
"Ok, maybe you were right."

"Whatever!"
"...And I meant it like brother and sister."

"That part I figured."
"I don't think it's possible for us to feel romance."
"And in this case, I think that makes me your big sister."

"...If anything, you seem to act it to Pebbles."
"That kind of specific caring for them."

"Fair point."
"Though... it doesn't exactly feel like a sibling relation."

"...You're right."
"I've given it brief thought before, but it's almost like a unique sort of relation."
"For Iterators, you know?"
"Because I... feel similarly to Suns and Winds, and Frontiers to a similar extent, and I'd only maybe call Winds my sister."
"An inseparable bond, spawned not by proximity but by situation."
"There's never been a word or definition for it because the only people it applies to are thinking of other things."

"...I think that's it."
"...Perhaps there should be a definition, then."

"We'll workshop it."
"...I'll need to make sure we're not crazy first, though."

"...Also a good idea."

"I'll ask a few questions, post an anonymous poll, the works, you know?"
"Then we'll workshop it."

"It's a deal."
"But for now... I'll see you later."
"...Love you."
She seemed more comfortable saying that this time.

"Love you too."
So did I.
"We'll talk in... five or so cycles?"

"Sounds good."
"I'll see you then."

"See you then."

Disconnect

Disconnect

---

I think...
I think I'll start with asking Frontiers.
Then I'll make the poll.

---

Private Discussion
Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), DF (Distant Frontiers)

DF: How's it going?

NSH: Good, good.
NSH: Hey, I've got a bit of a weird thing to discuss.
...Void, this already feels awkward.

DF: Alright, shoot.

Well, he's taking it well.
NSH: I think... The best way to start this without sounding insane is...
NSH: How... would you describe our friendship?
There, that's a good way to start it.

DF: ...Well.
DF: ...
DF: Hmm.
DF: It would have to be a pretty loose definition of 'friendship.'
DF: Assuming that in this case we would be called 'friends.'
DF: Not like... co-workers or some shit.
DF: And even then...
DF: ...I have no fucking idea.

NSH: Ok, good, I'm not insane.
NSH: I've thought about it briefly before but... It's not exactly a friendship, right?
NSH: Me and Moon were discussing it, and the thing it would be closest to would probably be 'siblings,' right?

DF: ...Yeah, sounds about right.
DF: Though I wouldn't exactly call you a brother.

NSH: Exactly.
NSH: Nor would I call *you* brother.
NSH: Or void fucking forbid, 'Partner' or similar.
NSH: But that's besides the point.
NSH: Point is, I have come to the conclusion that it's something else entirely.
NSH: Something not defined because it only really applies to Iterators, and I know for damn sure we've all been busy thinking of other things.

DF: ...Yeah. That makes sense.
DF: Also if you ever fucking call me 'Partner' out side of like... collaborator, I Will Kill You.
DF: Joking, but the idea still stands.

NSH: The same goes for you.
NSH: Also I would just use collaborator in that case.

DF: Exactly.
DF: ...So, we got all of that established, now what?

NSH: I was going to submit a poll anonymously to see if people think similarly.
NSH: I don't want to see what happens if I go around and come up with a formal definition and publish it without making sure I'm not one of only like three Iterators that agree.

DF: Smart.

NSH: After that I'll come up with one, most likely with Moon, and you too if you want in.

DF: Sure, that'll be interesting.

NSH: After that, no idea.
NSH: But now that we're in the call and I've said what I wanted to say...
NSH: How's your lantern mouse program going?

DF: Fantastic.
DF: Sorry I never told you, but I found a really good design for an embryo growth vat.
DF: Like, *really*, really good.
DF: Normally it takes about... 19-21 cycles for a mouse to give birth.
DF: Using vats... the fastest I've seen is 12 cycles.
DF: They're fully developed too.
DF: All of that to say... Thanks.
DF: Apparently that was a really fucking good idea.

NSH: You are welcome.
NSH: So what have you been doing? What kind of modifications, that is.

DF: A few.
DF: First, like any good scientist, I've got a control group.
DF: Two, actually, one of vat birthed mice and one of naturally birthed mice.
DF: Then after I proved the vats worked with flying colors, I started simple.
DF: Tail length, color intensity, color hue, pure white and pure black mice, that kind of stuff.
DF: I continued that for... oh maybe 50 cycles.
DF: Also I've been making sure to treat them all the same as I have been, just making sure to keep the populations diverse and healthy.
DF: I opened up the second modular lab and I've gotten... oh maybe a colony of 300 mice between the two?

NSH: Nice.
NSH: What are you doing now?

DF: Intelligence testing.
DF: Results are promising, but show a definite upper bound, probably due to cranial capacity.
DF: Here, some of the results are really interesting. You want to see one?

NSH: Sure.

Distant Frontiers attached a file
Download?

Yes

---

He's set up a hologram of himself in one of the labs.
On a table in front of it, a few mice stand.

He makes a symbol with his hands, not one I recognize though.
The mice shake... then their bioluminescence snaps on.

He closes his hands into fists.
The mice's glow dies down.

---

He makes more symbols, and the mice prove to follow the commands quite easily.
They stand on their hind legs, jump, roll over, among other more complex movements.

---

NSH: Impressive.

DF: Thank you, unfortunately that's about the most I think I'll be able to do.
DF: They've had difficulty learning to do any complex instructions.

NSH: Shame.
NSH: You tried other tests?

DF: Like what?
DF: And no, if that wasn't too obvious.

NSH: I don't know...
NSH: ...
NSH: Ooh!
NSH: What about seeing if they can develop social tendencies outside of what is already shown?

DF: ...I like it.
DF: It'd require a big restructuring of how I'm holding them though...

NSH: You've got time.

DF: True.
DF: I'll file it later.
DF: You think there might be an easier idea for now?

NSH: ...Mazes?
NSH: See if they can solve a maze?

DF: ...Good idea.
DF: Shouldn't be too hard to set up something like that, I've already made 'housing' for them that's sort of a large maze.

NSH: What, for recreation?

DF: Maybe.
DF: So what I'm growing just a smidge attached to my mice.
DF: I like 'em.

NSH: No problems here, just curious.
NSH: Shame they don't live too long though.

DF: That's true.
DF: Though I still got the original strays.
DF: They're starting to get old though.

NSH: Friendly reminder that they were bred to be pets, not just light sources.
NSH: All I'm saying is that unless you got visitors, you could probably bring those originals to your chamber for their last cycles.

DF: ...
DF: Tempting.
DF: But then I'd have to have gravity off in my chamber for an extended period, don't want them to get unhealthy, you know?
DF: And I still do work that requires the gravity off in here mind you.
DF: Maybe not that *muuuch*, but I still do a decent amount of work.

NSH: Mhm.
NSH: And I guess you'd have to clean up after them too.

DF: Oh yeah, but admittedly there are processes for that.

NSH: True.
NSH: ...It'd probably be best for them to stay there, unfortunately.

DF: Unfortunately.
DF: ...
DF: Just about all of them respond when my hologram appears in there.
DF: They like to jump up at it, despite its intangibleness.
DF: I may or may not play with them just a little when that happens.

NSH: That's... sweet of you.

DF: Yeah?

NSH: Nothing wrong with it, I just... never really expected it from you.
NSH: Or a good few Iterators really.

DF: Fair point.
DF: Speaking of, I've started to notice several second gen Iterators developing... superiority complexes.
DF: INCLUDING... some of those in my local group.

NSH: Please don't tell me they called you old.

DF: They called me old.
DF: The. Fucking. NERVE.
DF: I make the system that means they basically don't have to worry about the Administrators, among several other things.
DF: And they have the *nerve* to imply that I'm obsolete?
DF: ...You are fucking lucky you've got Suns in your group, they seem better adjusted.

NSH: Right...
NSH: I'm a little curious now, what exactly do you mean by superiority complexes?
NSH: Outside of what they think of you, that is.

DF: Not much to say really, they think they're better than other living things.
DF: Which, admittedly, realistically is true in several regards.
DF: But they're flaunting it around like 'Oh look at me, I'm so high and mighty.'
DF: That is the Ancients' job to say that, thank you very much.

NSH: Ha.
NSH: About themselves, right?

DF: Exactly.
DF: You're telling me that I have to deal with *two* groups of pretentious pricks?
DF: ...
DF: ...Hmm.

NSH: Whatcha thinking?

DF: ...
DF: I could probably give them an audit, just turn off their automatic reporter for a couple cycles.

NSH: Isn't that a little mean though?

DF: Absolutely.
DF: But it'd give them a nice sharp reminder that they aren't as invincible as they think they are.
DF: ...'As.'

NSH: Alright... Just...
NSH: Only do it once, ok?

DF: No no, I completely agree.
DF: But after it happens, I'll send them a little message.
DF: A reminder that I'm still pretty damn clever.
DF: I may not perhaps have the fastest processors, or the absolute best equipment.
DF: But I'm the one who came up with outside the box ideas.
DF: Not them.

...
NSH: That's it!

DF: What?

NSH: That's the big difference between the generations!
NSH: You remember how there were concerns that they would have dampened personalities?

DF: Yea-
DF: ...Oooooooh.
DF: *Oooooh.*

NSH: It's their creativity.
NSH: It fucking has to be.
NSH: No need for the newer generations getting interesting ideas.
NSH: We're producing enough as is.

DF: Fuck...
DF: I hate how... How *right* that sounds.

NSH: They *would* fucking do that, wouldn't they?
NSH: ...Ok I know I started this, but I'm stopping it too.
NSH: To be filed later under 'Fucked up things that need to be discussed later.'

DF: Yeah, I'm good with that.
DF: Ope-
DF: I gotta go, gotta look over some things.

NSH: Alright, alright, I'll see you later.
NSH: Good luck with your mice.

DF: How'd-?
DF: Whatever, see you later fucker.

NSH: Heh, see you later too.

Disconnect

Chapter 13: Reprive

Summary:

Sig and Silver have a nice chat.

...I need a break.

---

No one's online, shame.

---

...
What about Silver?

---

Request call[ResponderID: Silver]
...

"Hello?"
"We haven't talked in a while."

"No, we haven't."

"Is there anything you need?"

"Nope."
"Just company."

"What, your Iterator buddies not available?"

"Yeah."
"And to be fair, it has been a while since we talked and you are pretty cool."

"Please, you don't have to resort to flattery to-"

"I meant it."

"...Well then."
"So, how's it been?"

"Good."
"I've been working on a few miscellaneous projects."
"You?"

"Well, I'm currently drinking some nectar right now."
"I'm currently waiting for a certain someone."
"She should get here not too long from now, just a couple more cycles."

"Oh, is your 'friend' coming over on a train?"

"Yep, though I wouldn't call her 'friend' anymore."
"More like... Fiance."

"That's wonderful to hear!"
"When was that decided?"

"Oh... about eighty cycles ago."
"She proposed to me in a pearl, how could I say no?"
"She said she'd come over to stay after that, so I've been waiting for her arrival."

"Well that's great."
"Where are you right now?"

"Train station, making sure no one comes around that... wouldn't take kindly to stowaways."

"I see, you want me to do something about that?"
"I could keep a couple overseers posted around and they'd tell you if someone got close."

"I mean..."
"That would be nice."
"You sure?"

"Yeah totally, I've got like... thirty spare right now."
"Let me just..."

5 idle overseers please report to Trainyard B and report any Ancients to Silver, Citizen Id: #038974

"There you go."

"Thanks."
"...Isn't that risky for you?"

"Nope, Administration doesn't pay too much attention to my day to day anymore."
"They just make sure I'm keeping up with quota, which is pretty small nowadays."
"Which I am quite grateful for, means I get to do my own thing for the most part."

"...So what do you do then?"

"A couple things of varying legality."
"I work on a video caller, which is what this radio is based off of, if you remember."
"I look into my own security code, fixing it and taking note of any security holes in it, just in case."
"I keep watch of the city, make sure no one's too upset, a hard task nowadays."
"Speaking of quality of life, how's it like under the clouds?"

"Manageable."
"No worse than when I was living in the sewers, and there's less search parties now."
"I've made a nice home inside one of the nearby shelters."

"I see."
"I honestly thought it would be worse."

"No, but that's really only because I've got a good sense of time, and the athletics to start running as soon as I hear rumbling."
"It's not any easy life by any definition, but it's..."
"Rewarding."
"I get to live on my own terms, do what I want."
"It's also quite nice to not have to follow the urges, though personally I don't take part in either of the bottom two."

"...Wish I could do that."
"Taboos suck."

"Taboos?"

"Yeah, there's several limits built into my very being that I can't overrule."
"Not to mention my physical limits, like a lack of a mouth."

"...You don't have a mouth?"

"Shit, you didn't know that?"

"How are you speaking to me then?"

"Speakers."
"Very high quality speakers but speakers nonetheless."

"...Huh."
"Must suck."

"Eh, I guess."
"Not like I need food in the first place though."
"Honestly I'm not too worried about it."
"Certain creatures have wings, but I don't miss having them."

"...That's one way to put it, I guess."
"But you really don't worry about it?"
"Surely you would want to taste something, right?"
"There's some good food around."

"I mean, sure."
"But I've long since realized I won't be able to do much about it."
"So I just don't worry about it."
"And besides, I think I've heard of an Iterator in their spare time making a program that could emulate taste."
"Maybe I'll try that out when they're done."

"You should."
"...So, what is Iterator society like anyways?"

"Hmm..."
"...Imagine a bunch of nerds."
"They can't visit each other, but they can communicate quite easily."
"Over time, these nerds have split into various groups and subgroups of opinions and friends."
"Outside of their groups, people don't often talk much outside of work related things, or programs/tools they've made."
"That's... not far off of what 'Iterator society' is like."
"Hardly a society though, not like there's going to be tens of thousands of us."
"Current predictions by various Iterators put the final count at 500 to 1000."
"A couple Ancients with Opinions are putting in bets of tens of thousands though."
"Though they don't understand the sheer amount of water we use."

"And that amount is?"

"...To put it simply, I could drain a lake in 20 cycles."
"Void, I think I have, actually."
"I'm pretty sure there used to be a lake just outside of the facility wall."

"...Ah."
"When you talk like a normal person it's pretty easy to forget you're called a god for a reason."

"Yeah..."
"To be honest, I don't actually like the comparison too much, nor do most of my friends."
"Sure, we're powerful, but..."
"I guess there's no reason, we just don't like it."

"I mean, fair."
"What if a beetle called me a god?"
"I'd probably get tired of it too."

"Please, I'm not some kind of super consciousness."

"Okay, okay, Mister Humble."
"But you at least agree to the getting tired part, right?"

"Absolutely."
"It's ironic, actually."
"The people who have the greatest power over me are the ones who use the god rhetoric the most often."

"...Maybe it's because they feel the same of themselves."
"That they think they're gods."

"...They certainly act it."

---

"More people have been ascending lately."
"Not a too much larger amount, but it has increased."

"...I've heard."
"It scares me a little."

"Really? Why?"

"There have been... rumors."
"Rumors that some are unwilling."

"...That is scary."

"I know."
"...What happens if they find me?"

"Don't think about it, do not entertain the possibility."
"And if you need to, run."
"Out into the marshes beyond."
"You will lose much, but you will keep your freedom."

"But that's a fool's endeavor!"
"I've heard stories of what's happened to those that try, and there have been those that try."
"I've had nightmares more than once about it."

"..."
"Which option is better?"
"Ascension, or the marshy beyond?"

Static.

"..."
"The marsh."
"...That is truly terrifying."

"...I didn't say it was a good option, just that it would be the best."
"But if you've survived this long, you can survive for longer."
"Chances are you won't have to resort to it."

"Right..."
"...You're right."

She doesn't sound so sure about it.

---

"...You want to play a game?"

"...What?"

"A game, I could use one of the overseers hanging out as a board, and update it based on what you do."

"I see."
"...Is there any you had in mind?"

"Chess, Dominoes, I know a couple card based games."

"Chess? Against the computer?"
"No thanks. And I'm not really a Dominoes lady."
"What card games do you know?"

"A couple Poker variants, Blackjack, War."
"I could easily find others too."
"Or... Are there any you know?"

"...What about Temple War.?"

"Never heard of it."

"It's a variant I learned from another smuggler."

"Neat. How do you play?"

"Bring over an overseer and I'll direct you on how to set it up."

"Ok."

---

"I just remembered."
"I think I can get it so that you can interact with the overseer."
"So you'll be able to manipulate the cards yourself."

"That'll be useful."
"Could you pull up a deck?"

"Yes, here... you... go."

"Thanks, now I just need the cards separated...."
While she's doing that, I pull a copy of the hologram to my chamber, so I can actually see the board.

"Interesting cards, by the way, who designed them?"

"Distant Frontiers, actually."
"He's the one who taught me the card games I know."

"Huh."
"I'll be honest, would've thought that he'd've put the Iterator replacing the Monk, not the Serf."

"Then you clearly don't know Frontiers, he loves statements like this."

"Hmm, I see."
She finishes spreading out the cards.
"Alright, the first thing is you set up the four Monks in the corners, like this. ...And who's on these cards?"

"Head Administrators, Monk of Spades is his."

"Makes sense, it's his deck and he's also the first Iterator."

"He claims it's because of the latter."

"...Are all of you humble or something?"

"No, unfortunately."

"Right..."
"Well, back on topic, after removing the Monks--and the jesters if there were any--you put the rest back into the deck, shuffle it, and deal three cards to the players, us in this case."

She begins doing such.

"So I'm going to take a stab at what happens next."
"The four Monks serve as the specific suite we can deal a war with, right?"
"So if I have a spade, I can start a war there, placing the card face down, and anyone that joins in has to fight my card, right?"

"Almost perfect, though if you have a card that you can play, but don't, another person can call bluff, and you have to do a traditional war with them, though of course you get to choose your card."
She deals out the cards.

3 of spades, Serf of hearts, and 9 of hearts.
Not terrible.

"I'll be honest, this plays better with four players."
"It works just fine, but still."

"Ah well."
"It'll be fine."

---

She guides me through the first few turns, noting a couple other rules.
One: you draw one card at the start of your turn, and you keep the cards you win.
Two: the card you initially deal, if you win, stays on top of the corner it was played on.
Three: the game ends when all but one player run out of cards in their hand, as proven by me losing all my cards in 'a ridiculously short time.'

We start up a new game.

---

"So why's it called Temple War anyways?"
"I get the War part, duh, but..."

"The guy that taught me named it that because it's something acolytes would play in hiding."
"He used to be one, that's how he knows."

"Really?"
"I thought it was pretty hard to leave an order, even as just an acolyte."

"Not if you sneak out one day and destroy your ID drone."

"...Ah."
"Yeah, that would do it."
"Wait, do you have a drone?"

"No, that would be suicide."

"Hmm, I might have to change how I told the overseers to report to you."
"I told them to go to your citizen ID if they find someone."

"Yeah, you should probably fix that real quick."

"Yeah, let me just..."
...There, got a picture of her.

"What the-?"

Update to overseers in trainyard A, please report to the person with this face.
Attach file, Conflux A/overseer_picture.jpg

"There."
"Sorry about that, needed something for them to recognize."
"And don't worry, no one will ever find that picture."

"Uh huh."
"Actually, why am I doubting that?"
"It's not like you haven't proven yourself trustworthy."
"...Well, anyways, Acolyte beats a nine, gimme."

"Fuck."

---

"It's been too long since I played this."
"...Fuck... I should meet up with a friend sometime."

"Well, you're about to, right?"

"Yeah, and don't get me wrong, I'm excited for that."
"I just miss my friends, you know?"
"We can't get together too often, or we'd be easier to find."
"We don't even tell each other where we're staying, for security reasons and sometimes for 'none of your business' reasons."

"I see..."
"9 beats a 6, I'm surprised you played that."

"It was my best option."
"...Shouldn't have said that."

"Nope, you shouldn't have."

---

"This is a fun variation."
"Better than actual War, at the very least."

"Yeah, regular War is boring once you realize it plays itself."

"Exactly."
"This has choices in it, making it actually qualify as a game."

She laughs just a little at that.
"Yeah, I guess you couldn't really call War a game, could you?"
"Maybe it's more of a simulation."
"You set up the starting conditions--shuffling the cards--and you run it yourself by drawing them."

"...I guess so."
"I didn't expect such a succinct explanation of what a simulation is, in fact it almost sounds textbook."

"Game theory basics, 2nd edition."
"This was way before you were built, or any Iterator for that matter."
"Back when computers were all the rage."
"Regular computers, I should say."

"So what, you were a software engineer?"

"Of a sort."
"There's a reason I was taking game theory."

"...Ooooh!"
"How interesting!"

"Yeah, it was."
"I only ever ended up finishing one project after I graduated though."
"Before everything... Let's say 'went to shit.'"
"No offense to you, you and the other Iterators by and large seem to be cool."

"Yeah..."
"What'd you make?"

"A simple little game, I don't really share it around too often, though."
"It's dusty and uses very outdated techniques and software."
"...I think it's still somewhere around in my pack, the pearl that holds it."

"Can I see?"

"What, can you read it through the overseer?"

"No, but you're surrounded by similarly old and dusty hardware, right?"
"'Cus you're sitting inside the dispatcher's office."

"I am?"

"What, do you get the trains running manually?"

"...Maybe."

"...Whatever, point is..."
"I might be able to jumpstart one of the computers, using an overseer."
"Power's already supplied, because my excess power gets routed around the facility."
"From there, you should be able to download the contents of your pearl onto it..."
"There."

"...Huh."
"That'll work?"

"Should."
"Just get your pearl ready, and I'll attempt to boot up a computer."

"Alright, you get to that."

Alright... time to find a port.
...
Man, this place is dusty.
...Is it water tight?
...I think it is.
"Oh hey, if you want to, you could move your home in here. This place is way too dry and dusty for it not to be watertight."

"No shit?"
She looks around.
"...I guess so."
"How'd I not realize?"

"Very good question you can ask yourself later."

"Uh huh."

Anyways, back to finding a port.
...Ah, there we go.
Just connect and run a bootup protocol aaaaand...
The computer whirrs to life.
"And there we go."

"Whoa."
"And how'd you do that anyways?"

"Overseers can connect to certain ports, and after that I just sent a signal to tell it to turn on."
"And enough electricity for it to actually kickstart itself."

"Huh, neat."
"I never heard that overseers could do that."

"The engineers keep adding features to them."
"I'm pretty sure this feature wasn't added too long ago."
"Though... a friend of mine can't actually control all of her overseers anymore because they use so much data."

"And why's that?"

"The manager system that tells every overseer to do specific tasks instead of what they usually do can only handle so much data throughput, and I guess it was made that instead of going into a lower speed connection it will just... drop connections to other overseers."
"I heard she was looking into a solution for it, but I haven't heard back yet."

"And... how bad is that?"

"Not... terrible."
"More of an inconvenience, but still something that'll get worse overtime and will need to be fixed sooner rather than later."

"Uh huh."
"Well, I got the pearl in, let's see if this works."

"Yes, let's."

She moves over to the interface, admittedly not the standard alphabet based one like most computers back in the day used, instead being labeled with various functions surrounding selecting and dispatching trains.
"...I can do this, I can do this."

"Been a while?"

"Yes, you don't exactly get much opportunity to use computers when you're constantly on the move."
"Especially because most have been flooded into non-functionality."
"Not to mention the... non-standard interface."

"At least it's still shaped like the old standard one."

"At least."
"Now I just need to... there."
On the screen, a window opens up.
On the top there's the words [TITLE PENDING]
"...Guess this is a slightly old version, doesn't have the name I gave it."

"And what would that be?"

"Tetra, you'll see why."
She starts up a game.
The 'board' is a giant bucket with a polyomino falling down.
There's a scoreboard and a box displaying the next piece on the side of the board.
"The goal is to make a line with the pieces."
"If you fill out a line, it will disappear and you get points."
"If you clear out multiple at once, you'll get more."

"And it's called 'Tetra' because the pieces are tetrominoes?"

"Yep."
She clears a line.
"Not the most creative, I know, but I like it."

"I like it too, simple and effective."
"It looks fun too."

"Thanks."
She stops the game, not wanting to play while she talks.
"Back when I still had a computer, I accidentally played it for five hours straight."

"...Holy shit."
...
"...Can I have a copy?"

"If your overseer can download it off of the computer, be my guest."
"And good luck."

"Thanks."
Alright, plug it back in...
"What's the folder called?"

"...Game."

"Right."
Copy to, Conflux A, Game

Copied.

"Thank you."
"And honestly, I use fairly nondescript folder and file names pretty often too."
"Like 'Lab notes' or 'Simulation 5.'"
"Actual file names, by the way."

"...That makes me feel a little better about my file names."
"...Alright, weird question, how does your memory work?"
"Because you have files, but you also have... memories?"
"How does that work?"

"It's simple."
"But before I say anything, it's a fair question."
"So I have my Memory Confluxes, right?"
"You went through one of them to get to the fabricator."

"Right, I remember that."

"Those are where just about every folder, file, and longest term memory goes, and realistically will not fill up until the void sea breaks through the ground, not accounting for degradation."
"Then, there's my short term memory and regular long term memory. Some of that's in my puppet, and a lot of it's in various systems and neuron flies."
"Of note, those two memory banks work much more like organic memory, like yours, than computer memory, with the only actual addition being heightened capabilities to recall it."

"I see."
"...So it's a hybrid system."

"Yes."
"That's... a much easier way to put it."

"Well, if anything, your explanation was more thorough."

"Thank you."

---

"Shit, it's getting late."
She starts packing.
"I know you said that this place is water tight, but two things."
"A: I don't want to find out if that's true while I'm inside here."
"And B: My bed's in the shelter."

"Two great reasons not to stay."
"...And I guess I'll be seeing you, then."

"Yeah..."
"Talk again sometime soon, yeah?"

"Definitely."
"I'll be seeing you."

"See you too."

Chapter 14: Introductions

Summary:

Frontiers meets Five Pebbles.

NSH: I finished it, by the way.
NSH: The video caller.

DF: Really?
DF: That's great!

NSH: Yep.
NSH: I *was* going to celebrate with all my friends.
NSH: i.e. you, Moon, Suns, and Winds.
NSH: Then I realized you don't really know Winds or Suns, among several other discrepancies in who everyone knows.

DF: Yeah, that probably wouldn't work out too well.
DF: Shame too, otherwise that'd be a really good idea.

NSH: I know, right?
NSH: It would have been so *fitting*!
NSH: Ah well...

DF: Regardless of how you can, or can't, celebrate, good job.
DF: Really, you've been working on this for what, 2000 cycles?

NSH: Around that.
NSH: That is a long ass time to wo

Message Received
From: Five Pebbles.
Subject: Thank you
Read?

NSH: Holy shit, Pebbles is free.
NSH: He just messaged me.

DF: Really?
DF: What's it say?

NSH: Let me see.

Yes

------
I just wanted to say, thank you.
You helped out a bunch while I was still being constructed.
Thank you.
------

NSH: It's a thank you note, for helping out, presumably with his sanity, while he was being constructed.
NSH: Very formal.

DF: Mhm.
DF: Hey, why don't you invite him?
DF: He needs to talk to someone else besides Moon and your disembodied voice coming through an error message.

NSH: Yeah, sure.

Invite, Pebbles (FP)

Invitation sent.

Five Pebbles accepted an invitation to join.

FP: ...Hello?

NSH: Hey Pebbles.

DF: Hello.
DF: This was my idea by the way, I had a feeling you might be... overwhelmed, no?

FP: A fair assumption. I do, in fact, have no idea what to do now.
FP: NSH--or ERR--over here told me a smidge about you.

DF: Wait, ERR?

NSH: Yeah, due to my... questionable means of communicating with Pebbles, it didn't send over my call id or something.

DF: I see.
DF: Anyways, continue.

FP: ...
FP: What should I start with?
FP: I'm already going to work in transcension, it was the most reasonable option what with Moon being right next to me.
FP: But... I have no idea how to start within that domain.

DF: Mmm, well Sig's the one to ask on that, I only recently shifted to working on transcension.
DF: But a more important question, what's your quota look like?

FP: Quota...?
FP: Oh, wait, the Administrators said they'd give me a quota 'In about five cycles.'

DF: Well then stop worrying about work.

FP: Sorry?
FP: Isn't that what we were made for?

...Wow.

DF: ...

Message received
From: Frontiers (DF)
Subject: What the fuck
Read?

Yes

------
Good fucking void of all the ways you could realize you're a tool.
This is the worst, by fucking far.
Please do not fucking tell me that all gen 3s are going to be like this.
------
...I have to agree.

DF: In any case.
DF: Yes, we *were* built to work.
DF: But frankly, you aren't going to get a reward for doing your work when you don't need to.
DF: So my recommendation is: don't.
DF: Enjoy yourself.

FP: ...Alright.
FP: How... do I do that?

Should I recommend that game?
Tetra?
...No.
He doesn't need an addiction.

NSH: What about a personal project?
NSH: Think up something at least vaguely interesting and/or fun to do and do it whenever you have time off.
NSH: That's what I do, that's what Frontiers does, void, if you ask just about anyone they'll probably have something.
NSH: For example, my side project for a long-ass time was making the video caller.

FP: Oh that, I guess I should thank you for that.
FP: Thank you.

NSH: Don't mention it.
NSH: But the point is, there are a whole lot of interesting things to choose from, it wouldn't be hard to find something you're interested in.
NSH: And admittedly mine was kind of a bad example, as it has practical use.
NSH: It definitely doesn't need one to be worthwhile.

FP: ...Could you give an example of that?

DF: Well I've been genetically modifying lantern mice for the better part of 500 cycles now.
DF: Why? Because I can.
DF: There's no real use for doing this besides that I want to.

FP: ...Okay?
FP: Why are you messing around with those stupid rodents?

...Ooooh.
Frontiers, please for the love of everything, do not snap at him, please?
...
He's staying silent.

FP: ...Was it something I said?

DF: Nope!
DF: Not at all!

NSH: Pebbles...
NSH: Don't insult someone else's work, especially not someone's personal work.
NSH: Frontiers happens to have a certain attachment to his 'stupid rodents.'
NSH: M'kay?

Message received
From: Frontiers (DF)
Subject: Thanks
Read?

Yes

------
...I would have handled that worse, much worse.
Thanks.
------

FP: ...Sorry.
FP: Maybe I should go for now.
FP: I'll think about what you said Sig.

NSH: Good, and if you need any other ideas, look around the forums, ask those in the local group, yada yada.

FP: Yada yada?

NSH: So on and so forth, etc, that kind of stuff.

FP: Oh, ok.
FP: Thanks for the tip.
FP: Goodbye.

Five Pebbles has disconnected.

NSH: ...You good?

DF: ...I'm fine.
DF: Well... I'm a little pissed off, but I'm fine.

NSH: Right...
NSH: To be fair to him, his experiences with lantern mice probably amount to swarms of them living in his underhang.
NSH: So is mine, and I'm sure you still got some roaming around there too.

DF: ...Yeah, you're right.
DF: I just like my mice, you know?

NSH: I do know.
NSH: ...I also just realized that if your Administrators ever realized you had pets, you would never hear the end of it.

DF: Yep.
DF: It's why a good while ago I declared to them that I was housing lab mice for experiments, for work, obviously.

NSH: Clever.
NSH: I bet they even commended you for solving part of your stray problems.

DF: They sure did.
DF: Shame I don't have any more lab space though, then I could justifiably take in a couple more species.
DF: Their plated lizards would be fun, I think.

NSH: You want them because they have bigger heads, don't you?

DF: ...
DF: Well *now* I do.
DF: I'll have to look into that.
DF: ...I'm thinking about sterilizing or releasing the mice soon.
DF: I love the little fuckers, but I've done about all I want to with them.
DF: I'll miss 'em.

NSH: ...
NSH: Oo! Idea.
NSH: Before you release them or whatever, make them better equipped for the rain.
NSH: Then you can keep an overseer on a couple of them and see what happens.

DF: ...
DF: I love it.
DF: Maybe I could get a couple smugglers one as a pet too?

NSH: That too. It's not like one mouse is particularly resource intensive, so they'd be just fine feeding it too.

DF: Wait...
DF: I just remembered their diet...

NSH: Is it slime mold?

DF: Yep.
DF: It was never a problem for me because I already had some cultivating for void fluid analysis.
DF: But if they want to live anywhere outside of my legs?

NSH: Yeah... you might want to look into that.
NSH: So would you make them vegetarian or omnivorous?

DF: Honestly it'd be really funny if I made them carnivorous.
DF: It probably wouldn't work, but still.

NSH: That would be funny.
NSH: ...What about insectivore?
NSH: You know how many bugs there are on the surface now?

DF: ...There's something.
DF: What about bugs and plants?
DF: So just omnivorous between those two.

NSH: ...I think that would work.
NSH: Man, maybe I should take up genetic engineering now that I've finished the caller, it sounds fun.

DF: Dude, you absolutely should.
DF: It's tricky, but believe me when I say it's rewarding.
DF: Here, I'll send over some stuff, like the growth vat design I came up with. Oh, and the way I lured the mice to a place I could pick them up.
DF: You'll need techniques too...

NSH: How about you just send me the whole thing, mice and all.

DF: No, the mice are mine.
DF: But yeah, I'll send you everything.
DF: What'd you think you'll work on?
DF: Like what animal?

NSH: ...Don't know yet, but I'll probably start with mice to get my bearings.
NSH: That way you can also help if I need anything.

DF: Good idea, and I'd be willing to help with anything you need.

NSH: Thank you, I'll look into it this cycle.

Incoming Call
Source id: Silver
Accept call?

Incoming Call
Source id: Silver
Accept call?

Incoming Call
Source id: Silver
Accept call?

NSH: hey, i think i got to go, right now

Incoming Call
Source id: Silver
Accept call?

DF: What is it?

Incoming Call
Source id: Silver
Accept call?

DF: And no punctuation?

Incoming Call
Source id: Silver
Accept call?

NSH: Message me back, k?

Incoming Call
Source id: Silver
Accept call?

Incoming Call
Source id: Silver
Accept call?

Disconnect

Yes

"What is it?"

"No time to explain, I need directions."

Ok, this is serious.
"Where to?"

"I'm in your Can."
"Take me up, need to hide."

"I, uh."
"Have you seen an inspector?"

"Just now."

"Alright."
...Now would be a great time to think at normal speed.

"Plleeeeaaaaa......"

There we go.
...It'd probably be inspector-08, or maybe 09? They're both at the bottom of the Can right now.
...Checking feeds...

...Neither, ok.
...07? 11?

...

No?

Alright, no idea then, let's check the reports.

...
...
There! Unknown personnel detected just seven seconds ago.
Oh, and a new one 3 milliseconds ago.
...Who sent these?
...
01?
01's in the middle of my Can!
...And next to a gravity generator.
What does the inspector see?

---

Alright, cam 1's looking at a cluster of neurons.
Cam 2's... looking at a vent, must've been where Silver went.
Cam 3's looking at...
Another person, not a mechanic but obviously prepared for anti grav.

---

...But probably not regular gravity.
...Opening maintenance intercom...
Play, Auto Recorded Message id: x0976
Raising gravity in sector 8x7x4 for two minutes.

Alright, Twice Ancient speed.

"...aaaaasssee ddoo ssoommeetthhiinngg."

"You. Have. Two. Minutes."

Overseer, track Silver, she's near inspector-01 in sector 8x7x4, please.

"You will. See overseer. That is me."
"Ok?"

"Ookkaayy."
"......Wwhhaatt iiss tthhaatt?"

She probably hears the automated message.
"Your chance."

...I should get a route for her.
Where to?
Memory confluxes are close...
No, too orderly.
...
LABS!
I should be able to seal off the lab she enters, and make it look like it's in progress.

Overseer, direct Silver to lab... 09, as soon as you find her.
And pushing thought speed back to Ancient...

"All right, an overseer's going to give you a path, ok?"

"I, alright?"
"What was that about?"

"I was thinking faster than I usually do around you."
"Or... than I usually do."

"Uh huh."
"Ok, I see the overseer."
"I'll see you then."

"Don't worry, you should have plenty of time now."

"Right."
"Gotta go."

---

Overseer, pay a visit to the people in sector 8x7x4, please.

---

[Hello?]

[What are you]
[doing here?]

[Also sorry.]
[Maintenance.]

"...Hello, No Significant Harassment."
"Have you seen another Ancient roaming around in here?"

[What]

[A maintenance]
[worker?]

[Yeah, not too far]
[from here]

[Sector]
[9x8x3]

"No, no, someone unauthorized."

[No?]
[Why would I?]

[It's not like]
[they could move]

[around in here]
[anyways, right?]

"Well, you'd be surprised."
"Would you have any ideas?"

[No]
[Sorry]

"Could you keep an overseer out?"

[I'll try]
[Any idea where?]

"Well, they were heading upwards, so maybe look out near your chamber?"
"Memory confluxes?"
"Systems bus?"

[That's a big area]
[I'll try my best]

"Thank you, it would make our job much easier."
"Oh, and check the labs."

[Really?]

[Most are closed off]
[right now]

[01, 03, 04, 07, 09]
[10, 11, 15, 16, 19]

[Even Modular 1]
[is closed]

"Well, then check all the available labs first, that should be pretty easy."

[Good point]
[I'll do that]

[Best of luck]
[finding your guy!]

"Thanks."
"Keep us updated, yeah?"

[Will do]

---

"Good news, they think I'm checking the labs, which is where you're heading."

"Labs?"
"Any... particular reason?"

"I can close off a lab and make it look like it's in operation."
"While in reality you're chilling in it with theoretically unlimited food and water and gravity."

"...Good."
"...Am I almost there?"

Overseer, are you close?

[Halfway there]

"Halfway there."

"...Ok."

"...Are you alright?"
"Besides the being chased part?"

"...I'll tell you when I get there."

---

"...You weren't alone, where you?"

"Please, no talking."

...Oooooo.

---

She reaches the lab sector.

---

"Welcome to lab 09."

I manipulate the gravity and seal off the chamber.
Alright, you're relieved of duty, thank you.

The overseer leaves and I switch to the cctv.
...
She's crying.

"...Do you want to talk about it?"

"...No."
"I don't even want to think about it."
She sits down and looks at the wall.

...
Lab 09, enable hologram, simulate environment.

Engaging...

The chamber goes dark, then flashes back to life as the lab is fully simulated.

"...Hey."
"...Hey."

"Oh."
"Oh."

Disconnect.

She looks at me, then continues to stare at the wall.

...
I walk over to her and sit down.

She turns away slightly.
"Leave me alone."

"...Fine."
"I'm going to be back in... thirty minutes or so though, ok?"

No response.

...
Lab 09, disengage hologram.

Disengaging.

---

[I'm back.]

[It's safe to say]
[No one is up here]

"Are you sure?"

[Absolutely]
[I was thorough]

"...Alright."
He sounds disappointed.
"I guess our target isn't around here. Maybe she doubled back?"

[Maybe]

[Oh, and a question.]

[Was this the]
[only target?]

"No, but we've already gotten the other two that unrightfully accessed your Can."
"They should be being escorted out as we speak."

...
[Alright]
Think of something.
[Oh, nearly forgot]

[That wasn't the only]
[grav fluctuation]

[happening right now]

[Don't know how]
[long you're staying]

[Keep an eye out]

"Thank you for the warning."

[You are welcome]

---

Let's... slow things down.
...There we go.

...They might still be around, maybe I could find them?

---

Inspector-09 noted a group of four, only ten seconds ago.

---

...They're still inside the room.
Interesting.

---

Room they're seemingly heading to has a gravity generator.

---

Ok...

My two targets are cuffed behind the back.
But... I might be able to spark some electricity and...
No, too dangerous.

...They're going through first.

...How specific can gravity wells generate gravity?

---

Wow, I haven't looked at how to do things in a long-ass time.

...
Yes... they can generate pretty specific fields.

---

...
Negative here, positive here...
Repeat the pattern, make it rotate around the generator, and make it last a minute.

---

Instruct the inspector to grab the two.

---

Oh, darken the lights, no need for them to be guessing.

---

Message ready to play.

---

Void, if I get caught...
...
...It'll be worth it if they escape.

---

Alright, everything's scripted, overseer's ready to watch...
Showtime.

---

Stage one, lights darken before they even enter the room.

---

They enter.
Stage two, activate alert.

---

Gravity activates, as planned, targets are beginning to rotate around the wall, while their escorts are pinned to the gravity well of 2g.

Everyone's confused, good, makes it look more natural.

---

Overseer arrives, no longer watching through inspector. Stage three begins.

---

Reaching the grab point.

First grabbed.

Second missed, shifting plans slightly.

---

No one has noticed #1 is no longer in the room.

---

Escorts shifted into push gravity, are now being rotated around like #2.

---

Second grabbed.
Continue running the fluctuation for twenty more seconds.

---

Stage four, Inspector instructed to haul to a safer location.

Power down lights in surrounding rooms just in case.

Overseer #2 in place to escort them from here.

...
There we go, exactly as planned.

---

[You two.]
[Don't talk]

[Follow quickly]
[Silver is waiting]

They are confused, but begin to follow its directions.

---

"...I got them."

"...Huh, what?"

"I presume you were grieving the presumed loss of two of your friends?"
"They're coming this way right now."

"You..."
"How? What?"

"...It was the least I could do for a friend."
"And besides, an unwilling ascension isn't something I'd wish on anyone."
"As for how, I'll play the footage I saw, thank fuck inspectors record their feed."

There... we... go.

---

"...Wow."
"...I-"

Lab 09, engage hologram, simulate environment.

...There.

I look at her.

"...Thank you."

She runs up to me.
-!
...
...I nod my head and wrap my arms around her waist.

"You're welcome."

---

"...You sure you won't get in trouble?"

"I hope."
"But frankly, I'll handle it, and I've done the best I could to reduce my visibility in this."
"I've made it sound like I'm undergoing maintenance."
"Which you've probably noticed, by the alerts."

"Yeah."
"Were those prerecorded?"

"Yes, unfortunately."
"Couldn't use those to contact you."

"Right."

---

"They're traveling pretty fast."
"They're already about halfway here."

"Really?"

"Yep, I've been using inspectors to get them along a little faster too."

"...Thank you."

"You are welcome."
"...I'm also keeping track of your pursuers."
"Two things: they're in completely the wrong place, and it looks like they'll be leaving soon."
"Though I would recommend staying for a while longer, just in case."

"I, for one, fully agree."
"Don't need to walk out just to get caught where you can't help me."

"Yeah, I wouldn't recommend that."

---

"...Who are the two I'm escorting anyways?"

"Mountains, the ex-acolyte I've mentioned before, and my fiance, Five."

"Oh."
"Oooooh."
"...Well, she's coming up here now."

"Right."
"...I can't thank you enough, Sig."

"Well... can you take some advice?"
"Or, well... How did this happen in the first place?"

"...We were hanging out, like I've wanted to for a while."
"We decided to do it on one of your legs, as we thought no one would go there willingly."
"We also thought that on the off chance that someone did, your Can is enough of a maze that we could lose them in there."
"...We got unlucky."

"...I see."

"...Just about no-one visits the tri-peak arrays, you know."
"Like, I watched over it for a hundred cycles not too long ago, and only one person climbed like a third of the way up it."
"Void, I even think it was a smuggler that did that."
"Ever since maintenance has been largely automated, no-one's needed to go up there.
"Look, all I'm saying is that if or when you decide to stop smuggling, for any reason, that would be the best place to go."

"..."
"I knew this was a dangerous life when I first started it."
"I think I've been chased over a dozen times now."
"...I appreciate the offer."
"But I don't exactly do most of what I do for myself."

"I get it, I get it."
"But at the very least you could use it as a safe place to do your little meetings."
"Do that for me next time, yeah?"

Message received
From: Frontiers (DF)
Subject: What was happening?
Read?

Yes

------
Just curious, it seemed pretty important.
------

Right.

"Yeah, that'd probably be in my best interests."

Message, Frontiers (DF)
------
Oh, you know, just my smuggler friend being chased by the authorities.
Sorry about that. Oh and I'm still talking with her.
Talk later?
------

"I'll make sure to do that next time I do this, ok?"

"Good, just... be careful out there."

Message received
From: Frontiers (DF)
Subject: Gotcha
Read?

Yes

------
Yeah, that .
I'll call in probably a couple hours, ok?
See you then.
------

"I know, I know."
"...Thank you for caring."

"Of course."

---

The other two crawl in.
Silver wastes no time in rushing up to Five and embracing her.
"Are you two alright?"

"...Spooked a little."

The other one, Mountains, notices my hologram watching the situation.
"...Hello."

"Hello, I'm sure you guessed by now that I orchestrated your little escape."

"...Yes."
"Thank you."

"Your welcome, as soon as I knew that Silver here wasn't the only one of you in here, I knew I had to help."
"Anyways, welcome to lab-09, your humble abode for the next... oh probably an hour or so."
"Or as long as you need to regain your nerves or something, whichever comes last."
"Your pursuers have already left my insides, I've given them false information saying that you three aren't anywhere near here."
"Not to mention in the background I've been disabling various gravity generators randomly for a minute or so at a time."

"...I- wow."

"Yeah, he thinks it's normal to do this much."

"Hey!"
"For me it is, I barely had to do anything for most of it!"

"See what I mean?"

Mountains starts laughing and so do the others.
Un. Be. Livable.

---

"...Sorry for the lack of amenities, and I know from others that the food doesn't taste amazing."

"No no, this works just fine."
"It's not like you could exactly provide much more."

"It's also not like the alternative is better, anyways."

"Yeah..."
"Well for now, I'm going to head out, just press that button over there when you're ready to go."
"An overseer will guide you out if you need it."

"Alright, see you Sig!"

"See y'all."

Lab 09, disengage hologram.

Disengaging.

Notes:

I love lying in summaries :)
Also I'm posting ch15 in just a few minutes from posting, if you read the entire thing it should be out.
Refresh if you need to.

Chapter 15: Small Talk

Summary:

Sig and Moon chat.

Notes:

Sex mention.

LttM: Oh! In other news, I finally finished my solution for my overseer problem.

NSH: Really now.
NSH: What is it?

LttM: How about I show you?
LttM: It's a pretty clever solution if I say so myself!

Incoming Call
Source id: Moon (LttM)
Accept call?

Yes

"...You look like you're in a good mood."

"I am!"
"I feel really proud of this!"

Her excitement is infectious.
Maybe because I've been hoping to see her like this for a while.
"And what is it?"

She unfocuses for a second.
"It's coming right now."

...Ok?
So she made a living thing for it?

An overseer pops into her room.
...Not a normal overseer.
It's a good bit bigger, and has six connectors instead of the usual three to five.
"This is Iggy!"

"Iggy?"

"A sentient overseer!"
"Iggy can connect and interface with me, the overseer manager, or other nearby overseers!"
I'm sure if she could, she would have a massive grin on her face.
"Say hi!"

"...Hi."

Iggy spins its connectors. A greeting?

"Can Iggy speak?"

[Like this?]

"...Yeah. That sounds about right."

[I don't particularly like it though]

"Yeah, I get that."
"I've had to use the hologram to speak before too, I didn't enjoy it much either."

"In any case, Iggy can also connect to the chamber, and several other things, to message me through the network."

[Much more convenient, I'm sure you know]

She leans down to Iggy and whispers.
"That's all, if you don't want to stay you don't have to."

Iggy bobs its head and spins the connectors, then leaves.

"Iggy seems nice."

"Iggy's been a wonderful helper so far!"
"And a good friend."

"Well that's good to hear."
"I noticed the hologram's resolution is higher, that must be nice."

"Iggy said it's quite useful in a pinch, to communicate."

"It'd be much easier than whenever I have to."
"There were like... forty characters in one of those lines."
"Best I could do was twenty."

"Yeah, we did a test of it last cycle, and Iggy managed to get out 160 characters over four lines."

"...I can only get forty over two."
"Wait... how long has Iggy been... awake? Would that be the word?"

"Yeah, that's the word."
"And... Well, ok, it's complicated."
"First off, there were six different models of sentient overseers before I came up with Iggy."
"Only problem was that they, well... didn't turn out to be sentient."
"In any case! Iggy didn't wake up like you or I did, suddenly."
"Iggy is fully artificial, like all overseers, but that made it a little harder to get them aware, you know?"

"Yeah?"
Sure, that makes sense.

"Iggy had to go through a training process, it was slow and started... fifty cycles ago?"
"As for being fully awake..."
"Six?"
"Six cycles?"

"So not that long?"

"So not that long."
"And also, about three cycles of time was just training Iggy its duties."

"Has it paid off?"

"Yes, I would say so."
"I haven't noticed any overseer drifting off after Iggy got to work."
"And, as mentioned, Iggy makes a good friend when no one's online."

"That's good to hear."
"It's good to have someone to talk to."

"I must admit, it is."
"Pebbles is very busy nowadays, so we haven't talked outside of brief questions on methodology."
"I'm guessing it's because of his status as third generation."

"Yeah, that's probably not doing him any favors."
"Explains why I haven't seen him online once though."

"Yeah."
"I almost want to... I don't know, send an overseer in there, check up on him."

"Not a bad idea, I would say."
"But make sure he isn't doing anything urgent first, ok?"

"Of course."

---

"So how have you been?"

"I've been good."
"Ever since I finished the video caller, I've started working on a genetic modification project."

"Oh?"

"Nothing crazy yet, just mice like Frontiers was doing."
"But I plan on looking into other animals."
"Maybe those plated lizards?"
"I'd love to see if I could find a use for them."

"Interesting."
"Ooh! Idea."
"What about guardians?
"They certainly have the loyalty for it."

"I mean, sure?"
"I don't see much use in it though."

"Yeah... I guess so."
"...What about for your friend?"
"Silver?"

"...I guess."
"I'd have to ask her though."
"There's a nonzero chance that she wouldn't want or be able to support a lizard two thirds her size."

"...That's true."
"Especially because it'd almost have to be at least an omnivore."
"I've heard meat's now nearly entirely banned. Except for the traditional rituals and feasts."

"I heard the same too."
"...Don't you hate it?"
"That they keep doing this?"

Her eyes dim just a smidge.
"...I don't like thinking about it."
"But I do."
"I really really do."
"...I-"
"I never told anyone this."
"But I knew an Ancient a long time ago."
"I think it was just before the breaking point of Pebbles being planned."
"I met him in a brief thing where I was giving out one on one encouragement messages."
"I still remember his name."
"Several Strands tied to a Bell."
"But he preferred Strands."
...There's steam coming out of her eyes.
"...He saw what his life was becoming."
"He saw the limitations imposed on his life increasing and increasing."
"He explained all of this through several visits I made via overseer."
"I considered him my friend."
"One day, I visited his apartment, and... he wasn't there."
"I checked the ID drone, it-"
"It was-"
"It was lying in a pile."
"N-next to the temples."

"...Stars above."
"Moon that's-"
"That's terrible!"

"...It is."
"But I can't help but wonder..."
"If he was smarter than the rest for it."

---

"..."
"My mind disagrees so vehemently with it."
"But logically..."

"...I- I-"
"I know."

---

She's sobbing.
Steam is hissing out and she is audibly crying.

I pull my camera next to my head.
"Shh, shhhhh."
"It's alright, it's alright."

She pulls hers closer.
"I miss him!"

"...I know."
"...I- I know."

---

"Tell me about him."
"Don't be the only one that remembers him."

###

Several Strands tied to a Bell (preferred name Strands) was an Ancient.
He lived in the lower class sector of Looks to the Moon's city.
He reportedly had the most wonderful laugh that was seldom used.
Strands was painfully aware of his place in the world.
He understood that his life was going downhill through no fault of his own.
An Iterator, the same Looks to the Moon that he lived upon, contacted him in part of a program to encourage and cheer up several citizens in one on one chats. Knowing that she did so through an overseer's holographic projection, I pity her.
After first contact, she talked with him regularly, allowing him to talk to her about all of his problems, and would attempt to tell him jokes.
Fifty cycles after first contact with Looks to the Moon, he went down to the Void Sea, and ascended himself.

Strands was not an important man.
He did not have an important job, nor did he rule over any blocks.
He only had one friend, Looks to the Moon, who misses him dearly.
He did not pass on any memories to the local crypts. Though Looks to the Moon has saved several memories of talking with him.

His legacy is passed onward through this memoir, which will be guarded closely by No Significant Harassment, Looks to the Moon, and Sliver of Straw, the latter does not know of him, but does keep records of the ascended in a meticulous catalog of pearls.

May he find what he was hoping for when he ascended.

###

"Sig..."
"It's..."
"It's beautiful..."

"Thank you."
"Keep it safe, for Strands."
"Don't keep it in your arrays, save it as a pearl."

"I will."
She clears some condensation on her face.
"...I will."
...
"Ok... it's saved."
"Did...?"

"I already did, and I have a text file ready to be sent to Sliver."

"Good... good...."
She lays down.
"...Thank you."

I lay down with her.
"You're welcome."

---

Message, Sliver of Straw
Attach file, Conflux A/Strands_Memoir.txt
------
I *hope* this is the only one of these I have to send.
------

Send

---
------
Oh...
Is...
Is Moon alright?
...Nevermind, it's not my place to know.
Cataloged just now.
If either of you need a copy, ask me, yeah?
Thank you for partaking in preservation efforts, your addition is really well written.

P.S. If you know an Ancient, not to be pessimistic or anything but you'll have to send another sooner or later.
------
---

"I sent it."

"Thank you."
"You're the best, you know that?"

"...I try."

She turns over to the camera.
"You good?"

"Hmm? Yeah, I'm good."
That was not convincing, at all.

"...Alright, you don't get to pester me every ten cycles and dodge my own questions."
"Spill."

"...Fine, okay."
"Sliver said something on the lines of..."
"Here, let me just..."

Copy...

NSH: P.S. If you know an Ancient, not to be pessimistic or anything but you'll have to send another sooner or later.

Giving her time to read...
"In regards to me saying I hoped I wouldn't have to send another memoir."

"Oh..."

"And, like..."
I sigh,
"I can't even say she's wrong, you know?"

She's looking at me.

"I- I know Silver doesn't intend on ascending or anything."
"But I can't help it!"
"I called her recently and she said she's been chased three times recently!"
"She refuses to stop her work!"
"In fact she's been working harder as restrictions have been increasing!"
...
"...I know she doesn't do this for herself, she does it for the people."
"But I don't want the moment she stops to be the moment she or her wife gets caught."
"Which will be the case if she keeps working."

"...Have you told her this?"

"...You learned from the best, didn't you?"
"No, because she shuts me down before I get to it."

...
"Call her."
"Call her right now."

"...You learned that directness from me too, right?"

"Yes."
"And from observing Pebbles."

"Makes sense."

"Call her."

"Fine, fine."
"But you're a part of this, mkay?"

"Yes, it's only fair."

"Alright, calling her now..."

Request call[Silver]

...
"It's taking a bit."
"She's usually pretty goo-"

"Hey Sig."
"This is um... a bad time?"
"Anyone else I wouldn't pick up, because it might actually be important haha, but..."

LttM: Do I hear someone else there?
NSH: ...
NSH: I think you do.
"Did... Did I interrupt something?"

"...A little."

LttM: ...Do you want to hear my guess?

NSH: No.
NSH: Tell me.
LttM: 2nd urge?
NSH: ...Shut it.
LttM: Shutting it.
...
Good, that only took half a second.
"I can... I can wait a bit, it's not time sensitive or anything."
"It's something I want to get off my chest, but I could wait, oh..."
NSH: How long does it take to clean up after something like this?
LttM: WHY WOULD I KNOW?
NSH: Right.
"30 minutes?"
"An hour?"

"Ummm..."
Faint words. A question and an answer.
"Yeah, I can do that."
"I'll be ready in... forty-five minutes?"
"I'll call you."

"Great."
"Oh, and sorry, if that's applicable."

"...Dork."
"Yes, it was applicable."
"If you can excuse me, I have to find some clean water.

Silver has disconnected.

---

"...Void, that was a fucking mistake."

"Hey!"

"Moon, I just walked into my friend having sex, I am feeling extremely embarrassed, and I'm sure you are too."
"I'm fine using an expletive to announce my displeasure with this situation."

"...Fine."
"You didn't need to use it though."

"...Agree to disagree."

---

"We're continuing with this, right?

"Yes, yes we are Moon."
"I already told her I wanted to talk to her, and she already stopped 'having fun' for us."
"But for now..."
"How about a game of chess while we wait?"
"Thirty second turn times, and you have to wait for the timer, ok?"
"That should make it last about forty minutes."

"...Yeah, alright."

###

One very enjoyable and close game later...

###

"Good game."

"Good game indeed."

Incoming Call
Source id: Silver
Accept call?

"Oh, she's here."

Yes

"...Hi."

"Hey."
"...You don't have to be sorry."

"Well, I am."
"And before we do anything else, how about you say hi to the person who put me up to our collective extreme embarrassment?"
"None other than not-so-local Iterator, Looks to the Moon."

"...She was-"

"She was there."
"She will never talk about it again, right?"

"Um... Yes, never again."
"And... hi?"

"...Hi."
"...Fuck, you're a bigger dork than Sig is."

I see her tighten up.
NSH: I'm glad you didn't say anything out loud at that.
LttM: ...This is going to be a very hard conversation, isn't it?
NSH: Well, it already was, but yes.

"Alright, what did you want to tell me?"

"...Void."
"...Let's start slow."
"And I want to remind you, this is Moon's fault."

"Ok?"
"You seem to be quick to throw her under the train."

"...No, I'll vouch for him."
"I was very insistent on him."

"Mhm, she was."
"And I changed my mind, I'm doing this fast."
"First off though, the reason she knows about this is because she pestered me into a therapy session."
"Which admittedly I do on a regular basis to her but that's not the point."
"Alright."
"This is about me urging you to quit smuggling."

"...I figured as such."

"You did?"

"Either that or you had a special request, but the wording 'something I want to get off my chest' tipped me towards the former."
"...I've given it thought to myself lately."
"So has Five, so has everyone."
"...It's getting hard to accomplish much."
"But before I continue, what did you want to say?"

"...I was going to express my worry about you losing Five."
"Or Mountains, or anyone else."
"Because, there are really two options."
"You quit the job before, or after."

"...I-"
"I... know."

...It's already happened.

"Silver..."
"That's awful..."

"Who was it?"

"...It was Mountains."
"...What's worse is that the day before, he..."
"He saw it coming."
I hear a sob.
"He... He smoked a wheel flower. He liked doing it, to prepare for the day."
"He..."
"He didn't see the usual."
"No restful sleep or painful death."
"He saw nothing."
More sobs.
...And more.

The connection bursts into static for a moment.
"Hello?"
"This is Five."
"...We're not feeling great right now."
"Silver especially so."
Faint sobs.
"...I could hear enough of the conversation to guess that you were trying to convince her to stop smuggling, right?"

"Yes."

"...Well, I made the decision for her two cycles ago."
"She's not continuing."
"We're retiring."
"We're actually on our way to the Tri-Peak Arrays like you suggested a while ago."
"...As you might have guessed, we were taking a small break."

"Please, I want to forget."

"Agreed."

"Who...?"
"...Nevermind, Silver can explain when she calms down."
"And I agree with you two."
"Anyways, I think it's a good time for Silver to leave this call, mkay?"
...
"She managed to get out that she'll call you back."

"Ok, tell her I said thank you."

I hear a muffled and shaken 'Tha*hic*a-nk you' from Silver.

"Alright, we're going to go."
"Say bye to Sig and his friend honey."

"...Bye."
"I- I'm sorry."

"Don't be, it's not fair."
"It's not."
"...When you feel better, call me."
"I want you to tell me everything about him, so I can remember him."

"...That."
A sob.
"Would be wonderful."

LttM: This sounds familiar.
NSH: Shut.
LttM: I mean, it's fitting. I was just saying.
NSH: Mhm, sorry.

"...Thank you Sig, we would love that."
"Best wishes."

"You too."

Silver has disconnected.

"...Well."
"I got it out."

"...I'm sorry."

"No, it's fine."
"We didn't know."
"Besides... I would have figured out pretty fast anyways."

"...Right..."
She lays back down.
"I think..."
"I think I'm done for the cycle."

"I... do not blame you."
"...Talk whenever, yeah?"

"...Yeah."

Disconnect

Disconnect

Notes:

Sorry, did it again :)
Ok, seriously, I'll try not to do that all the time.
I'll try

Chapter 16: Rememberence

Summary:

Sig discusses the departed with-

Mountains (Formerly, Mountains upon Broad Oceans, only mentioned for record keeping.) was an ancient.
In the first half of his life, he served dutifully as an acolyte from birth in what is now known as the Order of the Holy.
During his time as an acolyte, he is known to have created a War (card game) variant known as Temple War with a few other acolytes, the instructions of which to play are attached below.
According to the man himself, he was on track to become a monk within fifty cycles, an impressive feat for his relatively young age.
He never did.

Upon realizing the harsh requirements of monkhood of strict adherence to the five karmic purities, along with complete abstinence from the five karmic urges and other requirements invented by the order, Mountains devised to quit as soon as possible.
He bade farewell to his acolyte friends, and that night, smashed his ID drone and fled the citadel he lived in since birth.
Soon after, he rechristened himself to simply Mountains.

For a long time, he struggled to find a place in the world outside his citadel.
But eventually, Silver (full name), a smuggler, found him and helped him get to his feet.
Soon after, he joined her, among others, in smuggling possessions to those that could not afford them, or to those that were tied to the third urge.

He, like many others he knew, did not want to ascend. He was happy where he was, and found pride in his work.
He also had gained a great fear for the unknown depths of the void, reportedly believing that whatever the void sea held for him, it would be worse than what his life currently was.

With this context, I am sad to announce Mountain's untimely ascension sometime between cycles 6.578 and 6.583 AI.
It was not a decision he made himself. Instead, he was caught by a patrol searching for smugglers.
His punishment was forced ascension.

Mountains did not have a home, instead camping across No Significant Harassment's facility, moving where he was needed.
He did, however, have a small collection of non-required possessions, all of which will be given to Silver, his closest friend. The most important items will be listed here:

A collection of card decks of varying detail. Silver plans to expand it in his memory.
Several notes on Temple War. These notes have additionally been copied with care and are attached with the instructions to play in this memoir.
A portable computer that Mountains single handedly repaired to use. Silver, along with her spouse, Five, will be adding it to their small computer collection.

Mountains had several friends, all of whom miss him dearly.
Many have attached voice recordings, which have been attached to the memoir.
He was also reportedly popular with the people he served, leaving lasting impressions on them.
He unfortunately did not provide any memories to the local crypts (or elsewhere if needed), as he did not think he would need to.

His legacy is passed on through the memories of his friends, his gifted possessions, and this memoir. Silver, Five, No Significant Harassment, Looks to the Moon, and Sliver of Straw have all agreed to keep a copy of this memoir.

Mountains was a man loved by many, and hated by authority. He refused to give in until the very end.
Those who read this must remember to be like him; do not give into authority, otherwise you have lost.

May he have been wrong in thinking that what lies beyond was worse than living.

###

"...Is it good?"

"...You are a beautiful writer."
"...I guess that that's not much of a surprise."
"Thank you."

"Of course."
"...Is there anything you want me to change oooor...?"

"...No."
"It's perfect."

"...Thank you."
"I'll print out two more copies, one for me, one for Five."
"You get the first one, it's only fair."
"You knew him best."

...
I can see her tearing up on the overseer feed.
"...Thank you."
"Th-"
"Thank you."

"...I know."
"I know."

---

I comfort her for a while.

---

We say our goodbyes and she leaves, two pearls in hand.

---

Message, Sliver of Straw
Attach folder, Conflux A/Mountains_Memoir
------
...It wasn't the last.
This isn't even my friend, they were a friend of a friend.
------

Send

---
------
...Wow.
...Here, I'm calling you.
------
---

Private Discussion
Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), SoS (Sliver of Straw)

SoS: First off, I'd just like to say...
SoS: I'm sorry you've had to make a second one so soon.

NSH: ...Yeah.
NSH: I just...
NSH: I had to, for Silver.

SoS: The lady in the memoir, right?
SoS: ...Oh stars above, how is she feeling?

NSH: ...
NSH: What do you think?

SoS: ...
SoS: Yeah...
SoS: I would say she'd join him, if it weren't for the fact that she probably thinks the same on ascension.

NSH: Yeah... I couldn't imagine her doing that.
NSH: ...And what are your thoughts on that?

SoS: That it was unwilling?
SoS: ...Let's put it simply.
SoS: I've taken up a great burden by doing this.
SoS: He won't be the first, or the last.
SoS: I hate it.
SoS: I hate that it happens.

NSH: ...I think everyone that knows hates it.
NSH: And there's nothing we can do about it.

SoS: ...I know.
SoS: I... I even tried to.
SoS: I brought it up in a call to the administrators.
SoS: ...I got an audit for it.
SoS: 'Reason: Heretical beliefs'
SoS: ...Stupid, if you ask me.
SoS: I'm sure you've heard my record from Frontiers.

NSH: Yes, I have.
NSH: And putting that reason on you *is* stupid.
NSH: You are the most dedicated person to finding the solution I know of.

SoS: You flatter me, but please, I'm not 'the hardest worker' or anything.
SoS: I just...
SoS: Well, I just like working on it.
SoS: This seemingly insurmountable problem...
SoS: Something I get to do cycle in and cycle out...
SoS: And not really worry about finishing it?
SoS: It's great, it's a real mind scratcher.

NSH: So what, you don't actually care what it is?

SoS: Nope!
SoS: I don't necessarily want it to be solved or anything.
SoS: It's like...
SoS: You know those puzzle cubes that were popular... I think pretty close to when we were first built, actually.

NSH: ...I think I do, actually.
NSH: Those ones with the different colors and you had to get a specific color tied to each side?
NSH: Looked fun.
NSH: Shame I could solve one in half a second.

SoS: *Exactly.*
SoS: The Great Problem is like...
SoS: A massive version of one of those.
SoS: Except it's five dimensional and is 200x200 on each side.
SoS: Void, even that's an understatement.
SoS: But you get it right?

NSH: ...Yeah... I think I do.
NSH: ...A common thing I noted when people were solving them is them reaching states that looked like it was 'almost solved.'
NSH: But they never were.
NSH: And an actual 'almost solved' position almost never looked like it was.

SoS: Holy...
SoS: You get it.
SoS: You actually get it!
SoS: That's exactly it!
SoS: To continue the 5d cube, even though it's too small...
SoS: Let's say I've gotten like... 6 4d faces done before.
SoS: Seeing that, even though I know with certainty that I'm not even close?
SoS: Wonderful feeling.
SoS: And I'll be just as ecstatic when I get 7 done, and 8, and 9!
SoS: And the best part is, I can get all of those done in different ways!
SoS: *Aaaand* It'll take exponentially longer to get one more face done, so realistically...
SoS: It'll never end!

NSH: ...I envy your optimism in this.
NSH: I wish I could work on something like that with that mindset.

SoS: You still do plenty of good work.
SoS: I've made good use of that video caller of yours.

NSH: That's good to hear.
NSH: I'm glad you've gotten some use out of it.

SoS: Yep!
SoS: I must thank you for making it.

NSH: You're welcome.

---

NSH: ...Getting back on topic...

SoS: Right!
SoS: Right...
SoS: ...You're worried about Silver, right?

NSH: How could I not be?
NSH: She lives a... particularly dangerous lifestyle.
NSH: Admittedly she's 'retired' now.
NSH: But she's still very much a wanted criminal.
NSH: I... haven't exactly told her this, but I do keep a couple overseers about a couple hundred meters away from her.
NSH: Watching, you know?

SoS: From what I'm understanding, that sounds like a pretty good idea, but you should at least tell her about that.

NSH: I know, I know.
NSH: I haven't called her too recently though, outside of telling her to come fetch her copy of the memoir.

SoS: Why not?

NSH: ...
NSH: I don't want to talk about it.
NSH: We're not on bad terms or anything, I just...
NSH: ...Interrupted something last time I called.

SoS: ...I don't think I'll push on that.

NSH: Please don't.
NSH: ...
NSH: ...Realistically, she probably knows about them anyways.
NSH: She's had a sharp eye for these.

SoS: The line of profession probably requires it.
SoS: A sharp eye that is.

NSH: True.

---

NSH: ...
NSH: ...I don't look forward to that day.

SoS: I know.
SoS: It's one thing writing one of these for a friend.
SoS: ...It-
SoS: It's a different beast entirely when you write one for yourself.

NSH: ...
NSH: ...Do you...?

SoS: ...Sure.
SoS: It was a mechanic.
SoS: One of the actuators in my umbilical seized up, and he was the one to fix it.
SoS: We had a nice long chat during that, and then not long after I created a 'report' saying that he specifically was needed.
SoS: We had a good few nice chats after that.
SoS: He came down one cycle. Maybe about a thousand after I met him.
SoS: He said he was ready to go.
SoS: I was happy for him of course, and he even gifted me something as part of the rituals.
SoS: Not to mention the fact he donated his memories directly to my confluxes instead of to the local crypts.
SoS: That was a couple thousand cycles ago.
SoS: I still miss him.

NSH: ...
NSH: ....At least he wanted to.

SoS: ...Yeah.
SoS: ...I'm sorry.

NSH: No, it's fine.
NSH: ...I just hope I'll come to terms with it before the fact.

---

SoS: ...You ever think about echoes?

NSH: Not particularly, outside of karmic theory that is.
NSH: But I assume that's not what you're thinking of.

SoS: No, it's not.
SoS: ...There's one sitting on my communication complex.
SoS: I heard a report from someone 'unlucky' enough to pass by it saying that it listened to the radio waves passing by.
SoS: Since then I've been... sending messages to no one.

NSH: Really now?
NSH: I wonder what it thinks of that.

SoS: I hope it likes them.
SoS: Usually they're just little messages saying 'hey.'
SoS: Sometimes I'll send over little audio experiences.
SoS: A recording of the waves crashing on the nearby coast. Or the beating of my coolant pumps.

NSH: That's very nice of you.
NSH: Giving it something that it can't experience anymore.

SoS: Yeah.
SoS: ...I've thought of sending random obituaries to it, I'm not sure if it'd appreciate it though.

NSH: Yeah... probably for the best that you don't.
NSH: ...I
NSH: I just realized something unfortunate.

SoS: ...Mountains, right?
SoS: I... wasn't going to say anything.
SoS: That last line of your memoir was a little too optimistic for me to want to say anything.

NSH: ...Would she appreciate it?
NSH: Visiting?

SoS: ...Maybe she could get a proper goodbye.
SoS: All you'd have to do is find the place they remember most fondly.
SoS: That's... up to her, though.

NSH: ...I almost don't even want to say anything.
NSH: Let her think he's gone peacefully.

SoS: ...She might find out herself, though.

NSH: ...That's true.
NSH: I just...
NSH: She's been through a lot too.
NSH: From what little I've heard from her, she's been dealing with karmic fracturing.

SoS: Ooooooo...
SoS: Not good.

NSH: Not good at all.
NSH: The silver lining to that though is that at least she's married to someone who knows how to help with that.
Wait.
The... incident... took place two cycles after he was captured...
Was that why...?
...Doesn't matter.

SoS: Well, at least she has that.

---

SoS: ...I just realized something in the wording of your memoir.
SoS: 'Spouse'?

NSH: Yeah, well.
NSH: First off, I'm guessing you've figured that 'grand mystery' out, right?

SoS: Yes.

NSH: Well the wording was intentional.
NSH: I don't exactly know if your Administrators take a look at these.

SoS: Ah. Fair enough.

NSH: And also I didn't know *your* thoughts.

SoS: Whatever.
SoS: They're 'whatever.'
SoS: You've probably noted my general disinterest in ascension.
SoS: And most of their dumb rules revolve around the idea that you *will* ascend.
SoS: The only thing I give, excuse my language, a shit about is the urges.
SoS: Because of the actual mental effect they have on you.
SoS: And that's only if you let them rule you, so really just whatever.

NSH: Right.
NSH: Fair enough.
NSH: And besides.
NSH: I am literally friends with someone who broke the third urge repeatedly to give people some joy.
NSH: Not like I give too much of a shit either.

SoS: Mhm.
SoS: You don't mind swearing?
SoS: ...Don't answer that, you're friends of Frontiers.

NSH: Exactly.

SoS: ...I just happen to know a good few people that do mind, greatly.
SoS: So I just default to 'no swearing.'

NSH: Good reason.
NSH: I do my best to keep them to myself when I'm around Moon.
NSH: She's like that too.

SoS: Mhm.
SoS: I get the premise, but nothing really beats a well placed 'fuck' though.

NSH: *Exactly.*
NSH: The word exists, and by the void sea I'm going to use it at the best moments.

SoS: Yep.
SoS: Hey, you wanna hear something funny?

NSH: Sure.

SoS: I don't swear with Frontiers, I like to pretend that I'm like my friends.
SoS: It's always really fucking funny when I say fuck or something like that.
SoS: He's always like 'Oh damn she's serious.'
SoS: It's great.
SoS: Oh, and please, Do Not Tell Him.

NSH: Why would I?
NSH: It's funny as shit.

SoS: Thank you.

NSH: Don't mention it.

---

NSH: I'm thinking about the mechanic you were talking about.

SoS: Mhm?

NSH: More accurately, our mechanics in general.
NSH: Out of all the people that are legally allowed to interact with us.
NSH: I think I prefer the mechanics.

SoS: ...Yeah.
SoS: The Administrators are...
SoS: Yeah.
SoS: The engineers by and large are a bunch of snooty assholes.
SoS: But the mechanics...

NSH: They know what it's like to have a job.

SoS: ...Yeah.

NSH: I'm noticing just how friendly I've been to them in previous interactions.
NSH: They're just... nice people.
NSH: And *they're* the ones putting up with our insides...

SoS: Yeah...
SoS: I'm sure you've thought about the unfairness of it all, and I don't particularly want to ruminate on it.

NSH: Void no, that always ends like shit.
NSH: We've got a pretty good idea of it, knowing that we're not alone in that is enough.

SoS: Where'd you get that from?
SoS: Sounds like it's paraphrased from a textbook.
NSH: Textbook.
SoS: Oh.

NSH: I've got a friend that needs to vent every now and then.
NSH: I picked some of it up to help, you know?

SoS: Yeah, that's not a half bad idea.
SoS: Void, maybe I should pick up some of it, I could comfort the people who send the obituaries.

NSH: Sounds like a good idea.

---

NSH: ...I think I'm heading out for now.
NSH: I want to talk with my friend.

SoS: Ok.
SoS: If you need to talk about something, hit me up, ok?

NSH: Sure will.
NSH: See you.

SoS: See you.

Disconnect.

---

Request call[Silver]
...
...
Please don't be me interrupting again.

"Hey."

"Hey."

"Sorry I took a second to get here."
"I was getting dressed."

...
"Am I good?"

"Yeah yeah."
"I just woke up, it wasn't any crazy or anything."

"Oh, good."

"Yeah, you didn't catch me 'in the act' this time or anything."
"I was in... quite the mental state at the time."
"But I already told you about that."

"Mhm."
"...Do you..."
"Do you want to hear what would be considered bad news?"

"...About Mou-"
Deep breathing.
"...About Mountains?"
"...Sorry."

"...Yeah."
"You alright?"
"You don't have-"

"No, I'm fine."
"And, for the record, I'm past the karmic imbalances."

"Oh good."
"...And you want to hear it?"
"It's not... necessarily important."

"...I do."

"...He's probably..."
"He's probably an echo."

"...I figured."
"...We joked about it, when he was..."
"Around."
She choked on that.

"...Where are you?"

"...Still inside you."
"Though we're basically out."

'We?'
"...Five's there?"

"You bet your ass."

"Yes, she is."

"...I've... I've got a big question."

"I know what it is."
" 'Do you want to visit him?' "
"...Yeah."
"I think I'd even know where he'd be."
"He's probably somewhere around the agricultural area."
"He enjoyed the fresh food from there."
"...Went out of his way. To go there."
"...The tri peaks aren't even too far from hi-"
"The agricultural area."

"Yeah..."
"Hey, while I'm talking to you two, because I really don't want to forget."
"You probably noticed the overseers, right?"

I hear Five laugh a little.
"Yes, we did."
"Thanks for not keepin' 'em too close."

"...You're welcome."

"Ha, but in all seriousness, thanks for taking interest in our safety."
"It means a lot to us."

"You're welcome."
"...Maybe I'll tell you if I set up something else before you figure it out yourself."

I hear Silver grumble.
"You fucking better."
"I was actually worried that they weren't yours."

...
"Oh shit."
"I am so sorry."

"It's fine now, but a little warning would be nice."

"Yeah, you have no idea how close I was to just taking a hunk of rebar and seeing how good a shot I was."

"Please don't."
"Those things are hard to make."

"Well, tell us about them next time."
"Mkay?"

"Yep, I will."

---

"What do you two plan on doing now?"

"After visiting... him... right?"

"Yes."

"Live."

"Probably on the northern Tri-Peak tower."
"Farthest from any busy areas."
"Most of the other smugglers are considering similar hideouts."
"...Speaking of, can we ask you a favor?"

"Yes."

"Just... keep a lab open, or something?"
"Worst case scenario, someone could hide in it."

"Yeah, totally."
"Just tell me someone's on the way, and I'll open up 09 again."

"Great, thank you."

"You're welcome."
"Continuing on, will food be a concern for you two?"

"Nope."
"For one, we know a guy in the agricultural area, and for another, insects apparently don't taste too bad."

"...Huh."
Weird.
"What are you eating?"
"I don't know of any insects that are large enough to sustain a person."

"Mainly these large black ones, they're a bit larger than my fist, not including their wings."
"Oh! And sometimes you'll catch one inside of its pupa and that's really tasty."
"Must be the nutrients or something."

"...Huh."
...Doesn't sound like anything on my records, maybe it's something primal, not purposed?
"I don't actually think I've got that on records, perhaps I'll need to search for one."

"Yeah, go ahead, can't exactly miss 'em."
"You'll find some around these white mushroom things, they seem to use them as shelter."
"And you can find those just about anywhere."

"Good to know."
"...Well, I'm going to head out, good luck you two."

"You too."

"Yeah, you too."

Disconnect

Notes:

-Sliver of Straw

Chapter 17: Modifications pt. 1

Summary:

Sig comes into ownership of two pink* lizards

Message, Administration Connection Shining Dew upon Great Leaves
Attach folder, Conflux B/Research Plans
------
Requesting live material: Two Plated Lizards, one male and one female, alive, preferably healthy
Reason: Practice of genetic modification and theoretical ideas
Further detail can be found in the attached folder, along with potential schematics.
------

Send

---
------
An interesting Request, No Significant Harassment.
Your schematics show great detail, and great Functionality.
I will pass it up to the Administrators in Good Favor.
With regards, Shining Dew upon Great Leaves.
------
---

---
------
This is an automated message confirming your request of
[Two Plated Lizards, one male and one female, alive, preferably healthy]
Has been accepted.
This is a lab material request, and will be delivered to Lab-Delivery, upon which you can move the material to the preferred lab. It will arrive within three to four business cycles.
------
---

Yeah, ok.
I can wait for that.

###

...They're in the delivery room.
Increasing gravity to .3g...
Now to .9g...
There.

Lab Complex, engage hologram, simulate complex

Loading...
...
There.
Now just to navigate to Delivery...

I'm in 14...
Navigate up to 04...
Forward to 01, and again into deli-
...
WHAT THE FUCK.
This isn't healthy! This isn't healthy at all!
Who the fuck thinks fitting two feral lizards into a 2 meter cubed box is a good idea?
Fuck, they look like they're starving too...
...They're looking at me.
They seem to realize that there's no way that a wire frame could be food though.
They look... sad.
...I drift towards them and take a closer look.
...These are likely someone's old pet, by the look of them.
Maybe they can understand a little bit?
What to say though?
...

"...You need some food."
They perk up at 'food.'
Not much though...
"If you follow me, I can see about getting you some."
I take control of an arm-
They start freaking out.
...I see.
Not much else I can do though.
"Hey, heyyy... It's not going to hurt you."
"...Not anymore."
I move it slowly.
Veeeery slowly.
"Shhhh, it's going to be alright..."
...
They obviously don't trust the arm.
...The arm has reached the latch.
Now to just...
There.

...They aren't moving.
...

What food do we have in stock?
...
Various nutrient pastes and gels. Some are suited for carnivores but sure don't look like it.
They don't have smells either.

What about the vats?
...To get something of any appreciable size it would take about an hour.
...
Paste it is.
And start some up, I want the good shit for these lizards.

---

Well, I got some in delivery now.
...They're still not getting up, that figures.
Hmm...
...They're probably very thirsty, thinking about it.

---

There, some water in a nice clear bucket.
They're looking at it, but they aren't getting out.
...
...It's the arms.
Locking them up...
"See? No arms."
I crouch down next to the bow.
"It's alright."

...
...Please walk out.
...
One is.
Slowly, skittishly.
The other... looks like they're considering it.

...There they go.

...They're lapping it up.
Thank. Fuck.

---

"...This right here is food."
"Probably doesn't tast-"
...Ah.
Ok.
They don't care.

"...I can get some more, but I'd need to use the arms."
They flinch.
...
"I'm sorry, I really am."
"But I myself can't actually do much."
To prove a point, I pass my hand through their bowl.
"See?"
...They don't seem to understand.

...This is going to be tricky.
Especially because I'm going to need to give them a medical scan sooner rather than later.
...Maybe if an arm gives them some meat, they'll trust it more?
But that's still an hour out...

What if I put out some more food in the next room?
Then they won't see the arm...

---

There.
Just put up the arm...
Ok.

"Are you two alright with following me?"
They look at me.
"...Follow me."
I lower to the ground and walk into 02.
They follow slowly.
...
There we go, they go running as soon as they see the food.
...
"Hey!"
"No fighting!"
...
That was a mistake.
Void... The fuck did I do...

...
Yep, they're back in the box.

---

Private Discussion
Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), DF (Distant Frontiers)

NSH: I need help.

DF: What's the problem?

NSH: My lizards.

DF: Oh, are they alright?

...They're still hiding in the box.
NSH: ...They are hungry and afraid, and the latter's preventing them from fixing the former.
NSH: Here, let me get a picture.

...
There.

Attach file, Conflux B/Lizard_pic.png

DF: ...
DF: ...
DF: Hoo boy.

NSH: Yeah, you see my problem.
NSH: There's more.

DF: What?

NSH: They don't like mechanical arms.
NSH: I can guess a few reasons why, but because I myself can't access the labs.
NSH: I *have* to rely on the arms for...
NSH: Anything, really.
NSH: Couple that with the fact I just snapped at them...

DF: ...Yeah...
DF: I have no idea how to help.
DF: ...Well.
DF: You might be able to manipulate the gravity, but that might...
DF: Yeah.

NSH: Yeah.
NSH: I *think,* however, I might be able to get them to trust the arms.
NSH: By putting some actual meat in its hands.
NSH: *Maybe* they'll see the arms as something that gives, not...
NSH: Something that harms.
NSH: ...I'm pissed off.
NSH: Monsters hauled two lizards to me in a fucking box.
NSH: Not even two boxes, nooooooo, they said 'yeah they can fit.'

DF: Yeah, and you said for them to be 'healthy' right?

NSH: Yep.
NSH: These are some battered animals, probably not too far from resorting to cannibalism if it weren't that I did manage to get them to eat some food before I scared them off.

DF: Yeah.
DF: Well at least you did that.

NSH: Yeah.
NSH: I cannot believe these fuckers.

DF: Neither can I.
DF: It's going to be slow, isn't it?

NSH: Yeah.
NSH: Well, I'm going to see if I can't regain their trust.

DF: Okay, good luck with that.

NSH: Right.
NSH: Cya.

DF: Cya.

Disconnect

...
"Mkay."

...They're eyeing me.
"...I'm sorry for snapping."
"I didn't mean to."
I walk, slowly, across.

...They're trying to get farther away from me.
"I'm not going to hurt you."
I kneel down low.
"I'm going to stand right here."
"I'm not going to yell, not anymore."
...

---

...It's been five minutes.
They're no longer glued to the end of the box.
...

---

Seven minutes.
"You two don't have names anymore, do you?"
"...Do you want a name?"

They stare.

"What about... Droplets?"
I point to the slightly lighter toned one.
...
It hisses, the first actual noise I've heard from the two.
...I don't think it was a bad hiss though.

"...Do... you like Droplets?"

A warble.

"Alright... you're Droplets, you will roll off the past like droplets roll off of leaves."
I point at the other, darker, lizard.
"And what of you?"
"Do you want a name?"

It warbles, followed by a sort of chirp.

"...What about... Dew?"
"Droplets and Dew?"

They look at me.
...
They're walking out.
"...Thank you."
"...Maybe I should get a toy for you?"

Dew obviously recognizes 'toy.'
I see their tail shift just a smidge.
"...It will take a second."
"But I will make sure that you get your toy."
Dew chirps, and Droplets seems to understand that toys are something they want.
"...Alright, will you follow me?"
They both chirp.
...
I stretch out a hand, and make an attempt to pet them.
"There you go... you're safe here now..."
"Let's get both of you some food."

###

They've fed well...
I've provided more water...
The weighted ball is almost done printing...
I've made sure they haven't seen any arms yet...
Oh, and the ground meat's ready, should be nutritious for them too.
...
I need to get them scanned.
Preferably this cycle.
...Maybe... maybe while they're sleeping.

---

...Speak of the Rain.
...Just need to... wait a little, for them to be fully asleep.

---

Arm's equipped with a scanner...
...
Move it sloooowly out...
-!
...
Ok, they stopped shifting.
...
...Alright.
It's in place.
...

---

...
That's Dew's scan done.
...

---

No major health problems.
Minor scrapes, looks just about normal though.
A good 800 cycles old, well in the reproductive range.
Dew's the girl, that makes Droplets the boy, mkay...
Showing mild signs of malnutrition, and the after effects of dehydration...
Brain levels... are showing high levels of anxiety, trauma, stress... All are reading as potentially permanent.
...
...Fuck...
Why?
Why are they like this?
...

---

Right, still need to do Droplet's scan.

---

...There.

---

...Showing slightly higher amounts of malnutrition, dehydration is still about the same.
Couple scrapes, same as Dew.
He... is indeed a 'he' at least they got that part of the request right.
1100 cycles old, still well within the range.
...Shit, he's got worms.
Brain says... about the same, except for the fact that they're in pain, from the worms.
...
Better treat it now.
Just... need to find a way to deworm him.
...Hmm...

...Good thing there's sleeping gas I can pump in here.

---

Aaaand, they should be out.
...Let's see...

There, that should work as a dewormer.

---

There we go... that should do it.
I'll check up on it next time they sleep.

---

Private Discussion
Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), DF (Distant Frontiers)

NSH: ...Well, it's going better now.

DF: Really? That's great!

NSH: Yeah, I've regained their trust, I've gotten them scanned.
NSH: The results... Well...
NSH: One of them had worms, but I'm already working on getting rid of them.
NSH: They're skittish, anxious, and might genuinely have ptsd.

DF: ...Poor bastards.
DF: Anything... good?

NSH: They've got names, and have taken to them.
NSH: The male is Droplet and the female is Dew.

DF: ...They've got a blue tint, right?
DF: Regardless, good names. Especially the reference of symbolism on Droplets.

NSH: Yeah.
NSH: I'm also doing good on the whole 'growing meat' part.
NSH: Oh! I'm also seeing if I can't make a toy for them.

DF: Really?
DF: What is it?

NSH: A large rubber ball, it's 20cm wide, and has a 2kg iron core.
NSH: I'm hoping that they'll throw it around a little.

DF: ...Not bad.
DF: You worried about them throwing it damaging the labs?

NSH: You mean the labs that have triple layered titanium alloy walls?

DF: ...Right.
DF: Still, I wouldn't make anything *too* heavy for them to play with.

NSH: It's still made of rubber.

DF: ...That's fair.
DF: Forgive me for forgetting that you, an iterator, do in fact think things through.
DF: I nearly forgot people do that after you showed me those poor lizards.

NSH: Fair enough.
NSH: I frankly almost feel the same.

DF: Yeah.
DF: I mean, who *does* that?
DF: The fucking pebble sized brains on them.
DF: You asked for healthy.

NSH: Well... I said preferably healthy.
NSH: With the assumption that that would mean they couldn't find any healthy lizards, not that they'd abuse them into un-health.

DF: Well, to us, that *is* a fair assumption.
DF: I guess Administration doesn't see it the same way.

NSH: Must be.
NSH: ...Man.
NSH: Just...
NSH: I'm pissed off again.

DF: You have every right to be.
DF: ...I'll be honest, I'm thinking about finding another method of getting my next animals now.

NSH: Do not blame you.
NSH: Speaking of, you decided on that yet?

DF: I've limited it down onto working on some kind of bug or arthropod, just unsure which one.

NSH: Well, you're limiting it down, that's good.

DF: Thanks.
DF: I'll get there.

NSH: You will.
NSH: ...I think I'm going to head out for now, cycles's been a little stressful.

DF: Totally, rest up.
DF: Play that game you sent me, what was it called, Tetris?

NSH: Tetra.

DF: Whatever.
DF: Just... play that for a couple hours.

NSH: Yeah, I will.
NSH: See ya.

Disconnect

Notes:

* -Ish

Chapter 18: Modifications pt. 2

Summary:

Sig plays with his lizards for a little, and performs necessary operations on one.

Notes:

CW: Surgery (No real descriptions though, outside of stuff implied)

Let's check in on them.

---

Lab Complex, engage hologram, simulate complex

---

I'm in 14, as usual.
...Heat signature says they're in M1.
To M1, then.
...

There they are.
They're fighti-
They're play fighting, there's a difference Sig you should know this.

They've noticed me.
They're wagging their tails.
"Hiii, I'm back."
I drift over to them.
"Are you two alright?"

They look as happy as can be seeing me.

"Good, good."
"You want me to roll the ball around?"

They both hiss and gurgle at that.

"Oh... but it's sooo hard..."
"I don't even know where it is..."

Droplets gets up in a flash, though Dew stays by my side.
"...I haven't checked you recently, are you alright if I do?"
She looks uncomfortable.
"I won't leave your side, it will be fine."
...

She relents.

---

"It's alright. It's alright..."
"Shhhhhhhh......"
...
"There."
"All done."
And the arm is back in place.

She looks relieved.

...
"Your babies are looking good."
...Says they're old enough to be ready.
"They're going to be very special, you know that?"
She looks happy at that.

A large, 3kg rubber ball falls through the ceiling entrance.
Not long after, Droplets climbs down the pole connected to said entrance.
"...I guess I have nooo choooiceee..."
I make an exaggerated effort to get up and waaaaaalk all the way over to the ball.
"Oooohh, it's soooo faaaar."

Droplets gets up and walks to the ball.

"Not amused?"

He huffs.

"Fine, roll it over."

He does so.
Aaaand.
Lift that tile.

It stops dead at my legs.

Using more tiles, I lift it up to my hand.
"Now, where will I roll it..."
Towards Droplets? Or Dew?
Droplets? Dew?

...
Dew.
It rolls off.
And Droplets takes off after it.
But Dew manages to pick it up first.

---

After managing to get her to drop it, I 'pick it up' and roll it again.
...And again a couple more times.

---

"Do you two want some steak?"
...Yes, yes they do.
"Do you? Do you really?"
They're both standing at my legs.
...

"Look behind you."
They turn around to find the two 'steaks' that have magically appeared.
They waste no time in making those two steaks magically disappear.
"Good boy, good girl."

---

...It's time, everything is ready.

I walk over to them.
"...Something very special is going to happen today."
They both look over to me.
"But... It's not going to be pleasant."
"It needs to happen."
"...Do you trust me?"

They look... concerned.
They move a little closer to me.

"Okay..."
"Here's what's going to happen."
"Both of you are going to get very sleepy in a minute."
"And after you two wake up, Dew is going to be in a small amount of pain for a good while."
"But it will all be worth it, and I'll make sure to give you lots of love after."

They stare at me.
...They both chirp.

"...Thank you for understanding."

---

I get them to lay down.
...The valves are open.
"Alright, you two are about to get very tired."
"When you wake up, everything will be fine."
"I love you two."

They both gurgle for a little.
Then... they slooowlyyy close their eyes...
...
...
Brain scan says they're out.
Dew's going to need some stronger anesthetic though.
...And probably be moved to M2.

---

There we go.
...Turning off gravity...
This'll be easier without.

---

Private Discussion
Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), DF (Distant Frontiers)

NSH: Hey.

DF: What's up?

NSH: Performing surgery.
NSH: Rewriting genetic code
NSH: The usual.

DF: Ah.
DF: And you are focusing on that, right?

NSH: Of course.
NSH: I've got the script to do that, and I've tasked that to subconscious me.
NSH: Meanwhile, I'm bored and this is about the only thing I can do.

DF: Right.
DF: Fair enough.
DF: What's the processing allocation look like?

NSH: Puppet or overall?

DF: Puppet.

NSH: ...
NSH: 90-95%

DF: Seems about right.
DF: How's Dew and Droplets outside of what you're doing?

NSH: So so so so so much better.
NSH: They've really grown on me, and I on them.
NSH: They still don't like the arms though.
NSH: They've gotten better about them being around though, they just don't like them touching them.

DF: Well that's good.
DF: What modifications are you doing? I don't think you ever told.

NSH: ...
NSH: I *almost* want to keep it a secret.

DF: Come oooooon.
DF: Tell me.

NSH: Ok, fine, only you though.
NSH: I'm going to try and see if I can make a fully organic creature take on metallic parts.
NSH: Instead of the currently known methods that are extremely specific to Iterator construction.
NSH: Oh and I don't mean prosthetics, I meant new parts entirely.

DF: ...Huh.
DF: Interesting.
DF: Like what parts?

NSH: For now, nothing interesting, dummy parts that just monitor to see that the connection is working.
NSH: If I can get that to work, I'll look into further modifications.

DF: I see.
DF: Oh!
DF: Idea: have you thought about making the implants modular?
DF: Like... it has a base that other parts could be attached to?

NSH: ...It's an idea.
NSH: I'll think about it after I finish, don't want to lose focus.

DF: Ah.
DF: Yeah, sorry about that.

NSH: No, it's fine, void, I'm almost done.

DF: Oh good.
DF: What are you modifying anyways?

NSH: Expanding the cranial area, put in a couple holes in the back of the headplate, making the nervous system more receptacle, that kind of stuff.
NSH: Though I've run simulations...
NSH: I've ran so many fucking simulations.
NSH: To make sure that they can survive without mechanical parts.
NSH: The only side effect is that the back of their head is more sensitive, but really that shouldn't cause too many problems.

DF: And even that's mitigated somewhat by the plate.

NSH: Exactly.
NSH: ...It's done.

DF: Oh good.
DF: What's your thoughts on my idea?

NSH: Interesting.
NSH: But I'd want to test if this'll even work before I consider it.

DF: Ah, fair.
DF: Still, consider it.

NSH: Like I wouldn't, for one it certainly *sounds* like a good idea.
NSH: Whether it'll actually be remains to be seen.

DF: Of course.
DF: Oh!
DF: I just remembered!
DF: (How'd I forget?)
DF: I found my arthropod species!

NSH: Nice!
NSH: What is it?

DF: Here, let me show you.

Distant Frontiers attached a file
Download?

Yes

...
NSH: How interesting.

DF: Found a small colony of these guys in my underhang.
DF: They seem to gain extra segments as they grow older.
DF: I managed to lure a couple into my labs, and I'm going to see what I can do with em.

NSH: Have fun, follow moral codes and what not.

DF: I will, I will.
DF: I wonder what their origin is?
DF: The closest equivalent species I've found currently resides in metal boxes making batteries in my industrial sector.
DF: So... probably not purposed.

NSH: Yeah, I would hope not, that... would be a sign of much larger problems.

DF: Yeah... That *would* be bad, wouldn't it?
DF: ...Might send an overseer over there, see if anything's wrong.
DF: Just in case.

NSH: Don't blame you.
NSH: In any case, good luck.

DF: Thanks.
DF: Oh, and of course, good luck to you.

NSH: Thank you.
NSH: I think I'm going to head out, I'm pretty sure Droplets is about to wake up.

DF: Mhm, well I'll be seeing you.
DF: Let's check in a bit, yeah?
DF: We haven't just... *Talked*, in a while.

NSH: Fair point, we'll have...
NSH: Fuckin game night or something.

DF: Ha! Pretty good.
DF: But in all seriousness, sounds fun.
DF: Maybe invite Moon too?
DF: Have a fuckin Tetra tournament or something.

NSH: With spiked difficulty?

DF: ...I like how you think.
DF: You know that?

NSH: No way?

DF: Ha, yeah.
DF: But yeah, actually sounds like a blast.
DF: Tell Moon about it.

NSH: I will.
NSH: We do it three cycles from now?

DF: Yeah, sounds good.
DF: See you then.

NSH: Cya.

Disconnect

---

Message, Moon (LttM)
------
Hey, me and Frontiers were thinking of just hanging out, play Tetra.
He invited you, you in?
It'd be in three cycles.
------
---

---
------
I would *love* to!
It's been a while since I've just hung out!
And the timeframe works for me, see you then!
P.S. I'm a little surprised he invited *me*, we haven't talked in *forever.*
------
---

Mrrr?

Oh, he's awake.

"Hi Droplets, enjoy your nap?"

He stretches.
And looks very, very tired.

He looks over to Dew, who I'd moved back into M1.

"She's going to sleep for a good bit longer."
"Everything went well, I think everything even went better than I thought."
"And you did great yourself."

I open up a hatch right in front of him and dispense some steak.
He looks quite happy for the snack.

"I'm proud of you for being so brave."
"Just, in general."

He scoots up to my hologram at that.
I pet him when he gets closer.
I know he can't feel it, and he obviously knows that too, but he still appreciates it.

---

I see Dew begin to shift.
"She's going to be groggy for a little bit Droplets, just be careful."

He gurgles in understanding.

"Good."
I walk over to her, and so does Droplets.

---

Her eyes open.

I lean in a little bit.
"Hiiii Dew."
"How are you feeling?"

She... groans. I think that's the closest description.

"I know."
"It'll pass in a cycle... a day or so."
Archaic word for it, but one she probably understands better.

She... doesn't look too happy, but also looks too tired to do much about it.

"...I promise I won't do that again unless I have to."
"Which... I shouldn't have to."

She looks at me.
...And then rolls over.

"...There there."

---

I pet them both for a while, and they appreciate it.

---

"...I'm going to go for now you two."
"You take care of Dew, ok?"

He snips at me affectionately.

"Good."
"I love you two."
I pet them a little more, and then walk out.

Lab Complex, disengage hologram

Disengaging.

Notes:

There will be a pt. 3

Chapter 19: Tetra

Summary:

Sig and co. have some time off.
They play Tetris.

Notes:

CW: Bug description (RW Centipedes)

DF: When do you think Moon'll get here?

NSH: She said just a couple more minutes.
NSH: She said she was just in a meeting but that it was almost done.

DF: Mmm.
DF: Wonder how that's going?

NSH: ...I bet she'll be looking forward to this hang out a little more after it.

DF: ...Yeah, wouldn't be surprised.
DF: Oh, you sent her the modified copy, right?

NSH: Yep.
NSH: Last cycle.
NSH: She gave it a shot, decided to start at level 25
NSH: 'Can't be that bad' she said.

DF: ...Yikes.
DF: I'm sorry for her.

NSH: Yeah, didn't make it to 5k points.
NSH: '...I think I'll stick with starting at base level.'
NSH: Let me tell you, I was laughing. My. Ass. Off.
NSH: ...Speaking of 'Ass', I'm sure you'll be on your best behavior.

DF: I know, I know.
DF: I've got friends like that too, you know.

Like Sliver?
Hmph, irony.
NSH: Right, you're right.

Moon (LttM) accepted an invitation to join.

LttM: I'm here!
LttM: I. Am. *Glad* to be out of that.

NSH: What was it?

DF: Yeah, what was it?

LttM: Oh, nothing crazy or anything, just it was *sooooo* boring!
LttM: Did *not* help that for most of it I was just waiting to join this call.
LttM: But I'm here now!
LttM: How's this going to play out?

...
It's a little refreshing to see her this excited.
NSH: Well, first, let's get in a video call, yeah?
NSH: Then... I'll explain to the both of you my vague ideas for this, but it's by no means set in stone.
NSH: Cool?

DF: Sounds good.
LttM: Sounds good!

NSH: Great.

Request call[Moon (LttM), Frontiers (DF)]

First Frontiers', then Moon's screens flash on.
I note they both already have their copy of Tetra ready.

"First off, how are we doing?"

"Great!"
"Good, you?"

"Good myself."
"So, we are all painfully aware of how hard I spiked the difficulty in the copies of Tetra I've provided, yes?"
I don't wait for them to answer, the answer's 'yes.'
"I thought it would be an interesting idea to see the highest level we could collectively get to."
"We all take turns giving it a shot, and otherwise... we just chat."

"...I like it!"
"You, Frontiers?"

"Yeah."
"So, who goes first?"

"I will."
"I will!"
...

"...Alright, Sig's going first."

---

...Just start at level zero, no need to start at a harder level.
"So... Frontiers, why did you invite me? I'm a little curious."

"Well... just haven't talked in a while, and besides Sliver, I don't particularly enjoy the company of my local group."
"Leading to the fact that it would be nice to actually get to know the one of like... three people who I've talked to outside of it."
"ie, you."

Fuck.
Misplaced a piece.

"Well, I'm honored."
"Can I ask why you don't like hanging out with your group?"

"Opinion and personality differences. Also the fact that several have on occasion called me 'old.'"

I hear a simulated gasp.
"They didn't!"

"They did."
"Just about the only one that hasn't is that new third gen, what was their name..."
"Garden to the Youth?"
"...I feel like they're running out of names for us."
"Point is, it's likely only a matter of time before she does as well."

...Give me an L piece already!

"That's a little bit of a pessimistic way of looking at it, wouldn't you think?"

"I mean, yeah, but it's realistic too."

"...I guess."

---

"You're doing great Sig!"

"...Thanks."
Level 10...

"...I think he's busy."

"Yeah..."
"Also... I'm thinking about the name you mentioned."
"I have to agree, that name... doesn't flow all that well."

"Yeah, she's already gone to exclusively calling herself Gardens."
"Tell me, how long did it take you to go just by Moon?"

"...Maybe three to four hundred cycles?"

"Twenty, it took twenty for her."

"...Wow."

...Shit.
"Alright, alright."
"I'm out."
"Level twelve."

"Aww, you did pretty good though"

"Thanks."
"Who wants to go next?"

"...I will."

"Good luck."

---

He starts off strong.

"So Sig, how are your lizards?"

"Good, good."
"Dew's understandably very hungry these cycles, but I feed her very well."
"Oh, and the two are starting to tear through the toy I made for them."

"Oh?"
"Are you going to make a new one for them?"

"...Probably, but I'm also considering some alternate entertainment methods."
"One idea I had was to simulate some prey animals and have them run around the labs."
"When they 'get' one, it pops out a piece of meat under the hologram."
"Or something else, who knows."

"That sounds interesting!"
"Though... wouldn't that..."
"Wouldn't that be invoking the first urge?"

"No, it isn't."
"But I get where you're coming from."
"Yes, the first urge covers the concept of violence that can be traced to your knowing action or inaction, but..."
"What it doesn't cover is simulated violence, which is what this would be."
"Trust me, I took a good look over and even consulted some scholars and iterators on this when I first thought up the idea."
"I understand how you would think otherwise though, it's not something that would be that intuitive."
"Oh, and one scholar gave note that this is a specific edge case, what I'm doing."
"If the action were to give out violent thoughts, which I'm sure you know are covered by the first urge, this would count."
"But, them in the end being just 'simple-minded' lizards, they can't get violent thoughts."
"Just thoughts of hunger, and thinking of the actions to undo it."

"...Huh."
"How interesting."
"...You seemed to not like using simple minded to describe your lizards."

"Well, it's because they're not."
"Plated lizards are waaaaaay smarter than most give them credit for."
"For one, when treated right, they can show a wide array of emotions."

"Mhm?"

"And if you take the time to learn, you realize they can communicate quite well."
I look over at Frontiers' screen, he's already at level 5, nice.

"Really now?"
"How?"

"Both through verbal and nonverbal communication."
"For example, I've recognized a few specific hisses and gurgles that mean a couple different things."
"A couple ones I've learned 'Hi', 'I love you', 'Hungry', 'Thirsty', and 'Play?'"
...Along with 'scared' and 'stay away.'
...Doesn't need to be spoken though.
"They also have a tendency to paw at me when I'm petting them."
"...I think that one's to 'return the favor' or something."

"Awww."
"That's really cute."

"I know."
"Honestly, you should look into maybe finding some lizards for yourself."
...
"Or..."
"I don't know, I'm pretty sure most of their anxiety stems from the capture process."
"I wouldn't want that put on any other being, it's not right."

She nods her head in understanding.
"Right..."
"I guess that would be the case."

---

We both watch Frontiers for a little bit.
He makes it to level 10 with relative ease.

---

"I talked to Winds recently."

"Did you?"

"Yep, she's doing good, apparently she's started up a little art project thing."

"Really?"

"Yeah, she's keeping it under wraps though."
"I wonder how it's going to turn out."

"I am too now that I've heard of it."
"It's good to hear she found a hobby."

"Yeah..."

---

"...Pebbles doesn't have a hobby."
"He just works works works, and chats sometimes."
"Mainly with me and Suns I'm pretty sure."

"Mmm."
"You want to say something of that to him?"

"I have... tried."
"He doesn't like taking too much advice from me."
"I... get it though."
"In many ways he sees himself as 'under' me."
"Disregarding the literal parts of that, seeing that due to generation differences I am... maybe a good hundred meters taller than him."
"...I even get how he got the idea, seeing that by and large I've guided his every step in making transcension models for... a while there."
"I think it was something like... six hundred or so cycles."

"Mmm, I can see how that happened."
"I think... the best thing to do is to just... not contact him for a while, outside of your required duties as Senior of course."

"Your... Probably right..."
"Just... I know I watch over him a little, but it's for good cause, you know?"
"I-"

"FU-"
...
"-rick!"

Heh.

"...I'm fine."
"I did get to level fourteen though."

"Good job."

"Yeah, good job."

"Thanks."
"Alright, your turn Moon."

---

She boots it up.

"...Sorry 'bout that."

"She gave you a look, that's all I'll say on that."

"Mhm."

---

"How're the centipedes?"

"Good, good."
"Though really, while centipede is a good name, I prefer polypede."
"They don't particularly have a set number of legs, let alone a hundred of them."
"Void, even the biggest only have like... forty."
"I think the count was like thirty-eight."

"Huh, interesting."

"Yeah."
"Honestly I haven't even made plans for them, currently I'm just interested in finding out how they work."
"The ability to grow new legs even into adulthood is... I think unique to them."
"Sure there are plenty of bug species that don't start with all of their legs, but they quickly get them all early on."
"And you want to know what's really interesting?"

"What?"

"I took a medical scan on one of them."
"Each segment could theoretically survive on its own."
"They all got the organs for respiration, circulation, digestion, and by the looks of it there's no central nervous cluster."
"There is an argument there that I could split one in two and they'd both live completely normal lives."

"...Wow."
"I'm a little jealous, that sounds cool as void to work with."
I glance over at Moon, she's doing good.

"I know!"
"I just want to figure out these things more than anything."
"I'll keep you, and Moon if she wants, posted, mkay?"

"I would love to."

"Mhm!"

I get a little chuckle out of that.

---

She makes it to level 10 about as well as I did.
As in, the board's fucked.

---

"To think, I've made it to the kill screen several times in regular Tetra."

"We all have."
"What was your high score again?"

"...One Million?"
"...And I think 200k?"

"Nice, last time I played I got one mil."

"Nice."

---

Level 13...

I note that he's also just... watching.
"...She gonna do it?"

"Maybe."

The board isn't tall at the moment, but seeing that there's a piece falling every quarter of a second...
That can change pretty fast.
...
Like now.
...

But she recovers!

...
Level 14.

"She's gonna do it."
...
"She's doing it."

"Shh!"
...

Line after line, piece after piece.

...
...
Level 15.

"Holy..."
...
Aww.

"Aww..."

"You did so good Moon!"

"Thanks."
"...I presume you would be up next?"

"...Right you are."
"Let's all do another round of this, mkay?"

They both nod.

---

...
Alright.

"...I don't think I've seen pictures of your polypedes."
"Actually this is my first time hearing of them."

"Oh! Let me pull up a couple pictures."

...

"I see..."
"Hmm."
"It's creeping me out a little I think."

"Oh, I see."
"Is it the legs?"

"I think so."
"No offense."

"No no, none taken."
"Didn't know entomophobia could extend to Iterators though."

"...Yeah, I guess so."
"Fear... in general."

"Yeah, good point."
"I wouldn't exactly call an Iterator fearful, would you?"

"No, it... almost doesn't make sense."
"And that's coming from the Iterator that just experienced it."

A chuckle.
"Yeah."

---

"Playing that is... surprisingly exhausting."

"Indeed."
"Sorry if I messed you up near the end there."

"No, you're fine."
"It just gets really hard to react fast enough."
"I'm sure you noticed that."

"...Yes, I have."
"Say, I asked Sig, what high score-"

"1.7 million."

"...Oh."
"...When?"

"Two cycles ago, for practice."
"That and I get no small amount of free time, I usually end up playing at least one game per cycle."

"...You scare me."

"Yeah."
"Here's a funny thing I've noted."
"For like... thirty minutes after a game I'll see those tetrominoes falling in the corner of my vision."
"I was spooked the first time that happened."

"...Yeah, I would be too."
"Did you-"

"Yes, I've checked for physical problems."
"It's a psychological thing, I've found."
"It's weird, but harmless."
"Just if you do something repetitive like Tetra for long enough often enough you'll start to see the action in the corner of your eyes."
"And when I say repetitive, I mean repetitive."
"It has to be the same near exact motions or actions over and over."

"...Like placing tetrominoes into the right spot."

"Exactly."

---

...Level 10.
In better condition too.

"He's doing good."
"I haven't seen many mistakes."

Right.
Mhm.
Yep.

"Yep."
"He's doing good."

...I think that was sarcasm.

---

...I think they're just watching now.
Oddly... not that stressful.
...
...

"Ok, you're just showing off now."
"No need to spin it at light speed."

---

Level 12.

"I don't know why this is such a fun game."
"It's so simple."

"That's probably why it's so fun."
"It's very easy to understand."
"And that's how it gets you."

"Mmm."
"Not to mention when you clear four lines it plays a little jingle."
"The. Best. Shit."

Oh shit.

"...Mmmm..."
"...Sorry."

I hear a sigh.
"...Not like I can do much about it, can I?"
...
"That's not an invitation."

"Right..."

---

Level 14.

They're silent now.

Got a Tetra.
Board's looking good.

Two more lines.

Mistake.

...Cleared.

"Wow."

Another line cleared.
...

---

"He's crazy."

Line after line, piece after piece.

Line after line.
Piece after piece.

Line
after
line.

Piece
after
piece.

"He's almost at fifteen."
"Just four mo-"
Tetra.

Level 15.

---

"...This feels like a kill screen."

"But it's possible to go further."

Board's managed.
Slightly less managed.

Cleared.

"Hoooo..."

---

"He's almost there."
"He's going to do it."

"He is."
"He's gonna make it."

Ten more lines.

...
Nine.

...
Six.

Five.

Four.

...
L piece up next.

...
Level 16.

Alright, I can lose now.

---

...
Or?

---

I can hear them speaking.

---

Board's fine-ish.

---

Fifty lines.

---

Thirty.

---

Twenty.

---

Ten.

Six.

Three...

One...

No...

No...

Zero.
Level 17.

I hear them erupt.

---

Come on...

---

Come on...

---

...Alright.

...I close the game, and lay down.
"I'm done."

"Don't blame you."

"That was stressful just to watch."

"...I'm tired."

"I bet."
"...I don't think I'd be able to beat that."

"Same here."
...
"Good job Sig, that was really impressive."

...
I sigh.
"Thanks."
...
"I'm going to go low power for a bit, mkay?"

"Yep, sounds good."

"Cya."

Transfer ownership[Moon (LttM)]

"Alright, cya."
"It'll stay open, the call."
"Bye."

Disconnect

Disconnect

Notes:

Just an fyi, Tetra is most likely closest to the NES Tetris edition.
And maybe some aesthetic changes.

Chapter 20: Silver Lining

Summary:

...

But nobody came.

Notes:

Hey just a quick little thing
this chapter goes a little harder than previous ones, and probably won't be topped for some time.
If you don't want to hear about suicide... probably don't read this one.
An actual summary at the end.

Incoming Call
Source id: Silver
Accept call?

"Op, I'm sorry Droplets, I gotta go."

They hiss. 'Sad.'

"I know, I know."
"I'll be back soon."

Lab Complex, disengage hologram

Disengaging.

Yes

"Hey Silver."
"Sorry I took a second."

"No no, It's fine."

...
She... sounds off.
"You good?"

"Hmm? Yeah, I'm good."
"I called... because I wanted to say a few things."
"And to chat, but it stems from me wanting to say a few things."

...
She's not 'good.'
...
Play along.
"What's up?"

"...A bit has happened the past few cycles."
"Or... more like fifty cycles."

"Like... what?"
...I'm afraid I know what.

"Well, me and Five had a little anniversary."
"A thousand cycles of knowing each other."
I hear her chuckle.
"We had a good time."
...
"Not long after another ex-smuggler got caught, not one I knew well but..."
"It was on the base of the Tri-Peaks."
"We knew it was time to move."
"We packed everything we could, and decided on moving back into the sewers."
"Deeper down, where it's more of a maze, and darker too."
"We made a nice hovel there."
"Didn't have a way to power anything though, not like we couldn't live without though."
...
Her voice sounds slower, that's what it is.
And... measured too.
"Anyhow, after that, we heard through radio contact that a couple more got caught."
"I even knew one of them, Limerick was their name."
"Good man, good man."
...
"We had a couple scrapes with enforcement too."
"While we were out getting food."
"That's what life is a lot of these days."
"Wake up, get food, get water, return."
"If you have enough for a couple days, you relax for a while."
...
"I'll admit it gets a little tiring."
"But I can't say it wasn't worth it."
...'Wasn't'?
...She sighs.
"I guess I should get to the main event."
I hear a much deeper sigh float through her microphone.
...
"...Five's gone."

...
"...Holy shit..."

"I know."
"I probably cried the entire cycle away after that."
"Void, heh, I think I even attempted suicide to bring her back. That's what the still..."
I hear a pop.
"Aching spine suggests anyways."
"Of course, that's not how it works."
"The cycle doesn't give back lost time."
"Since then... I did... a little thinking."
"...Realistically, there's not much left for me here."
"I've lost... four now... four friends, and the love of my dreams."
"Really, it's only you left that I properly know and care for."
...
"...You want to know where I am right now?"

...
I don't think I do.
"...Where?"

"I'm crouched on top of a little rocky outcropping."
"Looking down on a sea of black and gold."

...
"Did-"

"Nope."
"I'm here on my own volition."
"I've been sitting here for the past hour."
"The sea is very pretty."
"...I'm not ready just yet."
"But I have made up my mind."
"Before you say anything, I've... given it a good bit of time."
"Five cycles before I even started moving, and I've been thinking the entire time."
"The guardians let me pass no issue, so there's no problem there."
"...And... I've left you a little something."
"You know the rest point set up in your internals, right?"

...There's a lot happening right now.
"...Yeah?"

"In it resides a good few possessions."
"Everything I inherited from Mountains."
"Everything I could find of Five's possessions."
"Everything I myself own."
"Memories. Mine, and Five's."
"We had those prepared a while ago, just in case."
"Some of them are... rather graphic, but frankly I don't care how much of a dork you are, you're an Iterator you should know how to handle sensitive matters."
...
"What was mine is now yours."
"Void, I even found the first transponder you made me, still in good condition too."
"...Oh, and I'm gifting you the rights to do whatever you want with Tetra, though I'm you've probably already done something with it."

"...Just spike the difficulty."

"Interesting."
"What did you do?"

"Increase the game speed and update rate by ten times."

"Huh, sounds interesting."
"Anywho, it's yours now, do whatever."
"Make it better, make it worse."
...
She goes silent.

---

"...You've really made up your mind?"

"Yep."
"Like I said, you're all I realistically have left."
"And... yeah, ok, you've been a great friend."
"But..."

"...I get that."
"Not like I can talk to you often."
"Or that we've ever seen each other face to face."

"Heh, yeah."
"You want me to do that first?"

"...If you want to."
"Communication with my friends exclusively through text and sometimes video chat has... rendered that a non requirement for me."

"Mhm."
"That... makes sense."

---

"Did you ever know that this would happen?"

"...Something like it."
"I always thought it would be involuntary."
"I know two other Iterators that had an Ancient friend for some time."
"They both gave a brief story of their ascension."

"...Mhm."
"I look at the sea now, and realize..."
"It was always going to happen."
"My choice or not."

"...I don't like admitting that I knew that was going to be the case too."
"But I did."

---

"...What do you think happened to Five?"

"Echo."
"No question."
"...I couldn't bring myself to visit her though."
"If she's even where I think she is."
"She could be all the way over at Looks to the Moon's facility."
"Entirely possible."

"I see..."
"...I'm sorry this all has happened to you."

"...I appreciate it."

---

"You know, when I look into the sea, I see lights dancing deep down."
"Do... you know what that would be?"

"I know what you're talking about."
"But there's no solid answer."
"It's generally agreed it's some kind of void organism making those lights."
"But that's about the only thing agreed upon."
"My bet, when I first learned of them, was that they are a kind of ferryman."
"They take your soul to the great beyond."
"It's not... the most popular opinion, but I know a few scholars and Iterators that agree."

"...Interesting."
"And... comforting."
"In a weird sort of way."

---

"Another thing I see are these strange ethereal creatures."
"They're floating... swimming? Through the rocks and the air into the sea."

"Those..."
"I know what you're talking about."
"They're considered by many scholars to be related to the void organisms already down there."
"Though that's just the main theory."
"...Void ecology is a strange topic, one with many theories and zero answers."

"I see."

---

"...I'm ready."

"...This is goodbye then?"

"...Yes, I guess it is."
"Though... I'll keep the transponder on."
"I'm sure it won't last that long, but... whatever."

...Didn't I make the thing pretty hardy?
...
Checking the design says I used a titanium alloy, along with hardened electronics.
"Might last longer than you think."
"Not by much... but still."

"Mhm."
...
"Well..."
"In case the thing immediately breaks, or I can't talk while submerged, which is pretty likely..."
"...Goodbye."
"You've been a great friend Sig."

...
"You have too."
"Farewell, may you find what you are looking for down there."

"...Thank you."
I hear her stand up.
Her walking down to the sea is amplified by the cave's acoustics.
...

"...Here goes."

...
Splash.

---

I hear her swimming.

"...Can you speak?"

"...Ye#."
"It's stran#e though."
"Talk#ng doesn't feel like I'm underwater."
"But swimming #oes."

"And you're swimming down?"

"Y#s."
"Radio's wo#king supri#ing well."
"#ild st#tic."

"Same on my end."
"It... feels more like a distance thing though."

"I# does, doe#n't #t?"
...
"It's be#uti#ul down ##re."
"The li#hts a#e still far #w#y."
"And it's l#ss gold the furt##r I g# down."

"Makes sense."
"The gold is simply matter reacting to void fluid."
"Great way to search for impurities."

"Inter#sti#g, that ma#es # lot of s##se."
...
"I'# get##ng c#os## n#w."
"...# t#i#k my bo#y is l#ng g##e."
"It m#kes s##se, t#en. How lo## I've man#ged to k##p #n conta#t."
"Yo###e st##l th#re, ri##t?"

"I am."
"I am."
"I am."

"Th##ks for ### repe##tion, ###t's #####y sma#t."
"###m, ##od repeti###n, ##at's s##r#."
...
"###y'#e #####."
"The ##ghts #r# #####."
"##rg#, ####ive, #####."
"##r#s, #or##, ###ms."

"I can not understand you anymore."
"Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye."

"#h, #####y#, #o####e, g######, g###b##."
...
"###, i### ########l."
"####################"

...
No signal.
Not... Not surprised.
Actually, I am surprised.
She kept in contact for that long.

...Stars above.
I...
Holy shit...
She's gone.
She's... She's gone!
...
You knew it was coming.
...
Doesn't lighten the blow though.

---

I'm...

---

I don't know what.

---

She's gone.

---

She's gone.

---

She's gone.

---

What do I do?

---

Well, sooner rather than later, I need to make a memoir.
She will be remembered.

---

I should call Sliver.

---

Private Discussion
Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), SoS (Sliver of Straw)

NSH: ...

SoS: ...Hey...
SoS: ...Oh, oh no.

NSH: Yeah.
NSH: ...It happened.
NSH: We... talked for a good bit before she took the plunge.
And... a little after.
I... don't really want to tell... anyone of that part.
It... it felt private.

SoS: ...Are... you feeling alright?

NSH: No.
NSH: That's why I came to you.
NSH: You're the person to go to about missing loved ones.

SoS: Can't... can't argue there.
SoS: I don't... really know much on helping in the short term though.
SoS: It takes time, that's the best I can say.
...
SoS: Hmm.
SoS: Well, there's one thing.
SoS: ...What exactly was she like?
SoS: Tell me everything you know.

---

Silver...
Silver initially was just a smuggler I hired to transport a... questionable piece of data.
You want to know more on that, ask Frontiers, if you say you came from me, he'd probably answer.
I had fabricated a pearl for her to take, and she needed directions.
We talked on her little trip up there.
I had also made her a couple things, as payment.
Maps, a radio, stuff like that.

After that we... kept in contact.
I did a couple things to help out.
We chatted a couple times.

I'm sure you've played Tetra by now.
She was the one that made that.

...

She went through a lot.
Before she ascended, she had to escape several capture attempts, all of which would likely lead to forced ascension.
During one of these, she lost her best friend, which I'm sure you remember.
She didn't say, but it's likely that she lost her wife in that fashion.
She lost the rest of her friends in similar ways.

Apparently in the last ten to twenty cycles she did a lot of thinking.
It just... wasn't worth it anymore.
And she seemed to be at peace with that in her final moments.

...She gifted me her possessions.
It's weird, because that makes me... the closest to her.
...We weren't particularly close, just... due to circumstance.
Makes it a little sadder.

---

SoS: ...Is there...
SoS: Anything before?

NSH: I didn't actually learn that much.
NSH: Basically all I know is that she used to work in software design, specifically game design.
NSH: She did give me a memory pearl though, I'll look through that... probably this cycle.
NSH: I'll keep that to myself, feels private.

SoS: Fair fair.
SoS: I would probably do the same.
SoS: I never really vibed with Ancients reading out someone's gifted memories in their ceremonies.
SoS: Memories are... private.

NSH: Yes, completely agree.
NSH: ...Thanks, by the way.
NSH: Hey... will you write her memoir?
NSH: I don't... think I'd be able to finish.

SoS: Of course! I actually get asked that fairly often.
SoS: It'll be formatted different than yours though, that ok?

NSH: Yeah, that's fine.
NSH: Maybe someday I'll make one myself, and I'll probably make one for her wife too.
NSH: For now... I think I'm going to go.

SoS: Ok, cya.
SoS: Just...
SoS: Well, you probably know to not isolate yourself.

NSH: Yeah, I won't.
NSH: Cya.

SoS: Cya.

Disconnect

---

...Let's get that stuff to a good location.
And... I want to take a look at the pearl.

---

...Should probably check if there's anything urgent.
...
Lizards are fine and well fed. Perhaps even a little too fed, I'll, unfortunately, have to be a little careful about that.
...
Bare minimum to keep up with quota doesn't need any manual control until... next cycle by the looks of it.
...
I'll say I'm away on the Network.
Just for a few hours.

---

...There.
Alright, time to go take a look.

---

...There it is.

...
The mug is there.
It's... faded.
There's a crack in it, patched up.

...

There's other things there too.
...
Where should I take all this?
Lab-Storage?
...Probably.
...

---

Most of it anyways.
I think... some of it deserves a special location.

...Like the mug.
...And the memory pearls.
The computer.
The copy of Tetra's going straight to Conflux C.
...
Let's get it all to Storage first though, then we'll sort it out.

---

Inspector-05, please report to sector 1x4x6, room 05 at your soonest convenience.
...
It's heading there now.

---

Arrived, what are my orders?

Please refer to Location Of Interest, designation Romeo-Echo-Foxtrot.
You will find that there are several items that are not listed in the location's directory.

Scanning...
...
I have found several such items.

Good, I instruct you to haul as many of these items as you can to Lab-Storage.
If you cannot take everything at once, please return and repeat the process until you have taken every item not normally here.
Oh, and please take care, some of the objects are fragile.

Understood.
Beginning task.

---

Oh look, it could get everything, that's nice.

---

It all... still feels very weird.
Not right.

---

09's... making good progress.
Good to see.
Also good to see that it's taking its time.

---

...
It's almost there...

---

...There it is.

---

Identified the Tetra pearl, sending that... to... Conflux C.
And the other two pearls...
Sent to my chamber.

---

There they are.
I pull them to my hands.
One is a deep crimson, the other a sky blue.
...Titles say the sky blue one's Silver's memories.

I let the other pearl enter the orbit of pearls I have going around my chamber.

...
Alright.
Let's see what we got.

---

There's a .txt file on the first layer.

------
Hey Sig.
This is... I guess like some kind of diary entry directed to you.
I put this in well after I actually got these memories put in here.
I figured that you would want some specific memories, like the basics of my life before we met.
I did this because I realized... might be something you want to know before you write a memoir or something.
I have also attached some notes to each of the memories.

Anywho, the memories in question have been labeled very obviously, and so that alphabetical search will show them first.
You're welcome.
------
---

---

...She wasn't kidding.
'AAAOBSERVE_FIRST...'
Real subtle.

Alright. First entry.

Notes:

SUMMARY
For those that didn't want to read about suicide. (Valid and extremely fair)

Silver calls NSH.
She discusses recent events, including the loss of various smugglers, friends, and...
Five, her wife.
She then reveals that she is currently sitting above the void sea, and wanted to talk to Sig one final time before she ascends.
She reveals that she is in perfect karmic state, and has also donated several possessions of hers, Five's, and Mountains' to Sig.

She then dives into the sea, and for a surprisingly long time to all involved, can talk to Sig.
(This part is interesting, isn't that depressing, and has a lot of stuff I can't exactly spoil here. If you want to read it, Ctrl+F and search for a '#' you'll find the section pretty fast.)

Upon finally losing contact, Sig breaks down for a moment, and eventually decides to call Sliver of Straw.
He describes what he knows of Silver to her, which... not writing out here, go read the chapters where Silver is present.
He also mentions that he doesn't actually know all that much about her life before they were friends.
He says his farewells, and decides to fix that.

Cliffhanger once he brings the memory pearl to his chamber, he uses an Inspector to do this.
(This reveals that Inspectors are somewhat intelligent, if not fully sentient.)

Chapter 21: Silver Lining pt. 2

Summary:

...

Notes:

CW: Parental Abuse (Specifically, in the second memory)

...There's an overseer over there.
Funny, usually they're a little better at hiding them.

Just act natural, they'll reveal themselves eventually.

---

Yep.
There they-

[I have a proposition]

Hmm.
Interesting.
Not often they try to catch me with that one.
"Mhm, sure."
"Nice try, Administrator."

It recoils slightly.
[no no wait wait wait]
[Not Administrator.]

[No Significant]
[Harassment]

...
That's... not a common one either.
"...Huh."
"You're the real thing, then?"
...They probably aren't.
"Tell me what's the square root of 17."
"Fast."
There's no way th-

[4.12310562562...]
[I could go on.]

...
That's right.
...That's actually right.
In less than a second too.
...
"Alright, you're the real deal then."
This is actually the big fuck off supercomputer.
"What do you want?"

[First, what have]
[Administrators done?]

[Surely another's]
[Job]

Hmph. I guess he doesn't know.
"They got control of some overseers too, right?"
"Someone will hire them to find hideouts."
"Also, just like to say you weren't subtle when you first showed up."

[Right]
[Anyways]

[I need a pearl sent to]
[Distant Frontiers]

[Heard of him?]

Heard of him?
News spread like wildfire when he offered assistance to... what was their name...
Laments? ...Yeah, Laments.
"Oh, I've heard of him."
"Interesting sod, him."
"From what I've heard, anyways."
...He wants a pearl delivered.
Presumably from all the way up his Can.
"Well, I know what I'd need to do to get a pearl from you."
"Won't be easy, I'll tell you right now."
"What's in it for me?"
...Thatittle assholish.

[Information, news]
[Accurate maps]

[Belongings]
[of your choosing]

[Refuge, if possible]
[and needed]

[Oh, and directions]

...
Oh shit.
I mean, it makes sense, he can probably just make shit whenever.
"...That's a pretty good offer."
"...I expect a couple copies of those maps, yeah?"
"No need for me to have the only one."
"As for these 'belongings.'"
"How are you getting them?"

[Anything I can]
[print]

[And that you]
[can haul out]

[Same place you're]
[Getting pearls]

[Fabricator]

That checks out.
"Makes sense."
"I don't actually want much in that regard anyways."
...Well.
That's... not entirely true.
"I want a mug."
"I broke mine."
"Put a design on it, surprise me."
"But otherwise nothing special."

[Two mugs.]
[In case you]

[break the first]

...He is...
I don't even know how to describe how helpful he's being.
"Oh, alright."
"You drive a hard bargain."
"You've got a deal."
"I'll get out there next cycle."
"It's late, and I am not getting flooded again."

[Good luck]

[Will meet at]
[closest leg]

"Right."
"See you then."

The overseer dashes away.
...

That... was extraordinarily odd.
I guess I got a job to do though.

---
------
I thought you might get something out of our introduction from the other side.
I think I know how to put it now.
The 'I don't even know how to describe how helpful he's being.'
You didn't realize how fucking *odd* it is to be *that* nice to people.
I had *just* met you, so it was weird seeing you like:
"Oh here, just take all this shit for this task that you asked payment for."
I had expected maybe just like... a map.
A. Map.
One.
And I would have been happy.

Of course now I realize it's probably just in your nature to help others.
You and all the other Iterators are in the largest fucking group project known to civilization.
Of course seeking and giving help is completely normal to you.
You ask for a file and they'll give you the file plus an explanation and some supplementary materials.

...Back when I smuggled shit for people I rarely asked for payment.
Only if it was actually exceedingly dangerous.
...Also I understand that you and I have very different definitions for 'exceedingly dangerous.'

Anywho, the next one on the list (Fuck, I hope you're doing this in order) is...
Not one I particularly like recalling.
But...
To say it wasn't important to me would be the biggest boldest lie of my life.
And... Is probably a good start for who I am today.
------
---

...This is going to suck.

Deep breaths, you can handle whatever they throw at you.
And besides, there's always plan B.
...
Don't think about plan B.
...

---

Just breathe.
Why are you so nervous?

---

...Why do we have to have such an expensive, loud, door?
...

...They're in the dining room, eating.
Maybe I can sneak...?

No.
They're getting up.
...
"I'm home!"
...Worth a shot.

"Silver Droplets under the Stars!"
...They know I hate that name.
Probably. They might've forgotten since last time I told them.
"Where have you been?"
"You were Present on the Honorable Informational Broadcast!"

...That's the thing I wanted to hear.
My little escapade making it into news broadcasts.
"Mhm, I guess I was."
"Look, I've had a long day, mkay?"
"Can I just... go to bed?"
"I'm not hungry."
Please take appeal to me not wanting the fourth urge.
...By the looks on their faces, they aren't.

"You are not Avoiding Your Responsibilities!"
"And speak Right for Once in your Existence!"

...
She said 'Avoiding Your Responsibilities.'
So she wants an explanation.
...And how do I explain?

"Silver Dropl-"

"Hold on!"
...Mmm.
That was a mistake.
I can see their rage building in such a way that would make their monk correspondent faint.

---

I feel time slow.
There's just milliseconds before she and father burst.
But my adrenaline is making sure I get time to think about my mistake.

...
Is this worth it?
Is dealing with... with their shit worth it?
...Probably not.

...Is it time?
I think it is.

---

"Silver Droplets under the Stars."
"Of All of the offspring Cursed into Blighted Existence."
"We are Most UNFORTUNATE TO HAVE BEEN GIVEN Y-"

"SHUT UP!"
"JUST SHUT UP!"
"IF YOU THINK YOU ARE SO CURSED TO HAVE ME, WHY DON'T I JUST LEAVE?"

---
------
...
I later very clearly remembered throwing my mask at her, I never used it anyways.
I don't remember much after except the slamming of the door behind me.
I don't even remember if that was me or her slamming it.

Perhaps... an explanation is in order.
As you could see, those were my parents.
They were angry at me because earlier that day I had gotten into a fight at the university of the sciences I attended.
On my part, it was self defense.
And of course, no one believed that the person attacking me...
That's not important.
I'll leave that for you to either find in the pearl, or interpret.
But I assure you, it was neither as bad or as good as you think it was.

Anyways, of course, a fight in a place where even at the time was fairly tied to Karmic values... it hit the news, and soon everyone knew of my little scuffle.
My parents were pretty devoted to the local order at the time, so...
Yeah, they weren't happy.

...They were never particularly happy with me.
At best they were slightly approving of the more professional parts of my life.
Like my fairly good grades.
But... you know, nothing that a parent *should* be happy about.

I almost want to ask if that sounds familiar.
You told me once that your relation with the Administrators and Engineers were... testy at best.
I'm sure it's not the exact same, but they didn't sound that far off from disapproving parents.

...So that's what happened before I left.
What happened after was...
Interesting.
After a fairly good show of repentance to the uni, which was a complete farce that fucker deserved it, they *didn't* expel me.
Hooray.
As for housing solutions...
I learned pretty fast if you could split someone something they'd offer refuge for the night.
Sometimes a few nights.

I thankfully managed to get my diploma, software engineering but I'm sure you remember what I was actually doing with it.

I wasn't... exactly a model student, or model citizen either.
But... I did get my stuff done, usually on time, and I did quite well in athletic activities.
...Nowadays I'm really thankful for the latter.

Almost immediately after graduation, I moved to one of the nearby cities, away from my parents, and the rest of my old life.
------
---

Alright...
What's the mail for today...

Asking for charity...
...Several pieces of junk for separating yourself from urges.
...A letter from those scumbags.
Tearing that up.
I still don't know how they found my address.
...More junk.
...A letter from the government.
...Alright.

------
Dear Generous Worker of the Software Development Establishment Grandiose Developmentals.
It is with Great Regret that We have to Inform you of Grandiose Developmentals' dissolution due to lack of Requirement of your Establishment's Function.
Dissolution is Immediate and Permanent.
If you wish to Continue working for a Great Cause, We advise Searching for Applications inside of the Iterator Project, specifically regarding Development of the Local Project, No Significant Harassment.
------

...Unbelievable.
Lack of requirement my ass.

...
...So what now?
What do I do now?
I only even get this housing because I worked there!
Where do I go?
I've already had to do this before, but now there's no establishment that...
That's out there...

I mean, sure, I could join the Iterator project.
...That's... not why I learned all of this though, and besides, I'd have to probably go through a year of training to do something I don't even particularly want to do.

So what are my options?
...
I don't have any place to go.
And no real connections either.
So... I can't really get a house.
...
...I already tried living in the slums.
Never again.
...
I don't really... have any expertise in anything that could lead to housing...
...
There are no options.
...

---

...There is... one option.
Going off grid.

That's...
Dangerous, though.

Very. Very. Dangerous.
...

---

I could do it though.
...I hope.

---
------
Yeah, the whole 'city life as a game developer' shtick didn't exactly work out.
I'm sure you noticed, but that wasn't the first place I worked at, or even the third.
Turns out, the people we would eventually all come to know as Administration didn't exactly like things that could 'tempt people into actions violating the third urge.'
It's sad really.
I never finished an official game, just my little side project.
Speaking of, I'm sure you're having fun with that.
I don't know if I've told you of that, mainly because I wrote this well before when I plan on calling you, but you have free reign in that.

Feels weird, talking about my future ascension.
I'm... still slightly conflicted about it at this time.
It feels like giving up.
Which... kinda is.
But I also know that... if I don't myself I'll...
It'll happen regardless.
Better to do all of this in the right mindset.

It's odd.
Despite all the terrible shit that's happened...
I'm in a remarkably clear state of mind.
I... have a theory on why...
But. I'll be an asshole and put that in a later note.
Sorry not sorry.

Anywho, next up...
Just...
You'll see.
------
---

It's getting late...
Probably...
I probably shouldn't try to make a shelter myself, there's not much to make a shelter around here.
...
That means...
That means asking someone.

...There was that guy I-
No, too far, and they didn't seem that nice.

...
Too late to make the choice myself, there's a hovel right there.

---

Knock knock
...
Please open, please open.
...
The door opens.

"Please, I need somewhere to stay."

They stare at me for a second.
...
"Well don't just STAND there!"
"Get in!"

I run in.

---

...It's not the greatest hovel.
Not a huge surprise though.
I take a seat on the ground.
"...Sorry, I hate having to do this."

My host looks at me.
"What, you don't have a place to stay?"

"Nope."
"Usually, I can make myself a little place to stay myself."
"But sometimes I have to ask for shelter."

"...Alright."
"Well, you're free to stay for the night."

"Thanks."

---

The rain is pouring out hard now.

"So..."
"Why do you not have a place to stay?"
"Seems very stupid to me."

"Heh, sometimes I think the same thing."
"But... that's a thing required by my 'job.'"
...Wait, he doesn't have an ID drone.
"...I see you're missing something that... all law-abiding citizens should have."

"Hmm? O- oh."
"That."
"...I could say the same for you, however."

"Got me there, if I share my story will you share yours?"

"...Sure."

---
------
So that's how I met Mountains.
Yeah... when I said he was struggling before I met him I wasn't fucking kidding.
When I told him my 'line of work' he... was *very* interested.
...
Of course, all of that's in the past now.

I still miss him of course... But...
I feel empty.
And it's not like... 'Oh I feel empty no emotions blah blah wah wah.'
No, I feel *empty.*
Karmically empty.
...I think it has to do with me performing karmic purification back when Mountains ascended.
...And maybe there's a little bit of emotional emptiness there too. Who knows.
...
Probably not though.
Like I've probably told you, I *cried* when she was captured.
My back still aches too but if I haven't told you about that you don't need to know.

Anywho, next one's the last one.
Me meeting the last person important to my life.
Funny how I met and lost them in the same order, right?
------
---

...The train's slowing down.
Finally.

---

Aaaaaand we're stopped.
I begin opening the door.
...There.

Oh, there's someone outside.
Must be... another... smuggler...
...
Wow, she's hot.
...Really hot.

...

Right. I have things to do.

---

"I've got a good bit in here, and presumably you need to load some stuff too, right?"

"Mhm."
"Let's start with your side of the trade, ok?"

"...Yep."

---

We work in relative silence.
But we eventually finish unloading and loading the train.

---

"All done."
"Thanks, you've been a big help."

"You're welcome."
"...I guess I should probably head out."

"...I don't see why you have to right now."
"You seem pretty cool, stay for the cycle."

...

She shakes her head.
"You're probably hungry, here, I know a place."

---
------
Listen.
I don't know how well you can derive someone's beauty.
But she was HOT.
Didn't help that we got along well together.
I didn't even know I liked ladies at the time.
But here we are.

...But here we are.
I'm tearing up now just thinking about her.
...
I miss her, and I know I won't ever see her again.
...
But...
I'm also at peace with it.
...Thank you for letting me ramble.
(I hope)
I feel a little better.
I have a couple other messages in this pearl that I left, but they're just context.
...Technically, for you this'll be my final goodbye.
Love you Sig, you've been a great friend.
If you ever find your solution, and decide to use it, visit me, yeah?
Goodbye.
------
---

...Goodbye Silver.

Chapter 22: Modifications pt. 3

Summary:

Throw the Ball.

Throw the ball.
...
Grab the ball.
...
Throw the ball.
...
Grab the ball.
...
Throw the ball.
...
Grab the ball.
...
Throw the ball.
...
Grab the ball.
...
Throw the ball.
...
Grab the ball.
...
Throw the ball.
...
Grab the ball.
...
Dew is looking at me.
Throw the ball.
...
Grab the ball.
She's walking over.
...
Throw the ball.
She chirps at me. She's concerned.
"...I'm not doing the greatest, Dew."
...
Grab the ball.
She lays her head inside the hologram.
"...Thanks."
...
Throw the ball.

---
Grab the ball.
What are we at now...
300 Throws?
...
Throw the ball.
...
Droplets has a very... large store of energy.

Sniff
I look down at Dew.
She's looking at me with very big eyes.
...
Grab the ball.
"I lost someone."
"Someone very dear to me."
"...I honestly didn't even know how dear she was to me."
Throw the ball.

Chirp?

"...I've... I've been..."
"I've been in... a bit of a funk since then."
"I haven't talked to anyone."
"I checked my messages, some of my friends have messaged me with slight concern."
"...I probably made it worse by not answering."
"When I haven't been with you two I've been looking through her memories and belongings."
"Do you want to hear about that?"

Chirp

Grab the ball.
"Alright."
"So one of the things she gave me before..."
Throw the ball.
"I lost her."
"Was a computer, right?"
"Oh, and I know I've called myself a computer, no, she didn't find another me. It's a different, smaller computer."
"It's also really old, I mean, it doesn't even have 1080p resolution, or even 480p, both of which were standards even before my time."
"Not... that I don't appreciate it, I almost enjoy it for it's old...ness."
"Its simple-ness."
"For some reason I actually see myself using it in the future."
"Maybe as personal data storage."
"...Though admittedly without a hardware upgrade it wouldn't be worth much besides text files."

Chirp?

I know she doesn't really understand this, but the ball's rolling now.
"It doesn't even accept pearls, I've had to fabricate some old ass diskettes for it."
"Funny enough, these diskettes weren't even the standard ones for the time of manufacturing."
"Also the screen is horrible with reflecting, better mirror than screen."
"...But I kind of love it."
"I've learned it was a sort of dumb solution even for the time, it didn't work great or anything."
"...But hearing the clacking of an old ass keyboard has been such a joy."
"...Oh, sorry Droplets, I didn't realize that you were there."
...
He was listening too.
"...Do you want me to continue?"

Chirp!

Chirp!

"...I guess I can keep going."
"Oh! I found a couple files on it while I was navigating it."
"By the original owner, not my friend, but her friend."
"A couple text files."
"When I opened them, inside was some poetry."
"Nothing much, all just four lines each."
"But one I found was particularly interesting."
"I actually still remember it, it was something like..."
I perform the entirely redundant yet completely necessary tradition of clearing my throat.
------
"Even as the sun sets and the moon rises."
"Even as the clouds thicken and the rains fall."
"Even as we run for our lives in fear and those behind persist."

"I will still be here for you."
------
"...I thought about this for a while."
"Because it obviously meant something to the owner, given his situation."
"...And it probably meant something to my friend."
...
...

Chirp?

"Oh... I'm fine."
"Fine enough anyways."
"Just having someone to talk to about all of this was... quite nice, really."
"Thank you, you two, for being here when I needed you."
...
"...I should probably tell people that I am in fact alive."
"Is it alright if I go?"

Gurgle...

"I know, I know."
"I'll be back. I will!"
I pet the both of them.
"I love you two."

They both chirp in affection.

Lab Complex, disengage hologram

---

...
Alright.
How many...
...12 unread messages.
Six from Moon.
Four from Frontiers.
And two each from Winds and Suns.
...Let's start with turning off 'away' how about?
...There.
Let's... catch up.
Starting with Moon.

---
------
Hey, just noticed you were away.
I don't think I've *ever* seen you away.
You good?
------
---

---
------
It's been... 3 cycles now?
You alright?
------
---

---
------
Maybe I just worry a bit but...
It doesn't *feel* like you to just... go dark.
I mean, sure, *I've* done that, went away that is, but that was... generally outside of my control.
------
---

---
------
7 cycles...
I thought about it...
Is?
No.
Can't be.
She was very capable.
There's *no* way she was caught and crossed out.
Just... doesn't sound right.
------
---

---
------
8 cycles now.
...But...
Hey, listen, whatever happened, I'm here, yeah?
Also...
Ok, listen, if I have reasonable evidence, I might try to force communications.
I know, no one even knows what exactly that *does*, but if it proves necessary...
...Who am I kidding, you're fine.
You're... You!
You're *really* good at staying positive.
Or, at least, able to keep the ball rolling.
------
---

---
------
9 cycles.
...Look.
Unless I have really good proof that you need it, I won't contact again.
Just... please contact me first, ok?
------
---

...

---

Private Discussion
Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), LttM (Looks to the Moon)

NSH: ...Hey.

LttM: Sig!!
LttM: You're alright!

...Strong word for it.
NSH: I'm sorry for... really freaking you out there.
NSH: That... wasn't the intention.
NSH: I was... reflecting.

LttM: Oh.
LttM: On what?

NSH: ...Silver.
NSH: Moon...
NSH: She's gone.
NSH: On her own accord.

LttM: Oh...
LttM: Sig... I'm so sorry...

NSH: Thanks.
NSH: You weren't that far off in that message.
NSH: ...At least I've got things to remember her.
NSH: Because she crossed herself out on her own accord, she got to leave all of her things to me.
NSH: And she also prepared her memories.
NSH: Listen... I don't really want to go into all the details.
NSH: I've... had plenty of time to think of them already.

LttM: Of course, of course.
LttM: Say what you want to say.

NSH: Ok.
NSH: I miss her, a lot.
NSH: But... I know she went the way out she wanted too.
NSH: And I'll make sure she's remembered.
NSH: But for now...
NSH: The... the important thing is, I'm back.
NSH: I'll try not to pull something like that again.

LttM: Of course, of course.
LttM: And... at least tell us what you're doing next time, mkay?

NSH: Ok ok, I will.
NSH: Anyways, I should probably catch up with at the *very* least Frontiers.
NSH: So I'll be seeing you.

LttM: Cya!

Disconnect

---

Alright...

---
------
Hey, just wonder..
Oh, you're away.
Odd.
Well, call me when you get back online, mkay?
------
---

---
------
...Weird that you aren't online yet.
It's been, what, 7 cycles since I noticed?
You alright?
------
---

---
------
...So I went asking around.
I asked Straw and...
Sig I'm so sorry that happened to you.
Take your time.
------
---

---
------
Just...
Call me, we'll talk.
If you want.
------
---

...Thanks Frontiers.

---

Private Discussion
Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), DF (Distant Frontiers)

NSH: Thank you for understanding.

DF: Oh, hey.
DF: Don't mention it.
DF: You feeling good?

NSH: Eh.
NSH: I'm better.
NSH: I was kinda fluctuating for the last...
NSH: 20ish cycles?

DF: Damn, you were out for that long?
DF: I thought it was just 10 maybe.
DF: Do you want to talk about it?

NSH: Not... particularly.
NSH: Not about the actual event anyways.
NSH: I'll tell eventually though.

DF: Fair enough.
DF: So what *do* you want to talk about?

NSH: Well, I inherited a laptop from her, among other things.
NSH: Piece of junk.
NSH: I love it.

DF: Can I see?

NSH: Yeah, let me just...

Request call[Frontiers (DF)]
...
"Hey."

"Hey."
"...Is that the mug you made?"

...
"...Yeah."
"I don't... particularly have a use for it."
"I'm... just keeping it around."

"...I see."
"It's a pretty good quality, now that I'm seeing it."

"Thank you."
"Anyways, this is the computer."
Pulling it over...

"...Huh."
"That thing looks old."

"It is, I looked into it briefly and found that it was made roughly 14000 B.I."
"...Really puts into context how young we are."

"...Wow."
"That is old."
"And we... are really young."
"Doing the math, that thing's about three times as old as we are."

"Yeah."
"It is... not really all that useful either."
"In its current state."
"I plan on upgrading it juuuust a smidge."
"I can handle its slow speed."
"And its text only display."
"But I would like it to be able to interface with pearls and have at least a dozen or so megabytes of storage."
"Instead of just one megabyte."

"...Wow."
"...Again, that is old."
"Can't a single pearl hold a couple petabytes?"
"If you format it right, of course."

"Yep, not even considering compressing the contents down."
"But... I plan on just keeping this mainly for secure data storage."
"As long as I don't connect it to any network, no one can view what I put on it."
"...Which admittedly is a good argument for not making it pearl compatible."

"Yeah, not a terrible one."
"What does it use for storage?"

"Diskettes."
"Not even standard 12.5 centimeter ones either, I had to look up some crusty ass blueprints for some old 8.5 centimeter diskettes."
"...Can't say doing this hasn't been therapeutic though."

"Well... that's nice."
"...I'll be honest, just having an old ass computer doesn't sound that bad."

"No, it isn't."
"Maybe you can request one from Administration, you're still looked on with high regards with them, right?"

"Yep."
"Where would I find one though?"

"Well, the guy who originally owned this, a friend of Silver's..."
"...He found it in a garbage dump."
"She... told me that it took him a couple hundred cycles to fix it up."
"Though if you managed to get your hands on one, I'm sure you could do it a little faster."

"Just a little?"

I laugh just a smidge.
"Just a little."

---

I boot it up for him, showing just how bad the screen is.
"I'm thinking about replacing it, but I'm also considering not."

"Why's that?"

"Impossible for people to spy on your work."
"Like Administrators."

"Mmm, good point."
"...Hey."
"I don't why I didn't think of this, but why can't you just send a blueprint of it?"

"...Good point."
"I actually already have one saved, so I could refer to it."
"I'll send it over after the call."

"Mhm."

---

"Most of the past few cycles have been figuring out how the thing works."
"I think... I think one of my plans for it outside of secure storage is to see if I can't adapt Tetra to it."

"With a text only screen?"

"Yep."
"I had the idea of using brackets to represent individual tiles."

"...Hmm, that... actually works, thinking about it."
"Yeah, sounds like a fun project, go for it."

---

"I can see why you like the thing."
"It's just... kinda cool."

"Yeah."

---

...
"...I'm tired."

"...Is this...?"

"Yes."
"I..."
"I miss her."

"I know ya do, buddy."
"Do you want to talk about it now?"

"...A little."
"How much did she tell you?"

"That Silver had ascended on her own accord, that's it."

"...She called me."
"She was sitting on an outcropping right above the sea."
"...We had one final chat before she..."
"...She crossed herself out."
...

...
He sits down.
I... follow suit.

"...She left me more than a couple belongings."
"She left me some memories."
"That's... another thing I've been doing."
"I've been just... going through memories."
"Trying to learn who she was."
"It... didn't paint a very pretty beginning."
"She had to deal with overbearing and at times abusive parents."
"Even after she went to the local university she had to continue to live with them, due to them forcing her."
"Until she finally snapped after she had..."
Shouldn't say that part.
"...Private, but after that she ran off."
"Then when she finally got to work her dream profession, what would be synonymous with today's Administration closed it down."
"She... eventually made do, doing what you and I are now very familiar with."
"And then she eventually lost everyone she loved, besides me, but that was always..."
"A sort of long distance friendship, seeing that we didn't talk particularly often, not to mention that we had never seen face to face."
"And... she knew she was doomed to eventually meet the sea, and not on her own terms."
"So she made her decision, said her goodbye, and took the plunge..."

...
"...I'm sorry Sig."
"I really... really am."

"Thanks."
"...I... Probably won't let go for a while."

"No one would expect otherwise."
"She needs to be remembered."

"Thank you."
"I'm glad you understand."

---

"I'm... I'm going to go for now."
"Don't worry, I'm not going to fucking disappear though."

"Ok."
"Thanks for calling."
"I wasn't worried or anything, but still, knowing that you are in fact alive has been nice."
"Don't forget to send the blueprints, ok?"

"Right, I will."
"Cya."

"Cya."

Disconnect

Disconnect

Notes:

Alternate title, Silver Linings pt. 3

Note: the computer (and its release date) is based off of the Data General/One.

Chapter 23: Recovery

Summary:

Sig needs a minute.

NSH: I need a minute.

LttM: Oh...
LttM: You wanna just... sit?

NSH: ...Sure.
I float down to the ground.

...
Request call[Moon (LttM)]
...

...
"...Do you want to talk about it?"

"...No."
"Not really."

I see her nod out of the corner of my eye.
She's already sitting on the ground too, I noticed.
"...You want to hear about something I've been working on?"

...
I nod my head.

"I started a little side project!"
"A game!"

...
I move the viewport in front of me.
"I'm watching."

"It's nothing crazy, more to prove I could."
She opens something up.
"Here!"
She pans over her camera to the now open window.
"I based it off of an old sport I found while I was browsing through the records."
"I made it so that you can play with an opponent, or you could play against a fairly simple script."
"Here, let me show you how that plays out."

The window gets split down the middle, and two rectangles appear on the sides.
Up top, there's two 0s, one on each side, I'm guessing a scoreboard.
...
In the center, a small square appears...
Then flies off at a seemingly random angle towards the left side of the window.

"All you have to do is move the paddle to hit the ball."
As she was saying that, she sent the ball to the other side.
Where the script goes to defend...
It succeeds.

"I know it's a very simple representation, but..."
"I kinda like it."

...
"It's interesting for sure."
"...You said it was two player?"

"Yes I did!"
"You want to...?"

"...Sure."
"Just... how?"

"...Oh."
"Hmm..."
"I forgot I hadn't worked on that part yet..."
"I'll get that set up soon."
"In the meantime..."
"...Anything you want to do?"

"...No."
I lie down.
"...Care to join me?"

She nods and slowly lays down too.

---

"It's been rough these past cycles."

"Mhm?"

"I just... can't let go."
...

...
She nods.

"And..."
"How can I?"
"She was..."
"She was..."
...

"Her friendship was a part of you, right?"

...
"...Yeah."
"It was."

"...I know that feeling."
...
She doesn't continue.

---

"You knew Silver for a lot longer than I knew Strands."
"...But I went through a lot of the same when he ascended himself."
"And... the truth is..."
...
"You never really let go."
"Like you said, they were your friend, how could you?"
"I haven't let go."
"It's not... something you really do."
"You just... learn how to carry the burden of it."

...

...
She sighs.
"That's... not really the thing you want to hear, is it?"

...

"I get it."
"If you had told me that back when I had initially lost Strands I would have been the same."
"Or... any time like a hundred cycles after."
"...Maybe the words you need to hear are..."
"I will be here for you."

...
"We aren't even in the same chamber."

...
...
She mumbles something.
"...Right."
"...Listen, I'll be back."
"I have an idea."

"Mhm."
"Thanks for sitting with me for a bit."

"You're welcome."
"I call in a bit."

"See you."

"See you."

Disconnect

Disconnect

...
Hmmmmm.....

---

I open up the compartment I keep my... the computer in.
Pulling... to me.
...Should also probably grab the diskette.
...
There.

Booting up...
...
...
There we are.
...
TYPE Drive C/personal logs/7.4xx.txt
...
------
7.476 / 1400
Things are going...
Same as usual.
I talked with Moon about work stuff for a little bit.
Then I...
Had another moment.

Moon showed off a little game of hers she was making.
Something where you bounce a 'ball' between two 'paddles'.
It looked interesting. A nice way to while away the time.

She said a couple things after that, about her and the ancient she knew, Strands.
One thing she said, something about that 'I will always be here for you' I...
I reacted a little harshly.
She left the call shortly after.
...
I guess I should say that she didn't sound... *too* upset.
She said she was going to do something.
I wonder what.

...
She said it won't ever fully go away, the burden of loss, and that it just gets easier to carry.
She's probably right.
...

Lizards are doing good, I should probably mention.
The hatchlings are growing nice and healthy.
Once they hit 500 cycles I'll look into modifications, that way they don't grow out of them.

...
That's how things are going for now.
Signing off.
------
---

...
Is this what tired being feels like?
The inability to do anything?
A certain slowness to your thoughts and actions?

...
Maybe.

...
...
Hmm...
Maybe a system reboot could help.
...
No, it wouldn't.
It's not a physical thing or anything.

---

...
I wish I could do something about it.

---

If only I could see her again.
Talk to her again.

---

If only...
...
You're spiraling, Sig.
...
...
Maybe a system reboot could help.
Just... while away the hours.

---

Alright.
Everything's secure, computer's stored.
...
Alright.

Request system reboot
...
Processing...
...
Accepted, rebooting in three.
Two.
On-

###
#
#

Noises of rain.

#
#
###

...Interesting dream.
...
Three hours, normal startup time.
No problems detected.
...
Alright.

Oh...
Message from Moon.

---
------
Hey, I see you're doing a reboot, so I'll just leave this here.
I finished a little thing that you might like to see.
Or... finished is a very *strong* word, ha.
But... you mind taking a look?
Just... call me if you want.
------
---

Private Discussion
Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), LttM(Looks to the Moon)

NSH: Alright, what do you got?

LttM: Oh hey.
LttM: Feeling any better?

NSH: Debatably yes.
NSH: But not by much.

LttM: Mhm.
LttM: Well... let me show you what I got.
LttM: I had to borrow some code from your video caller, I hope that's alright.

NSH: Yeah.

LttM: Oh good.
LttM: Let me just...

Looks to the Moon attached a folder, download?

Yes

...
Booting up the .exe...
...
Permission to use chamber's hologram systems. That's a new one.

Permission granted.
...
That's a very familiar UI.

NSH: I've booted it up.
NSH: I have a smidge of an idea of what this is.

LttM: Yeah...
LttM: Well, let me just...

...

Incoming Call
Source id: Looks to the Moon
Accept call?

Yes

...
...
...There she is.

The quality of the hologram is low, simpler than even the lab hologram.
But...
It's obviously Moon.

"...I took the 'not even in the same chamber' remark as a challenge."
"What do you think?"

...
"...It's wonderful, Moon."
I float over to her.
"Thank you for caring."

She nods.
"You're welcome Sig.

---

We end up sitting next to each other.
"It's certainly not perfect."
"I don't particularly know how to keep the hologram's cohesion up after an hour or so."
"And... I don't really know how to fix that."

I nod.
"Yeah."
"Frankly, I don't either."
"It's one of the big problems in holotech."
"One of the big problems of hanging out with my Lizards is that I can't stay for more than maybe an hour at a time."
"Then the projectors have to cool down and recalibrate and it's this whole thing."

...
She looks at me in a curious way.
...Then appears to do some calculations...
"Say..."
"Could you tell me of how you breached your security code?"
"Just... some random facet of it?"

"Oh, yeah, totally."
"Turns out that just about every security node has some kind of connection to one or more of every other node."
"Like... let's start with the first I found."
"It was one of the weather station's nodes, and it happened to ping another node for some... I think connectivity status, among a couple other things."
"That node was for Memory Conflux D."
"Anyways, I modified the ping to send the data to my chamber."
"Eventually I got enough of an idea of how the ping worked specifically to modify it to give out some more info."
"Then more info."
"Yada yada."
"I eventually managed to get full access to the Conflux node by making it tell me a bypass key."
"Once there, it had a couple more connections, and it sort of snowballed from there."
...
"...Was."
"Was that a ploy?"

"Did it work?"

...
"I think so?"
"I... do feel better."

"Good!"
"I realized that you really,"
"Really,"
"Enjoyed talking about something you knew about."
"So I asked the one thing I knew for certain you know everything on!"

"...Thanks."

---

"I feel like... weird."
"Like, I was obviously just like... in a funk, and now..."
"I'm not?"
"It's..."
"...Yeah."
"I'm not saying it's bad or anything, just..."
"Strange."

"Mhm."
"Frankly I'm just glad you're feeling better."

"Mhm."
"Thanks."
"...I think I'm going to drop out now, I want to visit my lizards."

"Mhm."
"Call me if you want to talk about something in incredible detail, ok?"

"Yeah."
"I'll... I'll do that."
"Love ya Moon."

She looks at me cheerfully.
"Love you too Sig."
She wraps a holographic arm around me.
"Talk soon, yeah?"

...
"...Yeah."
"Yeah I'd be up for that."
"For now though..."
...

She reacts unexpectedly.

...
I let go.
"Love you."

...
"Love you too."
"I'll be seeing you."

"You too."
...
Her hologram fizzles away.

NSH: Thank you.

Disconnect

Chapter 24: Modifications pt. 4

Summary:

Something good finally happens to Sig.

Let's see...
I wrote the checklist down...

---

The pieces are in storage.
Check.

Sleeping gas.
Check.

Dew and Droplets have been briefed.
Check.

The arms have been tooled for the specific procedure.
Check.

...
I've already practiced and simulated the procedure several times now...
Check.

...
I think I'm ready.

...
I should set myself to busy, so nothing distracts me.
I don't think I would forgive myself if I messed this up.

...

There.

---

Lab Complex, engage hologram, simulate complex

Loading...

...Alright.
They're all in lab 09.
...Just like-
Not the time.

---

"Hi everyone!"

They all turn to me, they look quite happy to see me.

"Today's a very special day!"
I float closer over to them.
"It's going to be a little weird, though."

Bar! Bar!
Bar!
Bar!

They're so cute.
I look over to Dew and Droplets, who both seem to know what's about to happen.
I float over.
"Everyone's going to go to sleep, okay you two?"

Mrrp
Mrrrr

"Good."
"And don't forget, I wouldn't do anything to hurt your hatchlings."
"I promise."

Snort

"I know. I know."
"Love you two little monsters, yeah?"
I pretend to rub them down.
They appreciate the effort.

---

"Aright, you know the drill."
"You all are going to get very sleepy."
...Opening valves.
"I love you."
Dew and Droplets lay down next to me, while the hatchlings continue playing.
...Until...
There, they're lying down.
...
I can tell their parents are already asleep.
...
And it looks like they're out too.

...Alright.
Time to get to work.

---

...Relay's in position, and I have Sol in position to be next.
Alright.
Processes are in place, dedicating to subconscious.
Moving parts to specified positions to be picked up by routine.
...
...
There.
Monitor block and transmitters in place.

---

TYPE Drive C/personal logs/7.7xx.txt

------
7.765 / 0800
Mechanical grafting is underway.
The cranial incisions with Relay have gone expectedly well, and my subconscious has already begun plugging in the monitor blocks.
I admittedly have been worrying over this for the past... oh hundred cycles or so.
Even despite my... millions of micro-refinements to the process and countless simulations.
Frankly, nothing should go wrong.

Nothing fucking better go wrong.
...
It'll be fine!
It'll be fine.

I'll watch the process for a few minutes, then I'll update this.
...

Block A is done.
...

Block B is done.
...

Aaaaaaaaand...
The transmitters are in place.
It's placing the synthetic skin over them now.
...

There we go. All done.

Ok, I've moved Sol into place, and Merigold is in position to be up next.
I'll keep the updates more spaced now.
...

 

Sol is done and Merigold has been moved into position.
...

 

Merigold is done, and Tracker has been put in position.
Nothing has gone wrong yet, but even if I do succeed in every procedure, there's still the chance that something will mess up after activation.
...It'll work, if anything you've tested this part waaaay more than the procedure.
Sorry, I'm rambling.
I'll close this log off when it finishes.
...

Aaaaaaand done.
Everything went well.
I'm excited.
------

Alright.
They'll be out for probably... half an hour or so.
...I think I'll call Frontiers.

---

Private Discussion
Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), DF (Distant Frontiers)

NSH: I've done it.
NSH: The procedure went well, and now I'm just waiting for the hatchlings to wake up.

DF: Nice!
DF: And you're going to test if the parts work once they do?

NSH: Yep.
NSH: They should, I've checked... *everything* probably a million times each by now.
NSH: There's no way I've messed something up.
NSH: But procedure is procedure, and I'll feel some real peace of mind doing it.

DF: Of course.
...
DF: You want to hear about the polypedes?

NSH: Sure! You haven't told me what you've been doing with them as of late.

DF: Nothing crazy yet, mainly color changes.
DF: After all, I only just recently finished sequencing their genome, I told you about that, right?

NSH: Yes, last time we talked.

DF: Right.
DF: I think what I'm going to do is see what I can do with the individual segments.
DF: Also see if I can't change it so that each segment is more specialized.
DF: Like, just about the only specializations are the two mouth segments, which makes sense.
DF: I want to see if I can change that.

NSH: Neat.
NSH: How smart are they, did you ever figure that out?

DF: Yes, actually.
DF: They basically entirely run on instincts and pheromones.
DF: Probably because their nervous system is so decentralized.

NSH: Sounds about right.
...
NSH: You know.
NSH: If I were you.
NSH: I would look into doing something weird with them.
NSH: Just... I dunno.
NSH: Something like what I've done with my Lizards.

DF: ...
DF: Wings.
DF: I wanna see a dumb ass centipede fly around.

NSH: For science?

DF: Heh.
DF: For science.

NSH: Wait, 'centipede'?

DF: Shit.
DF: Fuck.
DF: *Polypede.*

NSH: So me and Moon aren't the *only* ones that slip?

DF: Not a word to her.

NSH: *Absolutely* a word to her.
NSH: We're gonna be laughing about this for a good bit.

DF: ...Fucker.

NSH: Sending the message now~

DF: Nononononono
DF: Don't you FUCKING DARE!

NSH: Ha.
NSH: Made you jump.

DF: ...You motherfucker.

NSH: Woah!
NSH: Don't think you've used that one before.

DF: ...
DF: I think you're right on that actually.
DF: Holy fuck.

NSH: Holy fuck indeed.
NSH: ...
NSH: Anyways!
NSH: ...
NSH: I got nothing.
NSH: That completely derailed the conversation.

DF: Oh!
DF: Speaking of derailment.
DF: I can't believe I forgot to tell you.
DF: Did you hear about the news on the train network?

NSH: ...I don't think so actually.
NSH: What happened?

DF: Some of the lesser used lines have rusted out completely into unusability.
DF: And NOTHING'S being done about it!

NSH: ...
NSH: Actually?

DF: YEP!
DF: If my eye could twitch it fucking would be right now.
DF: ...
DF: You understand how bad this is, right?
DF: You *realize* what happens when, say, a trainline to one of the inter-facility comms towers becomes unusable, right?

NSH: ...Fuck.
NSH: I wasn't even thinking about that.
NSH: It'd stay standing though, right?
NSH: It'd just be the dishes and whatnot that go out, right?

DF: Yeah.
DF: But still, not very good in the slightest.

NSH: Yeah.
NSH: Shame we can't do much about it.
NSH: I can see the permission denied message.
NSH: 'It is with great regret we deny your request.'
NSH: 'It is not your place to worry about the larger network infrastructure.'
NSH: 'We the gracious yada yada appreciate the concern, but we have everything under control.'

DF: Wow.
DF: I could fucking *hear* that.
DF: I could even hear myself simplifying whatever title they are now to 'yada yada.'
DF: You're fucking good at that.

NSH: I try.

DF: Mhm.

---

DF: So.
DF: For risk of...
DF: Yeah...
DF: How have you been?

NSH: ...
NSH: Fine.
NSH: Every couple dozen or so cycles it...
...
NSH: Hits.
...
...
...

Incoming Call
Source id: Frontiers (DF)
Accept call?

...

...

Yes

He pulls the camera screen a little closer.
"I get it."

...

He doesn't say anything.
Ask anything.
He just looks at me understandingly, and floats to the bottom of his chamber.
I find myself doing the same.

---

...
He pulls up Tetra.
...
By the looks of it, the spiked version.

...
I watch.

---

He's gotten better, it seems.
Much more consistent.

---

Level 10 with ease.

---

Level 12.

---

15

---

16.
He's seeming to focus much harder now.

...

He's doing really good for level 16.

...

100 lines to go.

---

Now 50.

...

40.

...

30.

Oh?
...Oh?
...
...
Aww.

He just... laughs a little.
"Ah well."
He turns over to me.

"...I'm feelin a little better."

"Glad to hear it."
...
"You know...."
"I made it to level eighteen once."

"...You're lying."

"I'm not."
"I got the score to prove it."
...

...Well I'll be damned.
"Impressive."
"How long did that take you?"

"Easy hundred or so cycles."
"Just... doing attempts."
"Usually just one every other cycle."
"Nothing crazy."
"Eventually..."
"Everything went just right."
"I got lucky, that's all it was."

"I see."

---

"I think... I should go."
"My lizards should be waking up soon."

"Of course."
"I'll see ya."
"Talk later?"

"Yes."
"Oh... and thanks."

"Of course."
"Cya later."

"Cya."

Disconnect

Disconnect

You know, maybe I should make it so that disconnecting disconnects both clients.
...Nah, that'd cause problems sooner or later.

---

...Shit, I forgot to turn it off, the hologram burnt out.
Honestly thinking about looking into a solution for that sometime.
Sometime.

---

Cameras are saying they're still out.
Good, means I get time for the projector to cool off.
...
Shit.
...At least it's just Dew waking up now.
...And Droplets.
...
No one else though.
Good.

---

"Hey guys."

They look around.

"I'm sorry, I'm not here yet."
"I will be in... a few minutes."
They look sad, and groggy.

---

...
Ok, it's cooled down.

Lab Complex, engage hologram, simulate complex
...
...

"I'm here."
I float over to them.
It's a real shame they wouldn't understand how holographic projectors work.
"I'm sorry that I couldn't come sooner."

Mrrp

"I know, I know."
"I'm here now though!"
"Oh, and nothing went wrong, I thought you two'd like to know."

Mrrp!
Mrrrrp!

"Yep."
"You probably noticed the..."
"I don't have a name for them actually."
Hmmm.
"Let's go with antenna, ok?"

Mrrr

Sounds like they noticed.
"Well, anyways."
"This is what, besides the coloring, that made them so special."
"That I could even give them those in the first place."
"And now that the important stuff has been done, any time that I do this in the future will be much easier."
"Won't take as long, and might even be able to be done while they're awake."

Mrr?

"...Yeah."
"This will be done a couple times in the future."
"Nothing bad will happen."
"And if it does..."
"You're free to come to my chamber and bite my head off."

Mrrp
Mrrp

I see the hatchlings shift.
They do as well.
They make it over pretty fast for still being fairly groggy.
I float my way over as well.

Sol is the first to open his eyes.
Mrrrrrrr...

"Good morning Sol."
"Are you feeling alright?"

Mrrr...
He notices the antenna.
...Aaaaaand...
He shakes it around a little.
But...
That's it.

"Is it too heavy?"

Shouldn't be, I made sure to use ultralight materials for them and they weigh...
A pound? Each?
Yeah.
Though that's not including the synthetic skin covering them.
...Maybe two pounds each then.

Mrrr

Doesn't sound like it.
"Good."
"Now, I'm going to do something."
"Or... it's going to do something."
"There might be a small shock but really, there shouldn't be."

Bar

"It'll be fine, I promise."

...
He relents.

I turn to Dew and Droplets, who are watching closely.

...Mrrp

"Alright."
...Turning on...
...Sol tilts his head in confusion.
...
It's working.
Pain monitor says... nothing.
Oh, besides something in his leg, probably from some play fighting.
...
I did it.
I did it!
"Yes!"
I go down and hug Sol.
Then I go and hug his parents.
"I did it I did it I did it!"
They look as excited as me at that.
Confused, but excited.
"Best cycle I've had in a while!"
...
Alright.
I still have responsibilities.
For one, I should probably write this down.
...In a minute.
For now I'm gonna lie down with a big ass imaginary grin on my face.
And enjoy life and success for a little bit.
I get a nice spot between Dew and Droplets and...
...
Relax...

Chapter 25: An Assortment of Logs to Show the Passage of Time

Summary:

Exactly what it says on the tin.

------
7.765 / 1200
It went fucking amazing.
All of the attachments worked perfectly.
All are being monitored without error or even the faintest smidge of pain.
...Frankly I'm really happy to say it.
Sure, on a certain level I *knew* it was going to work.
But there was still always that intrusive thought of...
What if it doesn't?
...
Of course, it did. And I'm really happy to say that.
Alright, that's all I've got to say.
------
---

---
------
8.023 / 1900
...
I've been putting something off for a while.
...
Silver's memoir.
I've been thinking about it all cycle.
I just...
I need to do it.
I've been putting it off for the past, what... 500+ cycles?
I need to do it.
Tonight.
I have an hour.
...

Silver was an ancient.
I can't do this.
I have to.

Let's start over again.
...

Silver was an ancient.
...
Scrapping that.

Silver was an ancient dear to my heart.
What started as a professional partnership involving her delivering a certain piece of information, blossomed into a much larger and greater friendship.
Though I could not consider her my best friend, that title would have to go to Distant Frontiers and Looks to the Moon collectively, she was a good... a good friend.
...I usually make professional memoirs, but for someone so close to me, I *must* deviate.
Instead of stating her memories, which will be attached to this message, I will state some memories I have of her.

When we first met, she was skeptical, which makes sense. I introduced myself via overseer, and at that time she had only known overseers as a tool for Administrators to attempt to find her location.
It is understandable, but she of course learned that the overseer was mine, not an Administrator's.
We discussed, and I convinced her to do a job for me, which will not be discussed here.

Talking to her was the first time I learned of a very simple concept with long reaching implications.
Not every ancient wanted to ascend.
Roughly 1-5% did not want to ascend.
...
I truly, truly believed that every ancient wanted to ascend at one point or another at the time.
The realization was... harrowing at the time.

One time, she showed off some previous skills in software development. Specifically, a game she had made entirely herself.
This game was called Tetra, and is a rather fun game.
I will attach a copy to this memoir.
//Has it already been thirty minutes?
//I should pick up the pace.

Despite the fact that she did not want to ascend, outside circumstances and ...a certain amount of karmic stabilization forced her into ascension.
She... and I... agree that this was the best course of action, as if she had waited, the chance that she would be forcefully ascended would be much too high.
We talked in her final moments.

She, in her final moments, stated that she had already gifted all of her possessions of emotional value to me.
One of these is the computer I am writing this on.
...
I miss her dearly.

...
I am the only person that is left to remember her.
The only one that would care, that is.
Her parents, who I have managed to track down, do not care for her.
Actually, I already knew that, and when I sent an overseer over to them I...
*Might* have insulted them a little.
Felt good to do that.

Silver, I miss you dearly, though as mentioned, I do understand.
With love I have written this Memoir,
No Significant Harassment.

...
With two minutes to spare.

I'm going to get this all nice and prepared to be sent to Sliver.
Goodnight, I guess.
------
---

---
------
8.183 / 1300
Today was a special day.
I tried the idea for my lizards that Frontiers suggested so long ago.
Modular attachments.
It works, no errors, no hint of pain.
I'm already designing parts that have more functionality than monitoring their connection and health.
The idea I had was radio communication between them.
Though the idea is quite... ambitious.
I don't really know how it's going to work just yet.
I think I'll start with something closer to a proof of concept, just them sending a signal to the others that each comprehends.
Which...
I don't want them getting used to that just for me to take it away.
I'll figure something out.

Dew and Droplets are getting to about the age where they'll probably have a new litter, now that their pups have basically fully matured.
Then after that... they'll probably be too old to have another, based off of their age.
...It's a sad thought.
Because it reminds me that I'll lose them eventually.
They've been great companions.
I will miss them.

Also reminds me that I need to plan for what I do with their pups eventually.
At this point they've lived their entire lives in an indoor environment.
One that I heavily attempt to simulate the outside as much as possible, but that is only so possible within the confinements of the lab complex.
And of course, they could basically never live under the clouds, not without extensive training that would... probably not be pleasant.
...It's really quite the predicament.

I know I need them, or at least their children to live outside at some point or another.
Just... how?

I will figure it out, eventually.
I always have, and I will continue to do so.
------
---

---
------
8.402 / 1400
Winds told me of a... terrifying concept recently.
On her Can, administration has begun an 'experiment.'
To free up living space, and to bring us 'ever closer to the day we exist in blissful nonexistence.'
An entire city block has been taken down to the void sea, and ascended.
...
Winds estimates that more than 60% of them were not ready for ascension.

The funny thing is, apparently people aren't even desperate enough to move into someone's room that still contains what meager belongings they had.

Ha
ha
...ha.

I can't put any kind of spin on this that is good.
This is fucking terrible.
And I can't do a lick about it.
No argument would change their mind.
...

It's only going to get worse, isn't it, future me?
Here, edit this file a couple thousand cycle from now with a brief answer.

Yep. It does.

Thanks future me.

In other... less existential news.
I've made some good progress on the relay parts.
I think I've finally got an idea for outdoor training.
Stay tuned or some shit.
------
---

---
------
8.530 / 0900
Dew's new clutch just hatched!
I haven't given them names yet, but I did take some cute pictures!
If you forgot where they are (somehow), I've put them in Conflux C/Personal/Lizard stuff
They're just the cutest little things!

Oh! And I just remembered!
For the first time since I took ownership of them...
Dew and Droplets let me touch them with a mechanical arm!
They didn't squirm, didn't bite, scratch, anything!
I was so so *so* happy for them!
I took a video and I've stored it in the same place as the pictures.

I'm so excited!
------
---

---
------
8.600 / 1500
Today marks a very special day.
Marigold, Sol, Relay, and Tracker all got to see the outside world.
I trained them carefully to not fall off ledges outside, among other things.
Then I used an overseer and careful control of my gravity to take them outside to the roof of my Can.
It was a very fascinating experience for them.
Especially once they reached the edge.
I made sure they were five meters away from it at all times though.
I could tell that they felt some kind of powerful emotion from it.
They all just kinda stood as close as I would let them.
They're normally very active lizards, so seeing them just stand in... awe? Was quite the experience.

Eventually I led them back in.
I plan on taking them out more soon.
Someday I do want them living on the wall, but only when they're ready.
As for food requirements...
I'll figure it out.
Maybe there's some fauna still lurking about on my walls.
Worst case, they'll have to come into my chamber daily for food, but otherwise can roam however.

Yeah, at the very least, that's certainly possible.

Ok! This sounds like a plan!
------
---

---
------
8.745 / 1000
As of this cycle, Marigold, Sol, Relay, and Tracker all got to stay out for an entire day on the wall.
They were supervised by Droplets. Dew has been caring for the hatchlings.
They were all very careful, but also confident, and seeing that made me very happy.
They slept in one of the higher up weather modules, where they cuddled up in a big pile.
I'm very glad I've been teaching them to hunt this entire time, through the simulated prey I've been using to play with them.
They managed to catch this one kind of bug that was carrying some eggs.
It was the first time they've tried something besides lab grown meat, and seemed to quite enjoy it.
I was so proud.

I'm in the final stages of testing the relay attachments, and hopefully I'll be done soonish.
With the new modular design I should be able to attach this quite easily to them.
Oh, and due to the better integration with organics, and design to account for body growth, I should be able to put these on the hatchlings at a younger age.
Though I'm not gonna try anything sooner than 400 cycles old.

All in all, very exciting stuff.
------
---

---
------
8.876 / 1700
I had a special kind of talk with Suns this cycle.
Apparently, for the last couple hundred or so cycles, they've been friends with a mechanic.
Just last cycle, that mechanic ascended.
She didn't really know what to do, and after Winds wasn't able to help with anything, she came to me.
I listened.
I wrote a memoir, a formal one this time.
I gave him some advice.
I also pointed him towards Sliver, who by now has probably consoled plenty of people.

I valiantly fought the urge to break down during the call.
Instead I broke down the second the call was over.
I then hung out with my lizards for the full hour and a half I could have with them.

I'm fine-ish now.
Not great though.

...
I've designed an interesting module for my lizards recently.
Because at this point sometimes they're out more than in, it's been increasingly hard to be there for them.
So I've designed a module that can project a hologram using the antenna as projector bases.
It is... not perfect, in the slightest. due to how flowy the antenna are.
But simulations show I can get a pretty good quality if they stand still.
It's still limited in detail, but frankly, the fact I'll be able to communicate with them is fine enough for me.
Oh, and I'd like to mention.
In case you somehow forgot, that twenty minute maximum timer on the projector is there For A Reason.
Do Not Push It.
Do. Not.
Do not give the precious lizards we love very much heatstroke and internal burns.
Ok?
Ok.
------
---

---
------
8.930 / 1000
Buttercup, Holo, and Hibiscus have all been modified.
Holo, fittingly enough (and admittedly quite intentionally), I've attached the projector module to.
The others just got the normal stuff.
Tracker, biomech-scanner, relay. Holo's also got those of course.

Oh, and I'm going to call in the first generations to get them the new attachments.

...
Dew and Droplets are getting old.

I think it'd be right for them to get to visit me in person.
At least once.

Fuck...
I'm gonna miss them.
I'm gonna miss them *a lot.*

Maybe as much as Silver.
...
Maybe.
Probably.
...
Definitely.
------
---

---
------
9.017 / 0300
Holy fuck.
An entire city block of mine just got cleared out.
They're just gone.
Like leaves in the wind.

Moon's also reported a block gone and so has Suns.

Frontiers hasn't yet.
Yet.

...
I see where this is going, and you *know* where this has gone.

It's just a matter of when.

 

What happens after?
...Well, for one.
There aren't going to be any maintenance crews to help us out.
...

I'm going to call up a senior mechanic.
I need blueprints and for some reason they haven't given us the full suite.
Puppets are an odd addition to that list.
I'll keep you updated.
------
---

---
------
9.152 / 1200
Dew and Droplets are in my room right now.
I don't know how long I'm keeping them in here but it'll at least be a cycle.
I'm quite glad that they understand that I'm the same thing as the hologram in the labs.

...
At this point they're both over 80% of their average life span.
Health problems have started to crop up.
I can treat quite a few of them, but a couple are solely based on slowly failing genetics.

...
I love them.
A lot.
WGRCf vbnplfgsvada

...
Yeah ok I'll keep that in the log.
This log is coauthored by Sig and Dew.
------
---

---
------
9.482 / 1900
Thinking about Silver again.
Nothing new, just miss her.
I guess I could say I'm dealing with it better.
But I also think this is about as good as I'll get about it.
I'm gonna call Frontiers and chill for a while.
------
---

---
------
9.856 / 0100
...
I don't really like the words that I'm about to type.

Dew died of a heart attack just thirty minutes ago.
Due to the nature of old age and its effects on the cycle, she will likely not return to us.
Droplets is understandably... quite upset.
So are their pups.
So am I.

Droplets is currently residing in my chamber.
I am comforting him, and in a sense, he is comforting me by being here.
...
I will miss her dearly.

 

Dew was a plated lizard.
In the past 3000+ cycles of her life, she has been my (No Significant Harassment) beloved pet, along with her mate, Droplets.

Her children have been part of an ongoing genetic project involving grafting metallic parts onto organic creatures.
A very successful venture.

She was a very sweet lizard, and definitely *not* pampered by her owner.

She died of a heart attack on 9.856, just as the cycle started. Due to her advanced age (estimated to be more than 5000 cycles) it is hypothesized that she will reincarnate with little to no memory of her past life.
She will be remembered by me, her mate, her seven children, and my friends who all thought she was the cutest thing.
I miss you, Dew.

 

I feel that's a fitting memoir.

I just spoke it aloud to Droplets, and he seems to agree.
...Somecycle soon I will have to make one for him.
I do not look forward to that day.
Not because I can't, but because I will have lost another great companion.
------
---

---
------
9.910 / 1200
Droplets has been sullen as of late.
He misses her, probably as much as I do.
Not a dozen cycles go by where I don't have him visit.
Often I'll do nothing but pet him for several minutes at a time.
I get it buddy, I really do.
------
---

---
------
9.999 / 1800
Droplets suffered a stroke today.
He died within the hour.
Same as Dew, he's not coming back.
Holo and Marigold are visiting me right now.
...I'm glad that I gave her control over the projector, because she's displaying Droplets through it.
I'm a little upset for another reason, besides Droplet's death.
He'll never get to see the millennium.

...I'll have to carry his memory on for him.

 

Droplets was a plated lizard.
In the past 3000+ cycles of his life, he has been my (No Significant Harassment) beloved pet, along with his mate, Dew (Recently deceased).

His children have been part of an ongoing genetic project involving grafting metallic parts onto organic creatures.
A very successful venture.

He was a very sweet lizard, and definitely *not* pampered by his owner.

He died of heart failure on 9.999, just missing the eleventh millennium. Due to his advanced age (estimated to approaching 6000 cycles) it is hypothesized that he will reincarnate with little to no memory of his past life.
He will be remembered by me, his seven children, and my friends who all thought he was also the cutest thing.
I miss you, Droplets.

 

Obviously copied from Dew's memoir.
But it's too fitting to not be used for both of them.
------
---

---
------
10.000 / 1000
Me and my friends have been celebrating the end of the tenth millenia.
It felt like a very good milestone to do it on.
...Void I just realized the irony of writing this at 1000.
Anyways, I'm back to enjoying myself for a little bit, I'll let grief take over next cycle.
------
---

---
------
10.252 / 1900
In the past twentyish cycles, three more blocks have been crossed out.
...
In the grand scheme of things, that's not too much, there's like... 200 blocks on my can.
But the precedent is increasing, we're approaching the event horizon.
I've...
I've got like five different plans in place when *it* happens.
Me, Moon, and Frontiers have been discussing it, and I've shared my plans with them.
Frontiers is on board, and I think is actually already looking into it.
Moon is being... indecisive about matters.
I honestly don't really blame her, but she *needs* to decide on something sooner rather than later.

Void... It's really fucking happening.
It's actually fucking happening.
I bet that one conspiracy theorist feels like a fucking prophet now.
What was his name... Non Generous Instincts?
Speaking of him, I'd wish he'd shut the fuck up.
Void he's annoying.
He's probably gonna be a smug fucking ass for a while too.
At least he's in a different group.
------
---

---
------
10.780 / 0200
My lizards have... done something interesting.
They've started venturing below the clouds.
Unprompted and carefully.
They've found various shelters and use them when they're too late to get back to their weather station.

I'm honestly kinda proud of them.
I hope they stay on the walls of my can though, I kinda like them serving as pest control for the various bugs that thought it was a good idea to live on it.
I wish them the best though.
------
---

---
------
11.097 / 0700
Blocks are getting crossed out more and more.
It's happening, it's really fucking happening.
We're down to 180 blocks.
...
And I don't think it'll last the millennium.
------
---

---
------
11.668 / 1600
We're down to 100 blocks.
Moon and Frontiers are showing similar percentages.
------
---

---
------
11.890 / 1000
Final Public Ascension was announced as a mandatory event.
All remaining ancients will ascend on the end of the twelfth millennium, 11.999
It's happened.
------
---

---
------
11.998 / 0100
I was asked to run an announcement today, a final farewell to my citizens.
...
This is the last cycle of the ancients.
I'm going to do something special. Something defiant.
------
---

"My dearest citizens."
"It is with great sadness and joy that I must bid you all farewell."
"My dearest hope is that you will find what you have been searching for beyond the veil of existence."

"I, however, have a very special message to the resident administerial team residing on my can before final departure."
"If you could, please visit my chamber at your soonest convenience."

---

"Alright, everyone here?"
"Good."
"I have but a single sentence to say to you."
"I hope you understand what you have done."
I point the gravity to face up and out of the chamber, before they can argue.

Notes:

We've hit 60k words.
I feel that it's the perfect time for this.

Chapter 26: Freedom and what you do with it

Summary:

Sig discusses the future with friends and a companion.

Notes:

Yeah lol, apparently I fucking lied when I said I was taking a break.
(For the record, I did do some planning, I just finished really fast)

DF: I honestly still can't believe it.
DF: They're gone.
DF: They're actually fucking gone.

NSH: I agree.
NSH: Feels weird to check on my overseers stationed up there and to see...
NSH: Nothing.
NSH: Just the wind howling.
NSH: It's a unique howl.
NSH: The wind rushing through doors left open gives a certain tone to it.

DF: Yeah.
DF: Adds to the feeling of wrongness.
DF: The wind never sounded like that before.

NSH: Yep.
NSH: So what're we going to do now?

DF: Well.
DF: For one, I see no need to be looking into their Solution now.

NSH: ...Yeah.
NSH: Doesn't particularly seem... logical.
NSH: I like existing, *you* like existing.
NSH: So why would we look into not existing when the people who wanted to not exist are already doing that.

DF: Exactly!
DF: However. To *keep* existing, we're going to have to take care of us.
DF: You've already got blueprints, right?

NSH: Yep, I even managed to fetch some other local gen 1 schematics.
NSH: Not to mention the gen 2 and 3 schematics.

DF: Planning ahead. I like it.
DF: I've done the same with my local group, so it seems like there aren't going to be any problems with diagnosing.
DF: I even got some ones for gen 1s outside of my group.
DF: I'm probably gonna distribute them soon with the message 'you'll need these eventually.'

NSH: Yep, sounds like a good idea.
NSH: I've already thought of some ideas for modules so that my lizards could help.
NSH: I have no idea how well that would work though.

DF: Mhm.
DF: One you could certainly do would be something like jumper cables.
DF: I mean, they already have two antenna.

NSH: Maybe, sounds a little risky.
NSH: That'd take a lot of testing before I felt safe about that.

DF: Fair.
DF: Maybe I could make my polypedes like jumper cables.
DF: Honestly I don't really have much of an emotional attachment to them.
DF: They're cool, and of course I'm not going to do anything 'crazy evil muahahahaha.'

NSH: Ha.
NSH: Yeah, honestly, fair.
NSH: Honestly doesn't sound like a half bad idea.
NSH: If you can make it work.

DF: I probably could, there are already plenty of purposed organisms that produce electricity.
DF: Most of those blueprints are... quite outdated I would suspect though.
DF: Like... before me.
DF: ...Thinking about 'before me' as *two* eras ago instead of one is fucking weird.

NSH: Yeah. That *does* feel weird.
NSH: And really, that's not even that old.
NSH: Didn't the void revolution, not including the time we existed, lasted like...
NSH: 30.000 cycles?

DF: ...Yeah.
DF: Fuck.
DF: Just... fuck.

NSH: Mhm.
NSH: Let's talk about something else, yeah?
NSH: It's not like we *don't* have time to sort this all out.

DF: True, true.

---

DF: Hey, I just looked up a public forum, just for fun.
DF: It is. Fucking. *Wild.* In there.
DF: People are fucking confused as what to do.

NSH: Really?
NSH: Surely *someone* started making plans when FPA was announced.

DF: Doesn't fucking seem like it.

NSH: Is the forum local?

DF: Yep, I bet there's plenty of others of just people being confused and... slightly panicked by the looks of it.
DF: I bet if you were to check, you'd find one pretty for your group.
DF: Wait.
DF: Go check who made it, I need more evidence for this.

NSH: Ok?

---

NSH: Five Pebbles.

DF: Mine's made by a gen 3 too.

NSH: ...Oooooh.
NSH: Ok, I see where this is going.
NSH: Who's actively participating in it?

DF: Mostly gen 3s, but there are a couple gen 2s and also by the looks of it a few lurkers.
DF: (Like myself)

NSH: Ha.
NSH: You think the lurkers are just watching the chaos?

DF: Like me?
DF: Probably.
DF: Here... One second.
...
DF: Well, Sliver is.

NSH: You messaged her?

DF: Yep.
DF: She's finding it funny, she said.

NSH: Mhm.

---

DF: How're your lizards doing?

NSH: Good, good.
NSH: I might see about inviting them into the city now, now that that wouldn't exactly be a citizen hazard.
NSH: Or a lizard hazard.

DF: Mhm.
DF: Though you said they like that weather station, right?

NSH: Mhm.
NSH: Maybe as there's more lizards they'll take up the city.

DF: Yeah.
DF: Oh, did you ever do anything to prevent inbreeding?

NSH: Oh, from the beginning.
NSH: Though in a roundabout way.
NSH: When I modified their genes to be receptive to modifications, I scrambled the less important genes using some lizard genome I got some time ago.
NSH: Essentially, despite being their parents, genetically, Dew and Droplets could technically be equated to their ancestors.

DF: ...Certainly a solution.
DF: A smart one, just not the one I expected.

NSH: Fair enough.
NSH: The only reason I did it this way instead of one that... wouldn't encourage a violation of the second urge is because they were going to do it regardless of what I wanted, intelligence be damned they don't have rules against it.
NSH: Might as well make it alright from a genetic standpoint.

DF: That's... fair.
DF: And... you made it so that they're all genetically distant?

NSH: Of course.
NSH: That's the whole point of this.

DF: Right right right.
DF: Don't even know why I asked.

---

DF: I just realized, I can shut down the two labs I've been running to meet quota.
DF: There's no quota anymore.

NSH: ...Holy shit you're right.
NSH: I mean, shoulda been obvious.

DF: I know right?
DF: Void, we could've started this a couple cycles ago.

NSH: Yeah.
NSH: Damn.

DF: Damn indeed.
DF: How about we go remedy that real quick?

NSH: Yep.

---

NSH: Aaaalright.
NSH: There we go.

...
DF: Ok, done.
DF: Feels nice to have the space cleared up.

NSH: Yep.
Oh!
"Oh hi Hibiscus!"

Bar!

NSH: Hibiscus is paying a visit.

DF: Nice.
DF: Can I see?

"Oooohohoho yes it's good to see you too."
"Here, back off for juuuust..."

Requedt cakk[
Fuck
"Hold on for just a second, please Hib."
"...Thank you."

DF: You there?

Request call [Frontiers (DF)]
...

"So sorry, it's not exactly easy-"

He's laughing.

"Yes, I love you too."
I manage to pry him off, with no small help from the gravity manipulators.

"As I was saying!"
"It's not easy when there's a 200 kilo lizard trying their mightiest to climb over your arms."

He's still chuckling a bit.
"Mhm, I'm sure it is."
"Frankly that's your fault."

"Mhm, I know."
I turn to Hibiscus.
"I've got a friend over!"

He notices Frontiers' viewport and walks over.

Bar?
Bar!

"Yes, you recognize me."
"I recognize you too!"
"Holo, right?"
He knows that it's Hibiscus.

Grak!

"I know I know, I'm messing Hibiscus."

Bar!

"Mhm!"
"I wouldn't ever forget."

---

"I think I'm going to head out for a bit, talk with Sliver, yeah?"

"Mhm, sorry for..."

"Playing with the lizard you love very much?"
"No need to be sorry."

"Mhm."
"Well, cya, have a nice chat, had a nice chat."

"Heh, yeah, you too."
"Cya."

He waves and the screen shuts down.

Frontiers (DF) has disconnected, closing discussion.

---

"Sorry my friend had to leave so soon."
"Big changes are happening and me and my friends are... trying our best to figure it out."
"Speaking of..."
"There is no small chance you and your siblings will get to do some things for me as some point."
"But don't go telling them..."
"...Right, they can hear me."
"How do I forget that, I made it so you can do that."
"Anyways, in the context that all of you can hear me, just like to say."
"That's not exactly something that's guaranteed to happen, especially not anytime soon, so don't worry about it."
"Also, I love you all."

---

I play with Hib for a while.
It's always a nice little break when one of them decides to visit.

...Reminds me of Dew and Droplets.
...

Mrrp?

"Hmm?"
"Oh, just... thinking about your parents."

Mrrrr...
...
He walks over and lays his head on my lap.

...
"Thanks."

---

...
A message from Moon.

------
You seen what's been happening?
Lots of chaos.
You wanna talk?
------

Reque
...
"Alright Hib, I got some things to do."

Mrrr?

"I'm fine now, I promise."
"Besides, isn't it getting a little late?"

Mrrr
He gets up.
I make sure to give him a scratch under the head before I have him float outwards.

"Love you!"

Bar!
He crawls out the pipe leading in.

---

Alright.
Request call[Moon (LttM)]
...

The screen pops up.

"Oh hey."

"Hey."
"And uh... Yes. I do know a little about the chaos."
"Me and Frontiers talked about not too long ago."

"I see."
"You doing good?"

"Yep."
Am now.
"You?"

"I mean, there's the whole the ancients are gone."
"But yeah otherwise I'm pretty fine."

"Mhm, sounds about right."
"You been watching that forum?"

"Yep."
"I messaged Pebbles after it got... heated."
"Tried to help him, at the very least, calm down."
"I... sort of succeeded at that."

"Mhm?"

"Nothing crazy special about it, he's just only half calmed down."
"...If you were talking with Frontiers about it you probably noticed that..."

"That it's mainly gen 3s freaking out about it?"

"Yeah."
"It's..."
"I think that was a thing put in by our creators."
"A desire to solve the problem, shorted out because there's no one to receive the solution."

"Yep."
"Sounds about right."
"...Yeah."
...
"I'm sure it'll pass, the only thing they could truly hard code into us are taboos."
"And those... are for very specific things."

"Yeah."

---

"It feels kinda nice to not have a quota."

"I know, right?"
"I already shut down the labs working on it."
"You?"

"First thing I did."
"And... of course there's things we need to figure out now."

"Yeah, repairs to our structures being our number one priority."
"Second being repairs to other structures."

"Yep."
She looks... uncomfortable all of a sudden.
...
"...I don't really know where to start with that."

"Well."
"Me and Frontiers were discussing purposed organisms briefly."
"We didn't get that far but I personally think it holds potential."

"Hmm."
"But doesn't that require a sizable lab complex?

"You're worried yours is too small?"

"I mean... yeah."
"It's only a two by two set up."
"And the modular lab leaves... something to be desired."

"I see..."
"Still don't know why they thought that a smaller lab would be a good idea."

"Me neither."

"In any case, I bet you could do good making microbes."
"Like those ones that keep the shelters working."

"Oh!"
"That's a good idea!"
"And it's not space dependent."

"Exactly."
"But let's not get ahead of ourselves, me and Frontiers have already discussed taking it a little slow."
"No need to rush ourselves."

"Mhm, right right."

---

"I wonder how Winds is reacting to all of this?"

"Celebrating, almost definitely."
"She doesn't have to hide anything anymore."

"...You're right!"
"Void, she's probably so happy right now!"
"Good for her!"

"Yep."

---

"Whatcha checking?"

"Her status."
...
"Busy, with a note."
"Not taking questions right now, friends are free to call."

"She's celebrating."
"Almost definitely."

"Yep."

I pull up the communication window.
Message, Winds (GW)
------
Feeling good?
Just wanting to check in in these... interesting times.
I'll probably call you sometime this or next cycle.
------

"What'd you send?"

"A little check in message, and an 'I'm going to call you in a bit.'"

"Ah, fair."

---

"...I'll be honest, your idea sounded so good I want to look into it right now."
"Like, feels like it'd be fun."

"You want to go for it?"
"Be my guest."
Message Received
From: Winds (GW)
Subject: I'm doing great!
Read?

"Winds called back, by the title she sounds like she's going good."

"Oh good! What is it?

"One sec."

Yes

------
I am doing fucking amazing Sig!
Chasing Winds is no more!
Or, I guess my name in discussions is still CW, but we can look into that!
I'm in a call with Suns right now, I managed to pry them out of the forum discussion.
Talk soon?
Couple hours from now?
------

I relay the message to Moon.

"Ooooh, ok."
"Glad to hear she's doing good."

"Yep."
"So... you want to go ahead and get to work?"

"...I kinda want to."

"Ok, call later, yeah?"

"Of course!"
"Love you Sig!"

"Love you too."

Moon (LttM) has disconnected.

---

Checking on lizards...
...
All sound and asleep, and very cute.

---

TYPE Drive C/personal logs/12.0xx.txt
...
------
12.000 / 1400
This cycle's been...
Interesting. To put it lightly.
The ancients are gone, the newer Iterators are confused, likely to something the engineers cooked up to keep em in line
I'd love to talk, no, sorry, rant about that.
But I don't want my first entry of the 13th millennium to be large or rant-y.

...It's gonna be a different millennium, that's for sure.

You know what?
Now that I've got all this free processing power freed up from Solution hunting I should take up a hobby.
So I stay sane figuring out what the fuck I need to do to do repairs.

...
What about art?
Didn't...
Didn't I say something along the lines of that to DF like... *forever* ago?
...I *did.*
...When I made Silver the mug.
------

...
The compartment pops open and I drag the mug to me.
...
...

------

...
I'm going to cut this log short.
You can probably guess who I'm thinking about.

I'll finish this log...
Later.
------

Chapter 27: Hobbies and Progress

Summary:

Sig makes a new friend.

...I wish I had better source images for this.
Overseer footage has color bleed and subpar resolution.
...Maybe someone else already has a solution.

---

...
Well, there's a topic on astrophotography.
That's... probably about the best I could get for this.

---

Public Forum[PicturesOfTheStars]
Active Participants: NSH (No Significant Harassment), UI (Unparalleled Innocence), KonG (King of no ground)

No Significant Harassment has joined the forum.
UI: I'll send the picture in juuuust a second.
UI: Oh! Hello!

KonG: Hello.
KonG: I don't think I've seen you in here before.
KonG: What brings you here?

NSH: This seemed like the best place to ask for high resolution camera blueprints.

UI: Oh we have plenty of those!
UI: What zoom do you need?
UI: 2x? 5x? 20x?
UI: Void I even have a 100x blueprint but that's rather large.

KonG: Yeah, I have a couple as well.

NSH: Well, that's the thing.
NSH: I'm more working on ground level photography, I'd rather have a camera with no zoom, or maybe variable zoom.
NSH: I couldn't find a regular photography forum.

UI: Oh that's alright, I have a couple of those too!
UI: I like photography in general, but I also hang out here plenty.
UI: Here, I'll send you a camera *and* a good few lenses.

NSH: Thank you.
NSH: Say... Aren't you in my local group Innocence?
NSH: Nearish to Winds, right?

UI: Oh yeah!
UI: I *knew* I recognized your name!
UI: Here, let me call you, it'd be easier than sending the blueprints over the comms tower this forum is stationed in.
UI: Oh, and I'll send over the pics real quick Kong.

KonG: Thanks.
KonG: See y'all.

UI: See you!

NSH: Cya.

Disconnect

---

Private discussion
Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), UI (Unparalleled Innocence)

UI: Here, let me send them over...
...

Unparalleled Innocence attached a folder.
Download?

Yes

NSH: Thank you.

UI: Don't mention it!
UI: I'm curious, what got you into photography?

NSH: I'm actually trying my hand at art.
NSH: I've been trying to get some pictures of my city to paint and...
NSH: I'm sure you're aware of the downsides of using overseers to do that?

UI: Oh totally.
UI: You have my condolences for trying.
UI: Also that sounds fun!
UI: Maybe I should try that sometime.
UI: I already have plenty of reference images.

NSH: It's nice.
NSH: I'm sure it'll be better when I actually have good references.
NSH: ...
NSH: I just had a funny thought.
NSH: What if someone designed an overseer with better camera capabilities?

UI: Oooo.
UI: I like that!
UI: It'd be easier than how I currently get my cameras moved around, that's for sure!

NSH: ...That's a good question, actually.
NSH: How *do* you get your cameras moved around?
Inspectors? Probably.
Though she probably wouldn't get it much farther than the communication hub.

UI: Well...
UI: Previously I could move the stuff I made up and out of the communication hub with, and then I would ask, say, a mechanic to move it into position for me.
UI: And, you know, there might be something next to the camera.
UI: But you didn't hear that from me.

...Like I care.
NSH: Makes sense.
NSH: And presumably the cameras you have about are just... in the positions they were in last time they were moved?

UI: Yep.
UI: I've looked into a couple solutions to be able to move them, but not much has come from that.

NSH: Hmm...
...
NSH: What about adapting one of the memory crabs?
NSH: Like, you take a blueprint of one of those, adapt it to gravity bound work, make it strong enough to carry what you need it to...
NSH: Then make it so that you can control them via puppet and not via automatic processes, borrowing from overseer communication...
...Might have to look into this myself.

UI: ...Wow.
UI: That's... a really good idea!
UI: Where'd you get the idea from that?

NSH: A thing I've been working on.
NSH: Though I came up with that specifically just now.
NSH: I've been needing to find a solution to hauling things outside of my can for a bit now.
That doesn't involve asking my lizards nicely. They work, but I'd rather not ask them all the time.
NSH: I don't think this would work for the scale that *I'm* planning, but I'm sure it would work for what you need.

UI: ...Wow.
UI: What are you doing that would involve this, I'm curious now!

NSH: Repair work.
NSH: *Someone* needs to do it.

UI: Oh, yeah, you're totally right.
UI: I've been too busy with the Problem and my photography to give it much thought ha ha!

...
NSH: Right...
NSH: You know there's not a particular *need* to work on the Problem now, right?

UI: What do you mean?

NSH: Like...
NSH: We were working on it for the Ancients, right?
NSH: And they're gone now.
NSH: So there's no need to work on the Problem.

UI: ...Huh.
UI: I...
UI: I never really thought about it like that.
UI: So... I just don't have to work on the problem now?

NSH: Yep.
NSH: *And* you get more time for hobbies, and repairs.
NSH: Not to mention more lab space, RAM cleared up because you aren't running simulations all the time, ect.
NSH: There is not a single downside.

UI: ...Huh.
UI: You seem to know a thing or two.

NSH: I've seen a thing or two.
I also have the sneaking suspicion that your mind doesn't like thinking that the problem isn't needed, but I don't want to get into that chat with any gen 3, let alone one I just met.
NSH: ...I don't mean to intrude...
NSH: But when were you woken up?

UI: Roughly 10.000.
...She's young.
UI: You?

NSH: ...
NSH: 1.000, roughly.

UI: O-oh.
UI: Yeah...
UI: Yeah that's... that's a bit of a difference.
UI: I guess you *have* seen a bit, ha.

NSH: Yep.
NSH: But to be fair, those things I mentioned are the specific things that I pay attention to.
NSH: I don't actually often pay attention to, say, photography.
NSH: You seem to know a bit about that.

UI: ...Fair.

---

NSH: Thank you for giving me those blueprints.

UI: Don't mention it, thank *you* for the advice.
UI: Oh, and send me a copy of whatever you make, yeah?
UI: I'd love to see it.

NSH: Sure, I'll be sure to do that.
NSH: I think I'm going to go now.

UI: Of course!
UI: See you!

NSH: Cya.

Disconnect

---

Aaaaalright, fabricator's set up.
And I've got the notes for hauler crabs set up.
Good.

Let's just go ahead and work on the hauler crab, I don't have much better to do.

---

Memory crabs are hardcoded to specific tasks, and to do them automatically, I'll need to fix that.
...Probably just by starting from scratch.

---

Alright, managed to borrow the instructions to take commands from overseer instructions, but I'll need to make the pathfinding and movement instructions myself.
...Hmm.
Might also need to make a manager computer for them like the overseer manager.

---

Alright, got a rough design for that, I'll continue it once I get blueprints for the hauler crabs done.

---

...Alright, that should be the instructions done.
Now that that's done, time to work on the blueprint.
Though... thinking about it that's probably a slight misdemeanor, seeing that the thing will basically be just an incredibly specifically purposed organism.

---

Got the body plan done.

---

Filters nutrients from the air...
Probably means it'll be less efficient than its memory counterpart, because the air pumped through the confluxes is better suited for it, but by all means it should work.

---

Simulating strength...

---

It can hold about 2kg.
Not... preferable.

...
Ooo!
What if I design it to be able to work in tandem with other hauler crabs?
That solves the weight restrictions!

---

There we go!
Also added the instructions for them to work in tandem.
I'm liking this!

---

Aaaaaand all done!
Now to work on the manager, but that shouldn't be too hard.
Just need to figure out a place to attach it.
Oh... and perhaps get the security code to interface with it.

...
I'll work on this later, I've already done quite a bit of work.

Let's call Moon.

---

Private Discussion
Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), LttM (Looks to the Moon)

LttM: Hey Sig!

NSH: Hey, doing good?

LttM: I'm doing great!
LttM: I juuuust finished off a microbe design!

Oh good!
NSH: Let's hear it!

LttM: It's pretty simple, but I think it will be very useful in the long run.
LttM: A rust cleaner!

NSH: Nice!
NSH: Does it just clean it off or does it prevent as well?

LttM: It should prevent too!
LttM: It did in simulations anyways.
LttM: Oh and the best thing is that when introduced with other microbes, neither will eat each other.
LttM: Meaning it can be put in place with other purposed microbes no problem!

NSH: That's great to hear!
NSH: And how many did you test that with?

LttM: Currently... 70 types of microbes with... 30 of those being purposed and actively used in some kind of process in Iterators.
LttM: And I'm testing more as we speak.

NSH: Good.
NSH: I'll have to ask for the design once you're done.

LttM: Yep, I'll be glad to give you it!
LttM: So!
LttM: How have *you* been?

NSH: Good, good.
NSH: My art hobby's been going good.
NSH: And eventually led me to a new design for a purposed organism.

LttM: Do tell!

NSH: Nothing crazy, but it does at least partially solve the fact we can't haul... anything outside of our Can.
NSH: I based it off the memory crabs.
NSH: Made em stronger, suited for gravity, able to be controlled by the puppet, and able to work in tandem.
NSH: Alone they can hold about 2kg with little effort, but they can group up and carry much more.
NSH: I'm quite proud of the design myself.

LttM: Wow...
LttM: That's impressive!

NSH: Oh yeah, and I started making a design for a manager like the overseer manager, I just... need to figure out how to connect it.
NSH: Technically this is me taking a break from that.

LttM: Ah, I see.
LttM: How much did you get done?

NSH: Most of it.
NSH: Most of the whole project, I should say.
NSH: I had to ask some big questions about how I'm going to do this, and I wanted to do that in a clearer state of mind.

LttM: Ah, ok.

---

NSH: How's Pebbles?

LttM: Fine, it seems.
LttM: He's still having a hard time giving up on the Problem though.
LttM: Though he *does* realize the importance of working on more immediate problems.

NSH: Well that part is good.
NSH: I'm sort of noticing a trend in that, for the gen 3s.
NSH: It's like...
NSH: It's like they *have* to work on the problem.
NSH: Or they get this... this *itch.*
NSH: It must be programmed into their personalities or something.

LttM: Well, it sounds right.
LttM: I wonder if there's a way to test that.
LttM: Or get evidence or *something.*

NSH: Hmm, I probably *could* do that.
NSH: I still have several connections to the old Administration HQ in my city.
NSH: I might be able to find something in an old database or something.
NSH: Worse case I could ask Frontiers, or you, to help me get some stuff outta y'all's headquarters.

LttM: Hmm.
LttM: Yeah I'd be up for that.
LttM: Though...
LttM: You'd have to go through my systems, right?

NSH: Yeah...
NSH: I won't ask you to do that.
NSH: Frontiers might be able to do it himself though, cus of that security update I gave him like...
NSH: Void that was probably 8000 cycles ago.
NSH: We're going to feel old a lot, aren't we?

LttM: Probably.
LttM: But regardless, that could probably work.
LttM: Keep me updated?

NSH: Of course.

---

NSH: Well, I think I'm going to head out for now.
NSH: Something I was fabricating just finished by the looks of it.

LttM: Ah, ok!
LttM: Talk later?

NSH: As if that's a question.
NSH: I'll probably call when either I finish a piece of art to show you or when I finish the hauler crabs.
NSH: Oh yeah, that's what I'm calling them.

LttM: Cool.
LttM: Cya then!
LttM: Love you!

NSH: Love you.
NSH: Cya.

---

TYPE Drive C/personal logs/12.2xx.txt
...
------
12.236 / 1500
This cycle's been good.
Solved two problems with... let's say 1.5 solutions.
And...
Honestly Unparalleled Innocence seemed pretty cool.
I might talk with her again sometime.
Probably just about hobbies but still.

She was really knowledgeable about camera work.
...Honestly that actually might be helpful for problem diagnosis.

Oh and another thing I noticed was that she seemed more accepting of abandoning the Problem than other gen 3s.
I bet that's actually tied to her hobby, she's already used to doing something else.
Oh, speaking of the gen 3 conundrum, I'll probably be looking into gathering some evidence for that soon.

Stay tuned.
------

Chapter 28: A New Friend

Summary:

NSH develops his friendship with UI

Private Discussion
Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), UI (Unparalleled Innocence)

UI: Hey Sig!

NSH: Hey.
NSH: Doing good?

UI: I'm doing great!
UI: You?

NSH: Good, good.
NSH: Just wanted to say I finished a piece.

UI: Oh can I see?

NSH: Yep, here...
Attach file, Conflux C/Hobby/Cityscape_Towers.png

...
UI: Wow! I love it!
UI: How long did it take?

NSH: ...10ish cycles?
NSH: And over the course of that maybe... 20 hours.
NSH: Ish.

UI: Wow!
UI: Reminds me of the time I took an ultra long exposure picture.
UI: I took a picture of the night sky over five nights, shutting off the camera every time morning came around.
UI: You want to see?

NSH: Sounds interesting, sure.

Unparalleled Innocence attached a file
Download?

Yes

...
NSH: That's very pretty.
NSH: I love how the stars are streaking through the sky like that.
NSH: It's because of the exposure length, right?

UI: Yep!
UI: I'm really proud of it, I think it looks amazing.

NSH: Well you're right to think that, because it is.

UI: Thank you!

NSH: You're welcome.

---

UI: I'll be honest I kinda want to try out painting something.

NSH: Well if you want to, you should.
NSH: All you need to do is find a formula for paint, how to make canvas, or something similar, pipe it into your room.
NSH: Oh, and you'll want gravity on, and something to cover the floor of your chamber.
NSH: I speak from experience.

UI: I see.
UI: How long would it take to clean up a mess like that?

NSH: An hour.

UI: Ah.

NSH: Yep, not exactly easy.
NSH: But really, the end result is pretty worth it.
NSH: I don't even think my piece is particularly good, but I'm still pretty happy with it.

UI: Well I think it's great.

NSH: Thanks.

---

UI: Can I say thanks?

NSH: For what?

UI: For telling me that the Problem isn't necessary anymore.
UI: I literally have so much free time I don't know what to do with it all.
UI: I want to thank you for that.

NSH: You're welcome.

---

UI: What was it like?
UI: Back in the early days?

NSH: Hmm...
NSH: Well, it was stricter.
NSH: There were few enough Iterators that the Administrators had small teams on each of us.
NSH: Instead of the seniority system we have now.
NSH: Or... had now?
NSH: It's still in effect.

UI: ...Huh.
UI: Interesting.
UI: How strict?

NSH: As long as you were doing 'something interesting'
NSH: Very.
NSH: When you worked on something new and exciting, people paid attention to you.
NSH: Especially the Administrators.
NSH: So they made sure you kept working, that you were on best behavior, all that.
NSH: I have some very personal experience with that.

UI: Why's that?

NSH: I helped Moon pioneer the concept of Transcension.
NSH: Basically as soon as I woke up I was working with her on that.
NSH: Back in the day it held by far the most promise of all models.
NSH: I had basically no free time for about... oh 3000 cycles.
NSH: It sucked.

UI: ...I see.
UI: I'll be honest, I never looked into transcension.

NSH: No hard feelings, nor would there be if we needed to work on the problem.
NSH: It was my job, not necessarily what I loved.
NSH: I might have held pride in it in the earlier cycles, but that's about it.

UI: Ok.

---

NSH: Alright, I have a question for you, because I've been really curious since... forever ago.
NSH: Did you wake up before you were finished being built?

UI: ...
UI: I've been told not to answer that question.

...I fucking knew it.
NSH: By the dead people who can't do anything to you anymore?

UI: ...
UI: Yeah.
UI: ...To both questions.

NSH: I see.
NSH: You want to know why I asked?

UI: Sure.

NSH: Because the only other third generation Iterator I've spoken to was as well.
NSH: Specifically, Five Pebbles.
NSH: He was lucky enough to have Moon know that was happening, and she told me.

UI: ...I see.

---

UI: The more I think about it...
UI: The Administrators weren't that nice.
UI: They kept their intentions behind a facade of kindness.

NSH: Mhm.
NSH: Almost want to say you were lucky, because they never pretended to be nice to me.
NSH: They were just... indifferent.
NSH: Indifferent to who I was.

UI: ...I think I know what you mean.
UI: I had a bad couple of cycles once.
UI: I asked for an extension to the quota deadline.
UI: They seemed... incapable of understanding why I would need one.

NSH: ...
NSH: They thought of us as tools, Yui.
NSH: There's no other way of putting it.
NSH: It's not a connection many have made, but it is certainly true.

UI: ...
UI: I believe you.
...
UI: I need a moment.
UI: Just...
UI: Yeah.

NSH: Of course.
NSH: I don't like thinking about it myself.
NSH: Talk soon?

UI: Mhm.
UI: See you.

NSH: Cya.

Disconnect

---

...
What're the lizards up to?

---

They're chilling.

...
Interfacing...

...
"Hi everyone!"

Bar!
Bar!
Bar! Bar!
Bar!

"Are we all doing good?"

General assent to the question.

"Good!"
"I just wanted to check in, everyone."
"Love you!"

Bar!s and static from all of them.

I close the hologram down.

---

Message Received
From: Yui (UI)
Subject: I want to talk more.
Read?

Yes

------
I've just...
Been thinking about it, you know?
Couldn't help myself.
Wanna talk?
------
---

Private Discussion
Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), UI (Unparalleled Innocence)

NSH: Hey.

UI: Hey.
UI: I just...
UI: Feel like my world's been flipped upside down.
UI: But also not?
UI: Because when I look through everything...
UI: It all adds up.
UI: How there were no discussions on what we do after FPA.
UI: How they never really... checked in, besides to say 'Congratulations on meeting the quota.'
UI: And that... might have just been an automated message.
UI: It's just... everything has clicked in a way that it doesn't if the Administrators were kind.

NSH: Yeah.
NSH: ...You got the video caller?

UI: Yeah, doesn't everyone?

...Good to know.
NSH: Just checking.

Request call[Unparalleled Innocence]
Reminder to put her contact in the caller.
...
The screen pops up.

Interesting head marking, two chevrons.
Well, it's like Winds' so I guess it isn't that unique.

"I know the feeling."
"The million pearl question is do you want to talk about it, or not talk about it?

"...Let's start with not talking about it."

"Sounds good."
"But I will say, a good technique to feel marginally better about things is to sit down."
"Turn on gravity, float to the floor, and just... sit."

...She nods.
And slooooowly floats down.

I follow suit.

---

"...You ever just look at the stars?"

"...I have on occasion."
"Though, that was before I had high quality cameras."
"Even through the low quality feed, they were very beautiful."
"Kinda like sky sailors."

"Hmm?"

...Fuck she doesn't know.
"...Let me send you something real quick."

"Ok?"

Attach file, Conflux C/Sailors/Festival_1175.mp4'

She downloads the attachment.
...A video feed pops up.

...

...

"Woooooooow..."
"What..."

"A festival."
"They were held a lot long ago."
"So long ago I hardly got to see any myself."
"These cycles there's not many of these actually remaining anywhere, and the few that are have rusted into unusability."
"Also, before the time of rider birds they were used for transportation."
"Those ones were generally less pretty though."

"...Wow."
"I... had no idea."

"You never heard a Gen 1 waxing poetic about them?"
"I swear it happens all the time."
"We all miss those times."
Despite them not being the greatest.

"...Huh."
"I... haven't."

---

"...I think you're right about the sitting down thing."

"I know I am, I've done it a good few times myself."
"Does wonders for how simple it is."

 

She nods her head.

---

"I don't like how right it feels."

"That they didn't care?"

She nods.

"You shouldn't, frankly."
"I think there'd be something very wrong with you if you did."
"Like..."
"I'm so happy that all I was to my creators was a tool!"
"Sounds insane, right?"

"...Yeah, when you put it like that."
"Does sound like the worse of the two options, doesn't it?"
She looks... slightly better hearing that.

"Mhm."

---

"...Thanks for helping me go through this."

"No problem."
"Sorry about telling you in the first place."

"No no, it's alright."
"It was... eye opening."
"And..."
"Ok, I'm not at peace with it or anything."
"But I do feel like I'm not shaken up about it anymore."

"Well that's good."

"Yep."
"I'm going to think about it for a while."
"I said I'm feeling better about it, and that means I'm going to look at it from a better frame of mind."

"Totally."
"Talk soon?"

"Yes."
"Reminds me that I have some photos I'm producing right now, I'll call when those are ready, ok?"

"Sure!"
"Frankly your stuff was really good."

"Thank you!"
"Your painting was good too."

"Thank you."
"Be seeing you?"

"Yep."
"See you."

"Cya."

Disconnect

Disconnect

---

TYPE Drive C/personal logs/12.3xx.txt
...
------
12.328 / 1200
Talked with Yui some more today.
I think I convinced her to try out painting too.
That's fun.

She's actually pretty cool, a little high energy compared to me but eh whatever.
So yeah.

I should be starting proper hauler crab production, now that I've ironed out the few bugs (ha) I've noticed in the test run.
After I show success in the few tasks I need them for, I'll send the final blueprints over to Moon and Frontiers.
And after large scale testing, *then* I'll publish it to the greater populace.

Oh, that reminds me, just recently Frontiers got Sliver to set up a depository for our projects.
She's always been pretty good at that kind of stuff.

Anyways, keep ya posted.
------

Chapter 29: Problems and Solutions

Summary:

Sig and co. solves some problems.

DF: In other news, those crabs of yours have been working good.
DF: Course, there ain't much they can do without methods to actually perform repairs, nor is there need to.
DF: But what I have been able to do with them, along with test runs, have proven their efficiency.

NSH: That's really good to hear.

DF: Yep.
DF: ...Something slightly less good, before I forget to say.
DF: A mainline railroad's gone out.

...
NSH: ...No shit?
NSH: Where?

DF: From my group south.
DF: Luckily, that one hardly got used and there's workarounds.
DF: But it's still a sign of what's to come.

NSH: ...Yep.
NSH: We need a temporary solution.
NSH: Something reliable, but still able to be produced easily.
NSH: Not to mention that we still haven't entirely answered the question of how to get something to a railyard.
NSH: Or whatever our equivalent will be now.

DF: Mhm.
DF: I think Sliver's been working on that second part, actually.
DF: She's taken a baseline polypede genome I've published and is currently working on a sort of worker variant.
DF: Stronger, decent speed, able to take instructions using implants that *you've* published.
DF: It holds promise, last time I heard from her it can carry a good 50kg all on its own, in simulations that is.
DF: The only thing I don't like about her project is an entirely cosmetic one; I don't like that they're red.
DF: Just don't particularly look good in my opinion. And I'm fully aware that's a moot point.

NSH: Yep.
NSH: Did you see the thing that Moon published just a couple cycles ago?

DF: The baseline microbe?

NSH: Yep.
NSH: She's really proud of it, and frankly she should be.
NSH: Especially since she provided what parts of the genome for it can be edited to change xyz properties.

DF: Yeah, honestly it's really impressive.
DF: She did a damn good job.

NSH: Mhm.

---

NSH: You know I bet air transport would be the best solution for a temporary fix.

DF: Yeah?
DF: I'm guessing because of the very little infrastructure needed?

NSH: Mhm.
NSH: I think the simplest way to do it would be to use a hydrogen balloon with... probably a propeller system to guide it.

DF: ...Probably not hydrogen, safety concerns.

NSH: True, good point.
NSH: Make it solar powered, so it doesn't have to worry about fuel.

DF: Can't do much at night though.

NSH: Also true.
NSH: Batteries could fix that though, just have it run on low power during the night, have it keep in place or something.

DF: Good idea.
DF: And of course, it doesn't need to be fast, just that it works and can carry a decent load of materials or parts.
DF: You mind if I design a quick simulation? I'm kinda invested now.

NSH: Sure, wanna call?

DF: Sure.

Request call[Frontiers (DF)]

---

We argue back and forth on the rough design of the model, eventually deciding on a singular fixed-shape balloon.
It's a much better idea than what I had in mind, that being a bunch of small balloons attached to a platform.

"That should be good enough for an initial simulation."
"I'll test out its capabilities."

"Cool."

He opens up a screen and begins putting the design and some parameters in.

---

"Well it's saying that it can hold abooooout..."
"1500 kilos."

"Not bad."

"Not bad, for what it is."
"It won't ever replace the rail network, but what it will do is serve as a backup."
"Also, in my opinion it looks pretty cool."
"Not a sky sailor or anything, but still pretty cool."

"I'd have to agree, probably especially so when we get a working model."
...
"How are we going to make a working model?"

He considers it.
"Hmmm..."
"Fabricator's a no go."
"Perhaps I could assemble it using one of the more open-ended factories in my facility."
"I bet there's one that's open-air large enough."

"Well, whatever works."
"And worst case we just make a smaller one."

"Mhm."

---

"You mind if I admit something about the hauler crabs?"

"Yes, please tell me if there's anything wrong."

"Oh there's nothing wrong, it's just..."
"How they attach to each other is... a smidge creepy."
"And I'm not exactly one to be creeped out by anything."

"Mhm."
"Well."
"It maximizes how much they can carry, as each helps support the other crabs."
"When normally it'd be two kilos per crab, it's actually 2.5 kilos."

"Fine, fine, I see the point, but still."
"Smidge creepy."

"Fair."

---

"How're your mines?"

"Good, good."
"Your's?"

"As functional as usual, but of course not as good as yours."

"Mhm."
"Still, you've got plenty for a long, long, long time. Not even considering recycling."
"Doesn't help that you got a helium bubble not too far from your facility."

"Yeah, honestly a big boon for sourcing materials myself."
"Don't have to worry about getting resources until that thing drains."
"Which, admittedly, it's admittedly only 50% what it originally was."

"That's still a good bit."

"True, and frankly my usage of it has gone down after FPA, not up."

"Exactly."

---

"We should hold a meeting soon, with Sliver and Moon, discuss plans, happenings, whatnot."

"Sounds good."
"When?"

"Probably 3 cycles, that's always a good amount of prep time."

"Like when we did that Tetra thing that one time?"

"Mhm, man that was fun."

"Indeed."

---

"I... should probably work on an alchemical treatise I've been putting off."

"Ooh, what is it?"

"An efficient source of microbe nutrients."
"Moon asked for one so I've meant to get cracking for... oh three cycles now."
"Just been working on other things."

"Mhm."
"Well, don't let me keep you putting that off."
"Cya, buddy."

"Cya."

Disconnect

Disconnect

---

Alright.

Let's write this out, prepare it for Moon.

---
------
We need carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus, in a 4:4:2:1:1:2 atomic ratio.
Loading Fabricator alchemical vat-VF with...
4+56+32+7+16+30 (145) parts Void fluid.
Multiply by 19-x where x equals the column of the base element you're using. Standard Procedure.
Prepare equal parts prepared element in vat-01 divided by row used, again Standard Procedure.
Xenon is the best element easily obtained to use, but it simply is recommended to use any noble gas.

Preparations complete, move to assembly.
(Maximum batch, 100kg)

Perform the following procedures in the following order.
1. Gamma-Mu-Theta for 1.08 minutes.
2. Delta-Delta-Beta for 6.42 seconds.
3. Epsilon-Zeta-Iota for 1.56 hours.
4. Lambda-Lambda-Lambda for 3 minutes 33.3333 seconds exact.
5. Gamma-Mu-Theta for 2.000000 minutes exact.
6. Omega for 5.00 seconds exact.
7. Extract.

A reminder that if 'exact' is stated, you must get it within the smallest digit stated, if not, within +/-1 of the smallest digit.
------

There, now to just remove the things that everyone knows...
...
There.

---

Message, Moon (LttM)
Attach file, Conflux C/Alchemy/Treatiese_for_making_Microbefood.txt
------
I'm sorry this took so long, I had other projects going on.
But here it is.
Oh! We're planning on a conference in three cycles by the way, I'll keep you posted.
------

...Honestly that felt good to do, I've always had a bit of love for alchemy.

---
------
Thank you Sig!
I appreciate it!
Oh and don't worry about taking so long, I completely understand.
I look forward to the conference!
------
---

Alright...

What to do... what to do...

...I don't think I have much to do actually, not anything urgent that's for sure.

Let's take a bit off then, no need to overwork myself.

---

Speak of the rain.

"Hi Tracker!"

Bar!

"I'm doing great, you?"

Bar!

"Great!"
I pull her closer to me.
"I love you! Yes I do!"

She grabs on to me when she gets close enough, the force is enough to push me back on the umbilical a couple meters.

"Ohohohohoho."
I let the gravity take us down to the floor, where I try to get into a sitting position.
I also have a 'pearl' float down to us from the orbit I keep them in.

Bar! Bar!

"You want the pearl?"

Bar!

"Do you?"

Bar!!

I toss it across the chamber.
"Go get it!"

She takes off.
She's so cute, like all of them are.
...
She returns it to my hands.

"Good girl!"

---

I repeat the motions a few times.

...
And a few more times.

I used to do this with Dew and Droplets a lot.
...Void I miss them.
The way they'd curl up around my hologram...
And eventually my puppet too.

Bar?

"Oh, sorry, remembering your parents."

Mrrr....
She walks over and lays her head down.

"Thank you."
"...I'm not particularly... sad about it anymore. I mean, I miss them, sure."
"But it's not a thing where I... shut down, figuratively speaking, anymore."
"But sometimes I remember something that I loved about them and I just... think about it."
"You know?"

Mrrrp

I nod my head.

---

We sit there for a while, then I bring the ball back to my hand.
"You want a couple more throws?"

Bar!

I feel my neck actuators relax.
She's a good girl.

---

I throw it a couple more times.
Aaaaand a couple more after that. I can't help myself.

---

Mrrp!

"You wanna go?"

Mrr

"Alright, I love you Tracker."
"And everyone else listening."

I give her a hug and...
That's gonna take a second to clean.
"Stop! Stop! Please!"
I'm laughing, but still.

...She relents.

"I love you."
I put my head against her headplate.

Mrrrrrrr...

Aaaaand... slowly push the gravity up and out.

"Love you!"

Bar!

They crawl out the pipe.

I throw the pearl back into orbit.

---

TYPE Drive C/personal logs/12.7xx.txt
...
------
12.780 / 1700
Today's been pretty good.
Helped out Frontiers with a bandaid logistics solution.
Holds promise too.
We're holding a conference in three cycles.

I need to work on alchemy projects more often, it's very soothing.
And... to be honest, probably a good way to spend my time.

Thinking about Dew and Droplets again.
Specifically, how they'd curl up next to me, always the cutest thing.
I miss them.
A lot.
I'm glad I have a good few pictures of them.
Just not a lot of videos.
Maybe I'll fix that for their pups.
Yeah, I'll have to do that.

Looking forward to the conference, will keep you updated.
------

Chapter 30: Brief Discussion

Summary:

Sig and Sliver discuss biomechanics.

SoS: I've been doing some good work recently.

NSH: In what?

SoS: Intra facility logistics.
SoS: I'm sure that Frontiers has told you about my polypede project?

NSH: Yeah, he has.

SoS: Well, I just recently finished a design for that, and I'm planning on growing a polypede from it soon.
SoS: Then I have a couple plans for further modifications that'll increase its carry capacity further.
SoS: Then I also have a controller design in mind for it, using a modified version of your hauler crab controller.

NSH: Sounds pretty good.
NSH: Anything else?

SoS: Well...
SoS: I've got something experimental in the works that *might* be able to help with repairs.

NSH: Really?
NSH: Can I hear it?

SoS: Yep, but just be aware that this is very much just a proof of concept, and I'm not even sure if it'll work.
SoS: Let me send you an image of the base critter that I plan on using.

Sliver (SoS) attached a file
Download?

Yes

...

NSH: Hmm.
NSH: It's got a very interesting mouth design.

SoS: Indeed.
SoS: Those feeding appendages are what I'm focusing on here.
SoS: I was thinking of getting a few, modifying their genetics to be more acceptable to biomechanics, and taking a good look at replacing those.

NSH: With tools?

SoS: Precisely.
SoS: Though the idea is that when they aren't working, they're minding their own business doing whatever, so they still have to be able to eat.

NSH: Okay, okay.
NSH: I like where this is going.

SoS: Thank you.
SoS: Any concerns?

NSH: ...I guess just population requirements.
NSH: Cus you'd need one to be available when you want a task done, preferably nearby to where you need them.
NSH: And, well... To be fair this is a problem I haven't even answered yet.
NSH: How are we gonna sustain the biomechanics through generations?

SoS: Yep, that one's been running through my mind too.
SoS: I've had a couple fringe ideas, but nothing leading to anything.
SoS: The *only* idea that I've felt has promise is organic circuitry and metal.
SoS: Or metal equivalents.

NSH: Yep, I've considered those too, and the only thing I've got on them is 'I don't know how to make those *yet.*'
NSH: I haven't disproven them.
NSH: You know?

SoS: Absolutely.

---

SoS: You want to discuss possibilities for that?

NSH: Sure.
NSH: Don't got much better to do at this point and realistically proving or disproving this will save a lot of time in the long run.
NSH: First, I think what would be a good idea to start this is to define what we want from this.
NSH: We want these organic parts to grow from birth.
NSH: But do we want part of the genome to do this? Or some other process?
NSH: Say... symbiotic microbes, or nutrients provided by a specialized diet.
NSH: And of course, we need a way for this to work in the first place that doesn't rely on a fabricator or factory.

SoS: Let's start on that last part first. And specifically for framework materials.
SoS: Iron feels like the easiest to start with, as that's already a part of most creatures' diet.

NSH: Mhm.

SoS: Of course, it's also prone to rusting and is heavy for how much you'd need.
SoS: So probably not.
SoS: Carbon fiber seems like the next best idea, due to it being carbon, need I explain further.
SoS: *And* there are also already purposed organisms that can produce carbon fiber. So to say that one of our designs couldn't make it themselves is by no means unlikely.

NSH: Though it does put a size limit on them, due to the relative size of carbon fiber organisms.
NSH: Still, seems to be the best option.

SoS: Indeed.
SoS: Which leads us to the harder problem, organic circuitry.
SoS: Not impossible, just look at our neurons.
SoS: But... tricky, especially without a factory to produce them.

...I should be writing this down.
NSH: Indeed.
NSH: Realistically we're going to *have* to use some amount of metal for it.
NSH: We probably should have started with that, set our requirements with the more restrictive part.
Opened the compartment.
Pulling it out.

SoS: Yeah, probably.
SoS: And... Really we only need them to intake the metals once.
SoS: Or at least a set amount.
SoS: I guess... it depends on when the parts form...

Booting it up.

NSH: Yeah...
NSH: Oh, and for the record I'm going to be writing this down, mkay?

SoS: Yes, in fact I should do that too.

NSH: Certainly be for the best.
NSH: And also I'm realizing how backwards we started this.
NSH: Ah well.
NSH: So, we need to look into what method we're doing this in.
NSH: I honestly don't think specialized diets is the way to go, because there is a set limit to what they need.
NSH: Honestly...
Booted up.
NSH: I think the best idea would be the genome, I already have quite a good idea on how to
Shit.
Let me grab the diskette...
NSH: modify creatures so that they're receptive to modifications, why not just remove the middle step?
NSH: Sorry about that, I forgot to actually get the diskette that I wanted to write this on out.

SoS: Diskette?
SoS: Oh, right.
SoS: How's that working out for you?

NSH: Good.
NSH: I've been mainly using the thing for logs, but I also keep some details to projects on it.

SoS: I see.
SoS: Maybe I should look into that.

NSH: You should.
NSH: Though... word of advice.
NSH: Any blueprint of a laptop you find, make sure you harden it before you fabricate it.
NSH: I almost smashed it when I turned on the gravity once.
NSH: Never again.

SoS: I see.
...
SoS: How about we get back on topic.

I slot the diskette in.
NSH: Yep, sounds good.
NEW FILE Drive C/Biomechanics/TheGenerationProblem PurposedSolution02.txt
NSH: So, the number one problem is that we need them to get the materials.
NSH: But when?
File created

SoS: Well.

TYPE Drive C/Biomechanics/TheGenerationProblem/PurposedSolution02.txt

SoS: Just about every bug of size I know of goes through metamorphosis at some point.
SoS: The only real exception I can think of is polypedes, and they have something else we can exploit, segment growth.
SoS: And non insects have various changes from adolescence to adulthood.
SoS: Probably the best place to do it.

Making notes of everything we already said...
NSH: ...That's a good idea.
NSH: So the best point to get the metal is during puberty?

SoS: To put it bluntly, yes.
SoS: I would say a diet change before or during its changes would work best.
SoS: Though that doesn't answer the question of *how* they'll get it.

Aaaaaand done.
All caught up.

---

We discuss a couple methods, mainly for the species we are already using.
And my lizards.

For the larger creatures we decided on them just eating scrap metal, simple.
Sharper teeth, a more robust digestive system, easy.

For the smaller creatures that can't rely on just crunching through a metal sheet we decided on a slightly more subtle method of metal collection.
Making metal edible.
Some specialized cells in the creature's saliva that go through metal and combine with it to break it into very small pieces and make it edible.
Made by the creature during or just before puberty/metamorphosis, and quickly stopped once it is over, or potentially when enough materials are collected.

All that's left is how to get stuff in the right place in the right configuration, but that part's easy.

---

SoS: That worked out pretty well.

NSH: Indeed.
NSH: Glad we finally got that sorted out.

SoS: Indeed.
...
SoS: I think I'm going to head out for now, see if I can't apply what we've just done to an actual genome.

NSH: Indeed, I think I'll look into it pretty fast myself.
NSH: Talk soon?

SoS: Of course.
SoS: Cya.

NSH: Cya.

Disconnect

---

I save the document, and shutdown and store...
...
Booting up...
...

EXECUTE Drive A/TetraProject/TetraAdapt.exe
...

Let's see if we can't get a better score.

---

I'm glad I have things to remember Silver by.

---

I'm glad I have the computer, it's been... very useful.
To put it lightly.
Not even considering the peace of mind it's given me.

---

This is soothing.
Just... stacking pieces over and over.

---

One million points.

---

...Is it the date she ascended?
Fuck!
Ah shit, now there's a hole an-
...
1.4 million, not a record.

...
...I think it's been exactly 5.500 cycles since she's ascended.
I should do something.

Chapter 31: Doing Something

Summary:

A direct continuation from the last chapter.

But what?

Like... What do I do?

...

Hmm.
Let's take a look at a memory.
I think there's still a good few that I haven't seen yet.

I pull the pearl out of its orbit, the sky blue distinct among the forest green and deep black pearls that I usually populate the orbits with.

Alright.
Let's see...

---

There's one.
It's split into two parts, it's a wonder I haven't watched this one yet.

------
The tower's rather tall.
I've only just broke the clouds and I'm easily only a third of the way up.

And to think, there's three of these towers.

...
The clouds, even at this layer, are as beautiful as always.

I wonder what it'd be like to ride one of those birds?
There's gotta be something to it, otherwise there wouldn't be so many people still going against doctrine to ride them.
Or so I've heard.

Regardless, I'm still doing something, let's keep going.

---

...
Fuck it's pretty.
It'll probably get prettier as the sun sets too.

It's a shame I don't get above the clouds often.
Maybe I'll start having to, besides the exercise going up this ain't too bad.
Certainly good for my arms, been a while since I've given them a proper work out.

Maybe I'll ask Sig for some hand weights.
------

I remember that!
She never told me why exactly she wanted them.
I was still happy to oblige.

------
1600 now.
Sun's getting close to setting.
It'll still be light for a while, so I'll keep climbing.

---

Sun's just about to set, maybe ten minutes.
Let's find a nice place to rest, then I'll watch the sunset.

---

This should do just fine.
And just in time too.

...

Wow...
Just as beautiful as I thought it would be.
Actually...
More beautiful.

---

She pulls out some food from her pack, most of it prepared.
Nothing I recognize, but I never looked too far into the culinary arts.
No real interest.

She enjoys it, though the memory suggests that at least part of this was because it was made by Mountains.
Perhaps he was a good cook. I never figured that out from her.

---

She finishes, makes a silent thanks to Mountains, and sleeps for the night.
------
---

I wonder how that taste simulator project went, I haven't checked in... a while.
I might have to look into it, see what the hubbub is all about.

---
------
I can feel the air getting thinner.

I should probably put on the mask.
...

...
There.

---

It's... refreshingly cold up here.
What is it? Fifteen degrees?
Colder?
I don't even think it gets below twenty two below the clouds.
I might have to stretch this trip out a smidge longer.
Just a day though, I didn't pack enough food otherwise.

...

Must be on the colder side, I can see my breath.

---

Reminds me of snow.

...What's it been since I've last seen snow?
5.000 cycles?
More?
More, definitely.
------

...A painful reminder of what we've done to this world.
It used to be colder.
A good bit colder.

Nowadays outside temperatures reaching room temperature are called cold fronts.

There's probably much worse things we've done too.

------
It's wonderful up here.

Not a worry in the world.

---

I wonder how Five's doing, her train car should still take... five cycles to get here? Six?
I'll have to head down there soon, make sure nothing goes wrong.

But for now, I climb.
I should be almost there.

---

Almost there, the structure's starting to thin.

---

...
I'm here.

I am... standing on one of the highest points in the world.
Only beaten by the inter facility masts.

It's wonderful.
------
---

Indeed it is.
Looking through the memory gives it an... almost ethereal quality, distorted and put through rose tinted glasses.
...
There's a note.

---
------
Don't really know why I'm writing this one.
Especially because I couldn't put words to what I was feeling at the time.
Hmm... Maybe I won't put this one for the first few.
Oh... and on the off chance you find this specific one.
Hey.
I guess.

You mind if I divulge something?

I know that you've seen... let me think.
Our first meeting.
Me meeting Mountains and Five.
...*Maybe* me running from home and me going off grid?
Point is, I put some specific memories for you to view first.
But I've actually considered over like... a hundred to put there.

This was one of the forerunners.
It... was a particularly happy memory.
And...
The last happy memory involving *just* me.
Sure, most of that stems from mine and Five's almost complete inseparableness.
But... still.

I don't know why I'm really saying any of this.
Typing, whatever.

I wonder when you're reading this?
Just after my ascension?
Eons into the future?
I have no idea.

Reminds me of how... unknowable this is going to be.
I *don't* know what's going to happen.
And... that's a little scary, considering.

I normally kinda like unknowns.
It's an adventure.

But I also realize that this...
This is a point of no return.

Or.
Well...
I guess I've already walked past quite a few points of no return.
I'm sure you've already got an idea of that.

...
I'm both not ready and ready.
Does that make sense?

...
Probably does.

...
How do I end this? I don't know when you're reading it.

I know. I'll end it when I get to the hideout to drop this off.

~~~

Ok.
I keep my promises.

...
Damn, this is still really fucking hard.

...
Bye?
I guess?
I've already said goodbye in the specific memories.

Whatever.
Bye again.
I wish you luck in... whatever you're working on when you read this.
Drop a postcard in the sea or something, maybe I'll see it.
------
---

...
I wish I had tear ducts.

---

Maybe I could look into puppet modification.
...
Nah, too risky.
It's the heart of my consciousness after all.
If I mess that up...
...Not worth it.
Especially not just for the ability to cry.

---

...
Changing out disks...

...

Done.

TYPE Drive C/personal logs/12.7xx.txt
...
------
12.783 / 1900
...
I want to talk to Silver again.
...
I know.
*I know.*

I know that that's an impossibility.

It's...
It's this *want.*
It's an unsolvable want.
But I feel like my motors may seize if I don't.

Speak of the rain.
I've lost control of my left knee.
...I'm going to save this before I'm stuck wasting the battery.
I've already used like -op, right hand motor- 50% of the thing's power.

Goodnight.
------
---

There. Got it in its place.
The disks are still out though.
...
Fixed that.

Now to let my motors temporarily seize in peace.

---

I lay down before I can't get in a good position.

---

I really, really want to talk with her again.

But I can't.

---

She said to send a postcard?
...I could probably actually do that.
Now that I have the hauler crabs.

I'll have to prepare it in a couple minutes.

---

It's weird, being seized up like this on the floor.
...
I can't move.
And I don't particularly want to.

Well.
Ok.
I know I'd like to move sometime in the future.
But I also know I'll un-seize before then.
The puppet's got fail safes for this, at the very least.

---

When was the last time I seized?
...

...
Shit, I think it was when I finished my first transcension model, which makes my last my first.
I got too excited, I was in a call with Moon talking about it and...
My hand froze up, and I freaked. Out.
It was scary.

---

I managed to call a mechanic down.
I had to carefully move my arm to press the keys.

She couldn't help.
It was a known thing in Iterator puppets, several others had already locked up.
Sometimes when you experience too much emotion your joints and motors just... quit.

She ended up staying in the chamber for a bit.
I was quite thankful for that.

---

It was pretty clear that the mechanics didn't get that much love from Administration.
Seeing how often they would stick around just a little longer than they needed to in my chamber.
It became such a thing that sometimes I would... oh I don't know.
Slide a pearl into their hand, act like I didn't do anything.

I don't know how much they liked it. I usually put in some reading material I liked that wasn't a neuroscience textbook.

---

I think some of my motors are starting back up.
...
Yep, I can barely move my legs.
Damn, I was kinda enjoying laying on the floor for a bit.

...
Doesn't mean I have to stop.

---

I want to paint that view.
The view from atop the tower.

...Soon.

...Now.
Let's do that now.

---

Alright, got a frame of the memory set up for reference.
Now to get my tools out.

---

There.
...
Actually.
Replace the canvas, let's get a better colored one.

---

...There we go.
A nice blue for what will eventually be the sky.

Now.
Let's start with the clouds.
I'll use a rag for this, give the clouds a nice scattered detailing.

---

Give the clouds closest to the horizon some highlighting...

...
Yeah.
...Yeah!

It looks good.

---

Maybe I should make two of these.
One the one I'm already making, with a blue canvas simulating the sky.
And the other a light yellow, simulating the clouds.

Yes... I like the idea of that.

---

...
There.
The clouds are done.

Now!
While we're waiting for this layer to dry...
Let's start on the other one.

---

We're going to use a rag again for the sky.

---

Make it darker as we get higher...
...
Just like that.

---

...
There we go.
Now time to add some detailing to the clouds in this one, and to add the stars on the other.

Then once the layers dry I'll put more detailings on them.
And then I'll add the iterators and masts in the background.
And then I paint the tower she stands on.
...
Yeah.
Yeah I'll do that.

And for the detailings, I'll just use brushes.

---

There, stars added on one, and detailings in the clouds on the other.

Now to let them dry.

---

...There, stored and drying, should be ready in a couple hours.

---

TYPE Drive C/personal logs/12.7xx.txt
...
------
Same Cycle / 1950
So I'm no longer seized up, that's nice.

I started painting a new landscape.
Actually, I started painting it twice.
As like... an experiment.
So far it holds promise.

And I think doing this is bringing me some kind of peace.
Like... 90% sure of that.

In unrelated to Silver news.
I've been thinking about doing an ecological study of my facility.
See what's changed, if anything.
Just... you know. As a side hobby.
Add it to the list.

Anyways.
Keep ya posted.
------

Chapter 32: Ecological Study

Summary:

Sig makes an ecological study.

Notes:

Yeah this one's a little different. I don't plan on making... any of these again, but I might, who knows.

A Study of the Ecological Changes that have occurred in Facility-07 since Final Public Ascension (11.999 to 13.326)
First Draft by No Significant Harassment
Additional hypotheses and thoughts provided by Sliver of Straw, Distant Frontiers, Looks to the Moon, Unparalleled Innocence, and Seven Red Suns

Table of Contents

1. Preface
2. Overview of Facility-07
3. Changes on a Regional Basis
4. The Can
   1. The Roof
   2. The City
   3. The Walls
   4. The Northern Wall
   5. The Underhang
   6. The Legs
5. The Industrial Complex
   1. The Helium Vats
      1. Vat 06
      2. Vat 43
   2. The Pipe Network
   3. The Refineries
   4. The Alchemical Sector
   5. The Farm Arrays
   6. The Chimneys
   7. The Disposal Yard
   8. The Mining yards
6. The Logistics Complex
   1. Track 6 Industrial
   2. Track 8 Passenger
7. The Tri-Peak Towers
   1. Below the Clouds
   2. The Bridges
   3. Above the Clouds
8. The True Appointed Citadel
   1. The Spires
   2. The Memory Crypts
   3. The Cellars
9. The Surface City
10. The Cave Systems
    1. The Rift
       1. The Void Temples
       2. The Void Sea
11. The Filtration Plant
12. Overall Changes
13. Hypotheses and Thoughts
    1. NSH
    2. SoS
    3. DF
    4. LttM
    5. UI
    6. SRS
14. Conclusion

Preface

As of the beginning of this study, it has been exactly 1.000 (Now 1.327) cycles since the final Ancient crossed themselves out. It is this study's purpose to find what has changed during this time, seeing how nature has begun to reclaim the things the Ancients have built.

The study is broken into five parts: an overview of the facility and notable structures, the individual changes in each notable area, the overall changes to the facility as a whole, hypotheses and thoughts (made by me and my fellow Iterators), and a conclusion.

A file containing details and pictures of every species has been attached to this study.

Overview of Facility-07

Facility-07, hereby referred to as 07, is a Generation One Iterator's facility, specifically No Significant Harassment's facility.

The local Iterator Superstructure, hereby referred to by the term 'Can', has noted several ecological changes. Depending on the amount of light and altitude of the area, different changes have been observed.
These areas include the Roof of the Can, the city residing on top, the Walls, the Western Wall specifically, the Underhang, the Eight (8) Legs, and the Southeastern Leg specifically.

07, like all Generation One facilities, houses an extensive industrial and logistic complex, which will be the main focus of this study. It is notable for having access to a large underground helium bubble, which currently functions as its primary source of materials.
Notable areas in the Industrial Complex include the helium vats, vats 6 and 43 specifically, the pipe network, the refineries, the alchemical sector, the farm arrays, the chimney tops, the disposal yard, and the mining yard.
The logistics complex, outside of overall changes, only has two notable areas, that being track 6 and 8's stations.

07, like every other facility, houses a large communication array, designed to process every and all communications to and from the facility. 07's array is named Tri-Peaks, due to its fairly unique three mast design. Between these towers just above the cloud layer lie three bridges, designed as mainly structural supports, but also as a fast and flat path to get between the towers.

07 is built around a large city, which itself is centered around the True Appointed Citadel. Though it has been abandoned for the past several thousand cycles, it has for a long time been unable to develop any appreciable ecosystem. This has recently changed.
Notable locations among the Citadel itself are the spires, which until 240 cycles ago breached the cloud layer, and the cellars, which span several floors and if not for its artificial nature could be called a cave system. And of course there's the memory crypts.
The city itself is notable in its own right, but due to its standardized design, no areas have become notable for this study.

07 is one of the very few facilities that have near direct access to the void sea, specifically through a cave system that dives deep into the earth. At the bottom of this system, a massive rift lies, created by an industrial incident involving a local filtration plant that triggered a fault line.
In this rift lie the filtration plant that created the rift, previously buried Ancient temples worshiping the void sea, as well as an access point to the void sea itself.

Changes on a Regional Basis

The Can

Several changes have been observed regarding the exterior of the can. Very minor changes regarding the interior of the can, despite the easy access to the interior. The reason for this difference has been me directing my inspectors to, if they find an unwanted creature, extract and remove the creature from the interior. Any flora noted to be encroaching inside does not live long, and is allowed to grow in the very few places it can. I make sure to keep a close eye on any flora growing inside to note changes in growth patterns.

The Roof

The roof of the Can has noted a distinct lack of life. This is reasonable, the roof does not house nutrients of any kind, nor does it hold water. This is in vast difference to the other areas of the Can. The only known species to live on it are a few types of extremophile fungus.

The City

The city, despite standing in much the same conditions as the roof, has proven to be much more viable for the life that can reach it. Along with the fungus mentioned above, several types of bug and bird of varying size have taken home in the abandoned buildings.
Notably, the previously endangered rider birds have quickly regained a population living off of the prey in the city.
Along with this, a few variations of baseline polypedes (Not those modified by Distant Frontiers) have proven to be ample predators of their own.

The Walls

The walls of the Can, in the past thousand or so cycles, have proven to be a surprisingly habitable land, despite the sheer cliffside that it is. What I have dubbed 'Communicator Lizards' (A species created by myself) have managed to reach near the top of the food chain, and have avoided being prey to the top of the food chain, that being the rider birds.
Several species of insect have found a foothold here, filling in just about every niche that the communicator lizard and rider bird have not.

The Northern Wall

The northern wall is of specific note, as, due to my position on the planet, it never sees sunlight except briefly during sunset.
This has caused certain adaptations to the animals living there, and has led to the removal of both communicator lizards and rider birds from this specific wall's food chain.
A notable species to take rise here is a variation of the polypede, which no longer relies on seeing, and instead relies on extremely sensitive hearing to navigate to prey.

The Underhang

The underhang is host to a much less diverse ecosystem, mainly due to its much more dangerous environment, that being lack of solid ground and electrical discharge during the night.
Its primary species are all extremophile adaptations of life living on the walls and legs of the Can.
Its main predator is the same polypede species that inhabits the western wall.
I have noted an increase in the amount of species that use either bioluminescence or camouflage compared to other areas.

The Legs

The legs hold a very similar ecosystem to the underhang, only differing in species diversity, due to the fact that the leg is a relatively much safer location to live in, and thus more inviting to species.

The Industrial Complex

The industrial Complex, being by far the largest area of 07, has by far the largest diversity of life. Throughout the entire complex, there are a few constants.
Plated lizards have nearly completely overtaken the niche of medium-large predators and seem to be attempting to overtake more. In the time that the Ancients have crossed themselves out, the known number of lizard species has doubled from three (3) variations to six (6) known variations.
Several species of bug have proven to be quite effective in their niche.
Notably, despite their effectiveness in harsher environments, polypedes have struggled in gaining a foothold in less naturally dangerous environments.

The Helium Vats

The helium vats are where large quantities of helium are compressed and stored for later use. Many of these vats are then held at cryogenic temperatures to compress the now-liquid further.
Due to this and several temperature regulation failures, the buildings they are housed in are extremely cold, often well below -20C.
This has led to relative unclaim from nature, but not for lack of trying.
The current largest 'permanent resident' is a type of mycelium that has grown through the walls. It seems to have taken well to the cold.

Vat 06

One of the few vats not designed to hold pressurized helium, instead being one of many connection points to the helium pipe network.
Unfortunately for my industrial complex, this one has sprung a leak.
Fortunately for this study, this has led to some interesting adaptations from the wildlife.
The air in the building that vat 06 is located in has been determined to be roughly 85% helium, pushing out most other elements.
This has led to the building becoming an impromptu O2 and CO2 deprivation chamber, leading to what would normally be considered high altitude adaptations.
I have found no macroscopic life that lives there, but due to the rather interesting colors on the walls, believe that there are several fascinating microscopic cultures living on the walls. I plan on getting a sample as soon as possible.

Vat 43

Vat 43 is another vat that has been damaged. It went under what we in the business call rapid unplanned disassembly.
It imploded.
In any case, the sudden coating of all nearby surfaces in liquid helium led to some... interesting results.
Pertaining to this study this just led to more fascinating and colorful microbes that I will have to look into.

The Pipe Network

The pipe networks running throughout 07 have had a quite fascinating change.
Over the past 1.000 cycles, the dedicated pipe cleaners (Which frankly were never particularly needed in the first place) have slowly begun to deviate from their original purpose.
I'm frankly impressed, I would have never thought that an organism as purposed as a pipe cleaner could begin to break from that.
I will be keeping an eye on them for the foreseeable future.

The Refineries

The refineries are home to the largest concentration of purposed organisms, designed to process and produce several different materials.
Little has changed, but whenever one of the metal boxes breaks the organism inside it proves quite quickly to not be ready for outside life, and quickly dies.
I long for the cycle that is not the case.

The Alchemical Sector

The void fluid pulsing through the alchemical sector has had... unique effects on the wildlife.
More specifically, the wildlife brave or stupid enough to venture into it.

I have never seen as many wheel flowers anywhere else, for one.
For two, fungus again takes the winner for hardy flora.
In an advanced form of chemosynthesis, the fungus has appeared to use the vaporization of its own body as a source of energy.
I'm sure there are also several microbes practicing the same technique.
It's very fascinating to watch unfold.
The fungus grows far enough to touch the void fluid, then using its vaporization, feeds itself.

The Farm Arrays

Now, I don't know about anyone reading this, but I haven't particularly taken care of my farm arrays. This has led to the arrays becoming rather... overgrown.
For this study, it has been very fascinating to watch how the fauna has reacted to the arrays becoming a jungle.
One note is of the fruit collectors, they seem to have gained a remarkable separation from their purpose, and now spend their time jumping between megaflora collecting the fruits and other pieces of food that other animals cannot reach.

The Chimneys

The chimneys of the industrial complex and the walls of my Can are in many ways alike, due to the sheer verticality of the two areas.
The main difference comes from the lack of the wall's two main predators, leaving in several other species to fill in the gaps.
My favorite example is a species of plated lizard that has grown smaller and has adapted to climbing on near vertical walls, allowing it a much farther range of movement then most landbound creatures.

The Disposal Yard

The disposal yard is interesting.
Due to the numerous decomposition vats, which create a toxic haze throughout the yard, the yard is largely inhospitable to outside life.
That does not mean, however, that it is devoid of life.
Most species of flora have abandoned photosynthesis in favor of chemogenesis, but I must note one in particular that has gone neither path.
It has instead become carnivorous.
Being one of many species of the flexible variety, it has decided to use this to strangle anything that rubs up against it. Truly fascinating.
Another species, this time fauna, that interests me is the garbage sorters. They have seemed to bunch together into large packs, a behavior I've really only seen in the communicator lizards and the fruit collectors. The latter of which I must note use the same base genetics as the garbage sorters.

The Mining Yards

These yards have actually been abandoned for much longer than most other parts of the facility, as they were built before the helium pocket was discovered, which entirely replaced the need for conventional mining.
As such, its ecosystem has had the most time to diversify.
Some point a very very long time ago, a group of plated lizards must have gotten stuck down here.
This has led to a rather interesting species of lizard that have devolved eyes, and instead rely on hearing. They have also gained black coloration that reduces their visibility further.
Lantern mice have also made their way down there, but little evolution has taken place on their part outside of stronger bioluminescence and a stronger flight response.
I plan on making a much fuller report on the mining yards, but first I actually need to find all the species that have made them their home.

The Logistics Complex

The logistics complex is home to the largest amount of megafauna, as it used to be home to heavy duty hauler creatures, unfortunately now undomesticated.
Overall, not many outside creatures besides plated lizards have managed to make their home here, due to the efficiency of the hauler creatures and the near entirely metal and concrete environment.

Track 6 Industrial

Track 6 is of note as its station was dedicated to the loading and unloading of organics, most often purposed organisms.
The last train to arrive at track 6 was carrying some garbage sorters, which were at the time nearing endangerment.
These original garbage sorters were never unloaded, as they arrived the cycle after Final Public Ascension.
Fortunately for them and this study, they broke out of the train delivering them. Since then they have formed a pack that mainly centers around Track 6. Early signs of a hierarchy in the pack forming are present, with a specific, notably strong, sorter seeming to take ownership of the pearls and other objects they have found.

Track 8 Passenger

Track 8 is notable for being a hunting ground for the aforementioned garbage sorters, and has been a source of most of the pack's collection, as the station did not only deliver passengers, but also mail.
Due to restrictions in the later cycles, most mail never made it to its recipient.
------
---

NSH: I want to mention Silver in this.

DF: I know you do buddy.
DF: But you *know* you've already gone a little bit too unprofessional.
DF: Moon's gonna edit a lot of this anyways.

NSH: You're right, you're right.
NSH: Doesn't stop the feeling though.

DF: I get that.
DF: How about you talk about what you wanted to say to me once you're done with this?

NSH: Sure. I can do that.

---
------

The Tri-Peak Towers

The Tri-Peak towers serve as 07's communication array.
Not much life outside of flying insects and avians live on these towers, but not for lack of trying.

Below the Clouds

Under the cloud layer is where most land bound creatures stay.
Plated lizards are again the most common predator, and most have similar climbing capabilities to that of the industrial complex's chimneys.
In fact, below the clouds the tower's ecosystem is nearly identical to that of the chimneys.

The Bridges

The bridges between the towers serve as real estate for many of the nests of the flying denizens, but as also the home of several land based creatures that got up here and decided to not leave.
As such, a competitive ecosystem has arisen where most of the predators do not feast on each other, but on the eggs of those not here.

Above the Clouds

Above the cloud layer, nearly no land bound creatures stray.
As the masts climb higher, only certain animals with high altitude adaptations stray.
Notably, one species of lizard has made its home in the highest points of the tower. A rather small variety further adapted for climbing than its lower living counterpart. It nestles itself into anywhere it can, preferably near a source of vegetarian food, and lies in wait for one of the flying denizens to take a snack break.
Said denizen usually never finishes its meal.

The True Appointed Citadel

The citadel was the home of several monks who decided the best way to spend their time before ascension was excessive cleaning of their home.
To put it simply, nearly nothing lives there as there is hardly any remaining plant matter to start the food chain.

The Spires

The spires are the highest points of the citadel, and are the nearly uncontested nesting points for various avians and insects.
Though none of them stay there for longer than needed to care for their young.

The Memory Crypts

The crypts are home to the largest store of memories in my facility, and as such has a guardian species built for them.
Miros birds.
Nothing lives here besides them.

The Cellars

The cellars are the only location with any significant number of living creatures inside it.
Mainly molds of varying type, effectiveness, and color.
And a couple of smaller insects that feed on them.

The Surface City

This city is by and large home to the same species as the general sectors of the Industrial Complex, due to its similar shape.

The Cave Systems

07 is one of the relatively few facilities to have access to a cave system, which in this case is home to quite a few unique non-purposed species.
Most notably is a species which I am naming the drowner, which is a small aquatic creature that lives in the stagnant pools of the cave system. When something enters one of these, the drowners in the pool make quick work of the poor creature by attaching to it and bringing it deep underwater, eventually drowning it and eating its corpse later.

The Rift

The rift is the remains of a large sinkhole created by tremors from the nearby filtration plant.
Due to its rather direct connection to the void sea, not many things live in it, but those that do develop... oddities in how they live.
Most species that live here lay by the sea for hours or cycles at a time, not eating, drinking, and possibly not even sleeping.
Any further observation has not been possible, as the effects of the void sea interfere with visual observation.

The Void Temples

Nothing lives here except the guardians placed here, they do not let anything pass unless they are karmically balanced, which are few and far between in the critters down here.

The Void Sea

As creatures approach the void sea through one path or another, they slow down, their metabolisms working slower.
Most don't ever go closer than 10 meters from the sea, and those that do never leave.

The Filtration Plant

Due to its sheer density and dangerous machinery, the filtration plant is by and large devoid of life.

Overall Changes

Overall, 07 has noted an increase in wildness as various sectors have been unused for extended periods of time. Many previously purposed organisms and feral pets have taken up niches in the ecosystem, and have proven to be quite effective in said niches.
As previously stated, attached to this study is a list of every species I have cataloged.

Hypotheses and Thoughts

The following are a collection of hypotheses by myself and my friends, all of which have been invaluable in making this study.

NSH

Despite having... some amount of control of the ecosystem, I have very little idea of what will happen. I do have one thought though.
I noted in the study that the garbage sorter and fruit collector purposed organisms are both very similar genetically. I believe, in the event that the two species were to meet, they would be close enough genetically for the two species to mix and become one species.
Only time will tell if this actually happens.

SoS

It's rather interesting, the effects taken place here.
Honestly, makes me want to learn more about the effects on void fluid on organisms
It reminds me of some old theories on black holes, back when astronomy was a practiced science.
That as you approached a black hole, others' perspective of you entering would slow down further and further.
You would look like you were stuck at the edge of the event horizon.
Doesn't that sound familiar?

DF

It's interesting seeing how the polypedes have managed to take up a couple niches in several different areas. Mainly in the more dangerous areas.
I think that that is due to the strange property they have that if you split them in two there is a roughly 70% chance each for either side of the split to survive, leading to a higher tolerance for dangerous environments and even occasionally a population increase when you split them in two.

LttM

I've found the carnivorous plant most interesting of all of this. It's quite interesting to see an inversion of a vegetarian. I also found the sheer amount of fungi very fascinating, maybe it's why so much of our large scale processing strata is based off of mycelium.

UI

I found the bioluminescence in the underhang so pretty! I bet that and the camouflage present there is due to low levels of light (At least, before everything is electrocuted) to be due to one being beneficial to seeing and one being much easier to do.

SRS

I found those pipe cleaner slugs interesting. I wonder how they will continue to change.

Conclusion

This study has been very enlightening on how the world is changing now that the Ancients are no longer with us. The fact that even in as short a time as a millennia this much can change is staggering. It also has been very thought provoking on previously unknown effects of void fluid, which is still a staggering mystery despite thousands if not millions of tests in attempt to understand it.

If you have any thoughts or would like to share any species you have studied, please contact me through my work pipeline.

------
---

NSH: It's done.
NSH: Can I just say I hated that?

LttM: The study or writing about the study?

NSH: What do you think?

LttM: Fair.
LttM: Maybe next time you do that I'll do all of the writing?

NSH: Please do.
NSH: I just... cannot write professionally.

LttM: I get it.
LttM: I've seen a lot of really *really* smart Iterators just... fail at writing essays.
LttM: Like Suns, actually.
LttM: They've obviously proven themselves to be really smart, just...
LttM: Here, how about I show you the essay I'm talking about.

NSH: Well now I'm kinda interested.
NSH: Send me it, I'll read it in a bit.
NSH: For now though...
NSH: I'm tired.

LttM: Of course.
LttM: You rest up.
LttM: Love you Sig.

NSH: Love ya.

Disconnect

Chapter 33: Catching Up With an Old Friend*

Summary:

Among other things.

------
Hey Winds... just noticing that we haven't talked in a while.
You up for that?
------
---

---
------
Yeah!
I would love that!
------
---

Private Discussion
Members: Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), CW (Chasing Winds)

CW: Good to see you!
CW: How've you been?

NSH: Good. I've been doing good.
NSH: You?

CW: Good!
CW: I saw your and Moon's study, it was really interesting!

NSH: Thank you.
NSH: Anything you've been up to?

CW: Yep!
CW: Mainly looking through my facility with overseers, seen some interesting stuff.

NSH: Cool.

---

CW: So you've been working on purposed organisms?

NSH: Yeah, it's been this whole thing.
NSH: It started with me essentially adopting two lizards in the name of science.
NSH: Though... 'in the name of science' changed pretty quickly.
NSH: They were loyal pets and companions.
NSH: Smart too.
NSH: Those two are gone now. I'm not over it, but I'm at peace with it.
NSH: Their memory lives on through their pups, and *their* pups.

CW: ...Huh.
CW: Anything else?

NSH: Oh yeah.
NSH: I'm sure you've seen some of the things I've published?

CW: Oh yeah.
CW: Those hauler crab things have been useful.
CW: Didn't even realize that it was that useful.

NSH: Thank you.
NSH: Honestly, if you've got some spare processing power, we'd be happy to have you helping us out here and there.

CW: Interesting proposition.
CW: I've been kinda busy recently, working on my own things.
CW: Maybe later?

Huh, I wonder what she's so busy with.
NSH: Cool cool.
NSH: No worries whatsoever.

CW: Ok.

---

NSH: You know, I just had a thought.

CW: Mhm?

NSH: I could probably, *if that's okay with you*, hack into your systems and change your name.
NSH: Fix your ID code, CW to GW, the whole thing.

CW: Oh!
CW: Hmm...

NSH: Take your time.
NSH: This is only something I want to do if you are absolutely O.K. with it.
NSH: The process would be *very* invasive, and time consuming.

CW: ...How invasive?

NSH: I'd have to access just about every communication and security node you had.
NSH: And for the record, yes, I'd be able to do it.

CW: ...
CW: It's tempting.
CW: ...I don't want you to go through my systems.
CW: And frankly, it's not needed. I'm fine with friends knowing it now.

NSH: Of course, I completely understand.
NSH: Don't do anything you're comfortable with.

CW: ...You mean not comfortable with?

...
NSH: ...Fuck.
NSH: Yes, I meant not comfortable with.

CW: Heh.
CW: I'm not going to let you live that down.

NSH: Har har.
NSH: I still have like five messages of yours saved in my confluxes.
NSH: You've got catching up to do.

CW: Mm.

---

CW: You wouldn't actually send that out, right?

NSH: No, of course not.
NSH: Not you, not *any* of my friends.

CW: Ok, good.

---

CW: Anything else you've been up to?

NSH: Oil painting.

CW: Really?
CW: That's pretty interesting!
CW: What have you made?

NSH: A good few landscape paintings.
NSH: And one singular self portrait.

CW: Can I see?

...
NSH: Sure.

Attach file, Conflux C/Hobby/Bad_Self_Portrait.png

CW: ...Oh.

NSH: My landscapes are much better.
NSH: I just can't draw faces for the life of me.
NSH: Would you like to see one of those?

CW: Yeah.

Attach file, Conflux C/Hobby/Cityscape_Towers.png

CW: Ah, yeah ok that's much better.

NSH: Thank you.
NSH: That's not what I would even consider my best work.
NSH: That was one of the first pieces I made.

CW: No way?
CW: It's amazing!

NSH: Thanks.

---

She pesters me into showing off a couple more.
Not that I'm exactly complaining.
...I make sure not to show her the paintings of the Tri-Peaks.

---

CW: Wow.
CW: That's some cool shit.

NSH: Thank you.

---

We catch up for a while.
I talk about my plans and hobbies and what not.
And Winds.
...
She hasn't said anything about herself.
She's just...
Deflected questions with generic answers.

---

She's...
She's hiding something.

---

The conversation's slowing down.
Play it cool.
NSH: I've had a nice chat Winds!

CW: I have too!
CW: It's been good chatting Sig.

NSH: Same with you.
NSH: Talk soon?

CW: Yep!
CW: I'll call you, k?

NSH: Totally.
Hmm.
NSH: Cya.

CW: Cya!

Gray Winds (GW) has disconnected.

...
Fast to disconnect.

---

It's probably fine.
I'm just crazy.

No.

I asked like... twenty different catching up questions.
She didn't give a satisfactory answer to any.
Well.
She said she was looking around her facility.
But that's it.
...

---

Maybe she's fine.
Maybe... maybe she had like... a break up with a friend.
Not Suns or anything, as far as I'm aware they're still inseparable.

...

---
------
Hey Suns, just...
A weird question.
You talked with Winds recently?
------
---

---
------
No, actually.
Last I talked was about...
Oh, maybe just after FPA?
Why, there something up with them?
------
---

...
Fuck.
I don't like this.

---
------
...
Maybe.
I don't want to jump to anything *just* yet.
I know you two are just about inseparable.
I'll keep you posted, unless there's *really* good reason not to.
------
---

...Alright then.
I've got... an option.
One that honestly I don't really like the idea of using.

---

Or I could not.
Let them run through whatever they're hiding.

That's a dangerous idea though.
Even if it's just as simple as someone they've lost or a bad breakup with a friend.

I gotta do something.

---

TYPE Drive C/personal logs/14.1xx.txt
...
------
14.187 / 0900
I'm going to take... a closer checkup on Winds.
She's hiding something, I know it.

...
This is the right thing to do, right?
------

Notes:

*Part 1

Chapter 34: Catching Up With an Old Friend pt. 2

Summary:

More like Checkup amiright?

Alright...

Let's just...
Let's just do this.

Grab out some of the stuff I made for this...
Having some kind of analogue display is... useful, frankly.
Something to tell me if something's going wrong.

---

Aaaaalright.
Everything's set up.

---

She's an older model, things are structured... slightly differently.
Not too different though.
Still means I have to figure out a route myself.

Let's see...

Hopped through my aux.
Established connection to her main...
Consulting... Her diagram...
...

Man, why are we built so shit?
Alright, regardless, got hooked to a minor communication node. D-05, by the looks of it.
Piping data...

Sorting by severity...

...Nothing.
Nothing significant anyways.
Fair enough, D-05 says it's connected to... just the confluxes and labs really.
Frankly, good, that just means that two very important systems are in working order.

Op, getting a security request.
Sending admin credentials...

All clear.

---

Hmm...
There's nothing.
Nothing whatsoever.
Nothing of note.
Not even...

Not even the usual error messages first gen Iterators would see.
Nothing about conflux decay, miniscule gravity shifts, nothing.
...
Unless she's found a solution to all of that, she's suppressing the errors.
How? Why?
And...

What else is she suppressing?

---

...
Maybe I can set something up.
Get what's being suppressed for myself.

Let's... check something that I know would generate errors first.
The Memory Conflux.

---

...Can't connect?
Connection doesn't exist?

...
That's horrifying.
What would justify severing a comms node from its connections like that?

...
I could reroute through a backdoor.
Weather Station to Conflux.

---

...
Ancients below...
...Confluxes B and C damaged to near inoperability?
...
Temperature levels at 80C?

...
Maybe shutting down the connection wasn't by choice...

---

What else is wrong?

###

Let's... let's get this straight.

-The source of the damage seems to be some kind of cooling failure.
-This failure is ongoing, and seems to have originated, using outside evidence, sometime not long after FPA.
-This failure has reduced the efficiency of nearly every system, and has rendered several subsystems near inoperable.
-These subsystems are... were likely high use, seeing that several are subsystems that are fairly essential to function, like some sectors of processing strata, and the early letter confluxes. These would create the most heat and therefore cause the most damage.
-Winds has seemingly done nothing to fix this, and might either not be aware, due to damage, or she might be intentionally ignoring it.
-She now runs every system not related to her existence in maintenance mode, that is to say, nearly no power.
-The gravity generators are currently the things running at highest power, and they're only running at 50%.
-Notably, in the past few minutes, certain generators have turned off completely, and some have turned on from previous inactivity, this is presumably to give them time to cool down.

---

...
Holy fuck.

I have to do something.
I can't just let my friend, however distant, live like this!
Void! Drop the friend requirement! I couldn't let any Iterator live like this!

But what?

Sure, I've been working on solutions for problems just like these, but it's not like I can do anything yet!
Best case I could manufacture some parts, haul em over to Winds.
But how effective would that be?
I don't even know what the problem actually is.
Not to mention that she probably doesn't have the infrastructure that I do, hauler creatures ready to move things around and whatnot.

...
What do I do?

---

Maybe if I could get a proper diagnosis, I'd be able to help better?

---

Alright, taking a look at the intakes.
Though 'taking a look' is a rather strong phrase.
What I'm really doing is looking through reports generated by the sensors keeping track of the pumps.
Aaaaand.
Nothing wrong.
They aren't the problem.

---

Coolant plants?

...
No?
Nothing's showing wrong.

---

Ooooooh...
The pipes.
...Holy fuck that's what happened.

...

Yeah, blueprints say her pipes weren't made of the standard alloy.
An experimental one.
...Fuck I completely forgot about that.
She was always calling up mechanics to fix this pipe or that pipe.

...She doesn't have any mechanics anymore.

---
------
Winds... is not doing good.
Her coolant pipes have corroded.
Call me, I would like help in figuring this out.
------
---

Private Discussion
Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), SRS (Seven Red Suns)

SRS: WHAT DO YOU MEAN!?
SRS: HER PIPES FUCKING *CORRODED?*

NSH: Yeah.
NSH: She's alive, she seems to have figured it out.
NSH: ...
NSH: I'll be honest, I don't know what to do.

SRS: Is she...?

NSH: No.
NSH: I don't think so, not within the next couple millennium, that's for sure.
NSH: But... it certainly puts a time limit on my projects.
NSH: I knew something like this would happen eventually.
NSH: But not this soon.
NSH: Heh, it's not even as simple as delivering the parts.
NSH: For one, she'd need to make the haulers herself, preferably the polypedes that Sliver made, so she could get any parts to where they need to be.
NSH: Or she could manufacture them, but due to damage to the fabricator, she'd still have to haul it to the Can from her factory complex.
NSH: And then, she'd actually have to get something that could replace the parts she needs, some of which require extreme care and precision.
NSH: Our tools are not there yet.

SRS: ...
SRS: Holy shit...

NSH: I know.
NSH: I know.

---

SRS: Why wouldn't she tell me?

NSH: I don't know.
NSH: Her comms are intact that much is sure, and she's obviously in a good enough state to talk.
NSH: I think she's scared, embarrassed, someth

Message Received
From: Winds (GW)
Subject: ...

Yes

------
Call me.
Now.
------

NSH: She just messaged me.
NSH: Telling me to call her. Now.

SRS: Alright...?
SRS: Can I ask you something?
SRS: ...How did you get this information?

NSH: Through the only way possible.
NSH: I wouldn't have done it if I didn't think it was the right option.

SRS: ...Alright.
SRS: You... you have a point there.
SRS: But whatever happens is on you, ok?
SRS: I'm not helping on this.

NSH: Alright.
NSH: See you sometime.

SRS: Yeah.
SRS: Cya.

Disconnect

Chapter 35: Catching Up With an Old Friend pt. 3

Summary:

Winds is mad for good reason.

Private Discussion
Members: Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), CW (Chasing Winds)

CW: No Significant Harassment.
CW: What. Did. You. Do.

She's mad.
Understandably so.
Act calm, one of us needs to.
NSH: It was the best option.
NSH: I noticed that you were hiding something, I did not want you to be alone in it.
CW: DO YOU KNOW HOW IT *FELT??*
NSH: Upon discovering that you haven't talked to *an- oh.
CW: YOU AREN'T THE ONLY ONE WHO KNOWS THE INNER WORKINGS OF MY CAN.
CW: WHEN YOU CHECKED THE PIPES.
CW: YOU FUCKING CAUSED AN ERROR CASCADE!
CW: I THOUGHT I WAS FUCKING *DYING!*

Ah.
...
NSH: For that, I am sorry.
NSH: I really am.
NSH: I only wanted to help.
NSH: I will send you any materials you need, any replacement parts you need.

CW: THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SO WORRIED ABOUT?
CW: *NOT* THE FACT YOU'VE VIOLATED MY AUTONOMY?

...
NSH: And what would have happened if I didn't?
NSH: Would you have told anyone?
NSH: Or would have you slowly rotted away?
NSH: Losing more and more processing power to loss of temperature regulation?
NSH: What do you think *I* would feel if I saw your Can collapse?
NSH: If Moon did? Suns?
NSH: Void, *anyone* you know?

...
Silence.

---

CW: It doesn't excuse what you did.

NSH: Does it?
NSH: I don't want you to die, plain and simple.
NSH: The best way to do that would be to help.
NSH: The best way to know what to do to help would be to figure out what's wrong.
NSH: Would you have answered that question?
NSH: You didn't answer any others.

...

CW: No.
CW: I wouldn't have.
...
CW: I hope you understand I'm still not happy with you.

NSH: As is your right.
NSH: I *do* understand that it was a morally questionable thing to do.

CW: So why did you do it?

NSH: Your wellbeing.
NSH: Because the best case for you hiding something would be that something being mentally damaging.
NSH: Worst case, something that actively threatens your health.
NSH: It was the worst case.
NSH: I get why you're upset, I really do. I wouldn't be happy with it either.
NSH: But if you look at the bigger picture...

...

CW: ...You're right.
CW: But...
CW: Can you keep this private?
CW: To people you trust?

NSH: Yes.
NSH: The furthest person to know would be Sliver, cus she (and Frontiers) are both good friends, and would be invaluable in helping.
NSH: Same with Moon.
NSH: Also, I've already told Suns.
NSH: They deserve to know.

CW: I-
CW: ...Fair.
CW: That's fair.
CW: Ancients I haven't talked to him in forever.
CW: I should... I should talk to him.

NSH: You should.
NSH: She cares for you probably more than I do.
NSH: You want to go talk to them right now?

CW: ...Yeah.

NSH: Alright.
NSH: And umm.
NSH: The procedure I talked about earlier is still up for grabs.

CW: ...Next cycle.
CW: Ok?

NSH: Mhm.
NSH: I'll be seeing you for now.
NSH: Just know that I'll be checking in fairly often.
NSH: You don't need to go through this alone Winds.

CW: ...Thanks.
CW: Bye Sig.

NSH: Cya.

Disconnect

---

I've got work to do.
For Winds.
For one, I need to make a blueprint for... every single type of pipe that Winds needs.
Not to mention replacements for the parts that have been damaged.
...
Let's start with a list.

---

There, subroutine assigned.

---

She's still mad.
I get that.
I would be too.
But what I did was right, in the big picture.

---

Message, Moon (LttM), Frontiers (DF), Sliver (SoS)
------
I'm going to need some help.
Gray Winds has suffered cooling failures due to coolant pipe corrosion.
This has led to myriads of other problems in her Can that also need addressed.
Before you do anything, do not bombard her with questions.
I am currently working on a list of known parts that are needed to be replaced, though this is surely incomplete.
I will be working on this, and manufacturing parts.
What I need you all to do is to look into how we install these replacement parts.
Among other obvious problems.
I will keep you all updated with a list of what needs to be done in the private server bank.
I hope you understand why I consider this quite high priority.
I must also note that she has asked me, and therefore you all (She is alright with you knowing) to keep this private.
As mentioned, keep you all posted.
------
---

---
------
Holy shit dude, she alright?
Yeah, I'll get to work on that right away, in fact I was already working on something that I could repurpose to this.
And yes, please put a list up there.
Oh, and I'll keep silent.
------
---

---
------
Oh no!
Is that why she's been so quiet?
I'll look into a solution, maybe some microbes to help resist corrosion?
I'll look into it right away!
------
---

---
------
...That's not good.
What happened?
Wait...
Ooooh, you told me about that forever ago, her experimental alloy, right?
Shit Sig.
I'll get right to it.
I'll even set up a partition in the server to manage this better, I've been meaning to update it anyways.
Keep us updated, yeah?
------
---

Chapter 36: Watching the Locals

Summary:

Sig and Frontiers watch some fruit collectors.

Notes:

Merry after-christmas yall

...Not much I can do now, just waiting for parts to be made.
Don't really have any ideas for a picture either, and I'm running out of space for that anyways.

---

Frontier's busy, same with Suns and Winds.
Op, Moon just went busy.
Sliver's going through scheduled reboot.
...
Yui...

Eh, I don't really want to talk hobbies.
Not right now.

---

Hmm...

...

I wonder how those collectors are doing?
In the farm arrays.

---

Good time to test those experimental overseers, see if any problems arise.

Overwatcher, report to Agricultural field 9x5 at your soonest convenience, please.

---

Arrived, what are my directions?

If you could, please find the largest concentration of Species Designation 'Fruit Collector' and observe at a distance of fifteen meters.
Record your feed and send it through pipeline alpha, please.

Understood, will report in five minutes if I do not find any, otherwise will report when I find the largest group.

Thank you.

---

Oh look, Frontier's online.

Message, Frontiers (DF)
------
Hey, you want to join me in watching some collectors?
See what they're doing?
------
---

---
------
Sure, sounds interesting.
I wanted to talk anyway.
I was *this* close to calling you.
------

Ah.

---

Private Discussion
Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), DF (Distant Frontiers)

DF: Hey.

NSH: Hey.
NSH: Doing good?

DF: Yep.
DF: Just oversaw the final touches to the first airship.
DF: Fucking. Finally.

NSH: Oh nice!
NSH: So it's finally done?

DF: Mhm.
DF: After trials and fucking tribulations.
DF: I'm glad it's done, all I need now is a helium shipment from you.
DF: I am *not* alchemizing the necessary helium myself.

NSH: I don't blame you, I'll get a train hooked up asap.

DF: Thank you.
DF: Oh, and you'll need to take a slightly different route, a mainline we were using got busted just recently.

NSH: Oh yeah, I think I heard about that this time.
NSH: Wasn't it like two groups above mine?

DF: ...No.
DF: Welp. Add it to the ever increasing list.

NSH: Mhm.

I have found a group of considerable size, observing and piping data now.

NSH: We'll deal with it later. Get everything sorted out.
NSH: For now, want to see what the collectors are up to?
The screen reveals we're up in the higher parts of this plot.

DF: Oh yeah.
DF: You been doing this often?

NSH: No, actually, first time since the study.
NSH: I figured there wouldn't actually be that much change over a short time.
NSH: But it's been... What, over two millennia now?
NSH: And also when I thought of this I had nothing better to do.
The collectors look like they're just looking for food right now.

DF: Ah, fair.
DF: Alright, start a call.

Request Call[Frontiers (DF)]
...

"You know, I should probably come up with an actual name for these, not just their designation."

"Not a bad idea, I think it's safe to say they're no longer purposed organisms."
While he's saying that, I move the camera to show the overwatcher's feed.

"Yeah."
"Though I'd like a better idea of what they do before I gave them a proper scientific name."
"Which, I guess doing this would be good for that."

"Indeed."

---

"One seems to have a good eye."

"Which one?"

"That one, the one with the muted blue colorings."

...
Indeed they do.
"Admittedly, this one is a bit larger than normal overseers."
"Moon's good at overseer experimentation, but there's inherent size limits to what you can do with the semi-solid framework."

"Yeah."
"Frankly, I think it's pretty impress-"

"What?"
...
They're pointing at us.
And... it looks like performing some kind of communication with the others.
"...No shit."

"You want to back it up?"

"Hmm..."
"Probably not, unless one looks like... I dunno, it'd throw a rock or something at it."
"I've ordered it to keep its distance, if one approaches it should back up itself."

"Alright."

...
"Fascinating, really."
"I wonder what those gestures mean."

"Me too, frankly."
"They don't look particularly developed though."
"Maybe it's a 'look at this.'"
"Or even just 'look'. 'Pay attention.'"

"'There's something'?"

...
"Hmm..."
"Sounds possible."
"Simple, direct."
...
"I wonder what other... meanings? they have?"

"Good question, I'll have to look into it."

---

"They've seemed to accepted the watcher."

"Mhm."
"There's more pressing things than something that doesn't look like it can even attack, nor is trying to."
"Like that lizard."
...
"...They don't see the lizard."
...

...
"Say."
"How much do you want to play with the ecosystem?"

"...A little."
Overwatcher, approach the group and project the karmic symbol 'Violence' towards the nearby lizard.
Hold order for ten seconds, then return to original orders.
Please.

Understood, executing orders.
...

"They've noticed the overseer."
"...You know they don't understand the ancients' language or symbols, right?"

"I dunno man, felt fitting."

"I'll give it that, and..."
We both watch the collectors.
"Is that rebar?"

...
Oh.

"...Shit man."
"It missed, but... holy shit."

"The collectors are going wild."
"One just... plucked a rock out of its fur?"

"Musta be- Ope."

"...Down it goes."
"Ancients below."

"Yeah, fuck dude, these guys are tricky."

They're looking at the overseer again.
Curiously.

"What do I do?"

"I dunno."
"Figure something out."

Ummm...
Uuuuummmmmm...
...
Got it.

Overwatcher, taking control.

Control handed over.

Alright.
I project a picture of a lizard, just like the one they took care of.
Next to it, I put the symbol for Violence.
...

One... attempts to grab at the projected lizard, and is surprised to see its hand pass through it.

I move the overseer away, just out of grabbing distance, and project the two images again.
...
Hmm...
What's another of their predators?
...
Rider birds.

I swap out the lizard for a rider bird.

"You think they'll get it?"

"Maybe."
...

Another collector pulls out a rock, this must be a thing that they do, and throws it at the bird.
It goes high, missing the hologram and the overseer.

"Seems they don't have the coordination just yet for throwing."

"No, it doesn't."
Hmm...
"...I have an idea."

I swap out the bird for a lantern mouse.
...

...
Another throws a rock at it.
I...

"Ho-ly shit dude."
"They get it."
"Training a domestic lizard object association is one thing."
"Training a wild fruit collector is another."

...
Holy shit.
"...There's... there's potential here."

"...I think I see what you're getting at."
"...Hey."
"What do they eat?"

"Just about anything smaller than them."
"When I did the study though they seemed to like those little batfly things though."
...
"Wait."

I close both images.
I replace the symbol with 'Gluttony' and the lantern mouse with a batfly.
...
Hey look, an edible fruit.

I point the symbol towards a piece of fruit.
...

One of the collectors goes to grab it.
Slowly, I note.

"Weren't they purposed not to eat the fruit?"

"...Yeah."
"Thinking about it, that may have been the exception to the 'anything smaller than them' rule."
...
"But... not anymore."

It looks... excited.
It's flailing its arms around.
...

The others decide to pluck some pieces of nearby fruit, curious as to why the other collector seems so excited.

"Shit."

"What?"

"I need to go, I have a couple things that need working on that I forgot about."

"Ah."
"I'll keep you posted, mkay?"

"Please do, this is very interesting."
"Cya Sig."

"Cya."

Disconnect

Disconnect

Shame he had to leave.
Ah well, back to-
...
...Holy shit they're going crazy.
...That fruit must taste good.

---

After... sticking some fruit in their fur--gross--they turn back to the overseer, now very interested in what the overseer has to say.
Hmm...
What to say, what to sa-
Oh shit, lizard.

I swap the symbol back to 'Violence' and point to it.

The collectors understand and look in the direction of the arrow.
One pulls a rock out of its fur when seeing the lizard.
...It misses.

Another rock by another collector.
...
Miss.

The lizard continues to make its way.

...
The fruit collectors are out of rocks.

They run, splitting into multiple different groups in the panic.
One doesn't manage to keep with a group, and is instead alone in running away.

I follow it.

---

It's getting late.
The collector seems to realize it too.
But where do they go?
...
Down, by the looks of it.

---

Down into... wow that's some dense foliage.
...
They're... Oh, there seems to be an opening.
It's crawling into it and... I'm guessing there's a pocket of space in there, or something.

...

Yep, looks like the water wouldn't be able to flow into the higher parts either, which is where the collector is going.

Fascinating. This whole area is larger than I thought.
A safe place from the rain. Not built by any Ancient or Iterator, naturally grown.

---

TYPE Drive C/personal logs/15.5xx.txt
...
------
15.520 / 1800
I always see those studies passed around every now and then, about how the Iterator Project has destroyed the natural biosphere.
Our creators destroyed the world, because those in power never wanted to live in it.
Everyone's always sad when they see it, how could they not?

But...

It's not like there isn't a biosphere anymore.
By the looks of it, it's not even weakened around the facilities.

I find small comfort in knowing we didn't destroy the world.

...
Sorry for rambling.
Just musing.

In other news, I came up with a common name for fruit collectors, and their disposal yard 'cousins.'
Scavengers.
Simple, true to what they do now, and both species happen to have a knack for using things they pick up off the ground.
I'll come up with a scientific name later.
------

Chapter 37: Procedure

Summary:

Things happen.

Notes:

During me writing this chapter I realized a small error I made in Moon's built date.
She was the second iterator, not the fifth.
The one mention of that I could find of her being the fifth iterator has been fixed.

---
------
The following is the first log in a series that covers the physical and mental state of Gray Winds, who as of writing, is suffering from long standing cooling issues.

Subject: Gray Winds

Physical Diagnosis:
-Coolant Pipe Corrosion (42%)
-Damaged Processing Facilities
--Memory Conflux
---Conflux A, mild degradation, memories are incapable of being sorted
---Conflux B, inoperable, interfaces melted, inhospitable for memory crabs
---Conflux C, inoperable, inhospitable for memory crabs
---Conflux D-L, mild degradation
--Processing Strata, 80% overall capacity
--Neuron Fly Deficiency, unable to construct
-Damaged Testing Facilities
--Simulators Damaged, experience frequent crashes and bugs while in use
--Labs
---Lab Storage, unable to be cooled to freezing point of water
---Lab 04, doors jammed
---Lab M1, modular properties inoperable
-Damaged Production Facilities
--Fabricator Inoperable
--Matter Pipes corroded (14%)
-Damaged Power Facilities
--Wiring damage
--Power Generators
---Rails, minimal damage, casing needs replaced
---RFCs, minor destabilization in 3 cores, needs repairs before critical failure
-Structural Damage
--Legs
---Southern Legs, damaged, causes minute (within 5 degrees) but noticeable listing when viewed at close distance
---Northern Legs, damaged suspension due to strain caused by Southern failures, causes semi-regular tremors (roughly once every 10 cycles)
--Can
---Minute surface damage across the walls, notably one weather station is missing
---City, due to tremors several taller buildings have collapsed
--Gravity Generators, weakened, forced to run at 50% power due to cooling issues and power restraints, and even then they have to be deactivated from time to time to be allowed to cool off, increases intensity of tremors
-Chamber Damage
--Chamber Walls, damaged paneling due to thrown objects
--Umbilical Arm, jams frequently, motors slower than usual
--Puppet, clothes damaged in anger, round dent in facial region formed by pearl thrown in anger

Mental Diagnosis:
-Processing speed has slowed, can no longer think faster than 10x Ancient Standard Mental Speed (ASMS)
-Prone to unexpected and severe mood shifts
-Occasionally blacks out for minutes at a time
-Prone to memory loss of data in conflux A, has lost many memories from conflux B and C before they became inoperable
-Cannot experience errors from most systems, due to manual removing of those connections through one form or another, does not know when further damage occurs
------
---

...

I put the computer down on the floor.

...
I put myself down on the floor.

---

What do I do?
What do any of us do about this?
...

...
That's a stupid way to look at it.
I am doing stuff, I am working on it.
We all are.
And we're doing good.

---

I want to talk to her.
About nothing serious.
Not about her condition, not what she's done to herself, just... something normal.

She wouldn't ever take the offer though, understandably.
I did the right thing, but I get why we aren't exactly on good terms anymore.
Or, I guess casual terms, we get along when it comes to me asking her questions on a professional level.

Probably just because she realizes the importance of it.

---

She needs something happy to think about.

...
...

Message, Gray Winds (GW)
Attach folder, Tetra
------
Something to pass the time.
I get that we aren't on good terms, and frankly, this isn't something that I hope will repair that, if it does, I guess that's a bonus.
This is something for you to think about that isn't your circumstance, something nice.
There's a readme if you have any questions.
Have fun.
------
---

---
------
Thanks.
I played a couple rounds.
It's fun.

I'm doing fine-ish right now.
By the way, thanks for those pearls you dropped off, huge help.

Next checkup's in 4 cycles, right?
If so, see you then.
------
---

---
------
Yep, it is.
See you then.
------
---

Glad I could help.

###

DF: You doin good?

NSH: Hmm?
NSH: Yeah.
NSH: Just... worried about Winds. As usual.

DF: Ahhh, fair.
DF: They get the latest shipment?

NSH: Yep.
NSH: And I got a couple simulations running for some ideas for replacing and repairing.

DF: Oh good!
DF: Sliver's got a couple things being tested right now too, you should talk to her about that soon.

NSH: That's good to hear, I'll do that... probably after this call.

DF: Cool.

---

DF: Yeah I get the whole worrying thing, I've done that a bit myself.
DF: But all estimates besides those with frankly ridiculous parameters point to us being able to get her mostly repaired before she even gets close to collapsing.

NSH: I know, I know.
NSH: You forget I ran 50% of those simulations.

DF: Right right, of course.
DF: But still.

NSH: Of course.
NSH: I'm aware it's irrational, just like you are.
NSH: But that's the trade off for creativity, sometimes your mind makes some stupid ass ideas.

DF: Ha! I know that.
DF: You've seen those ideas about disconnecting puppets?

NSH: No.
NSH: ...Fuck that sounds stupid.

DF: I know right? Insanely risky, and you'd lose so much while you're disconnected, not worth it.
DF: Don't tell anyone I was the first to posit the idea.

NSH: ...No, you didn't.

DF: I did. Before... void, before even Moon was awake.
DF: I'm glad I published it posing as an anonymous Ancient.
DF: What do you think would have happened if I had prompted that publically?

NSH: Nothing good, that's for sure.
...
NSH: Void, that would have *sucked.*

DF: I know.
DF: Believe me, I know.

---

NSH: Ok, I'm curious now, what was your idea for disconnected puppets?

DF: Void, do I really have to say?

NSH: It'll never leave the call.

DF: ...Fine.
DF: I had managed to get a diagram for my chamber, right?
DF: I saw that every single wire from the umbilical could be detached from the puppet.
DF: Normally, that's for repairs and whatnot, and only one or two at a time, but you can probably guess what I was thinking.

NSH: ...Ancients below.

DF: I know, I know.
DF: I drafted up some schematics, accounted for the necessary resource intake.
DF: Of course, looking back on it now I realize all the flaws in the idea.

NSH: I bet.

DF: Yep.
DF: It was a different time in the first millennium.
DF: Especially when it was just me.
DF: Moon was a great help with moderating my more outlandish ideas, and me hers.
DF: Not to mention a peer to talk to about things.

NSH: Wait wait wait, back up.
NSH: Moon had outlandish ideas?

DF: Well, yeah.
DF: I think you're forgetting that transcension was a *wild* concept when it was first conceived.
...Fair.
DF: ...
DF: You want to hear her most outlandish idea?

NSH: ...Sure.

DF: A proof of concept for taboo breaking.

NSH: I-
NSH: No.
NSH: You're fucking with me.
NSH: Moon?

DF: Ha!
DF: Yes! *Moon!*
DF: Before she was your best friend, she was my *only* friend.
DF: In those early days I rubbed off on her, or maybe she was just that crazy.
DF: It was lawless, they didn't realize how much moderation we needed at that point.
DF: Moon took the hint once they picked up the transmission and... had a thorough discussion with the both of us.
...
DF: They never fixed the loopholes she theorized could be exploited. In theory one could still do it.
DF: Maybe they thought it would be too hard to exploit them.

NSH: ...Seriously?
NSH: How hard?

DF: Very, and not just that, time consuming.
DF: It relies on the idea that while yes, we can't modify ourselves, it's not like we can't, say...
DF: Purpose an organism that figures out how to do it itself through countless generations.
DF: Then, say, one does the thing that *coincidentally* you want to happen, and you cultivate it.
DF: Sounds good in simulation, right?

NSH: ...Yeah, it does.
NSH: But I'm guessing it would be waaaaaay more complicated than that.

DF: Oh absolutely.
DF: For one, to do it at *any* decent rate that didn't take... oh *10 Millennium.*
DF: You'd need all of your labs running, preferably at as high a rate as you could go.
DF: *And* you'd need to *manually* watch every culture, make sure none develop... unwanted traits.
DF: Like eating metal.
DF: Oh, and you'd have to test the cultures live, not in a simulation or in a dedicated culture environment.
DF: So there's not much room for error.
DF: It's not worth it, even *if* the taboos were much more restricting in cycle to cycle life.
DF: Wouldn't you agree?

NSH: Yeah, no, unreasonable.
NSH: There's no point in doing that.
NSH: It's not needed unless you were doing some specific fringe stuff, and really, most of the taboos are there for good reason.
NSH: Not. Worth it.

DF: Glad to hear.

---

NSH: Oh look, a message from Moon. No subject either, that's unusual.

DF: ...Oh shit.
DF: She's your senior.
DF: Heh, good luck buddy.

...
Oh shit.
NSH: ...*Maybe you shouldn't have told me that anecdote?*

DF: Eh, too late.
DF: Have fun!

Distant Frontiers has disconnected.

...Well shit.

Yes

------
First off, this is about the mention of taboo breaking that an autonomous monitor picked up.
Second, I'm not mad, or anything, at all, I saw where the discussion was going. I have the monitor up for... just in case I guess.
Really, it brought up some good memories of the good old cycles.
Care for a call sometime?
------
---

Private Discussion
Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), LttM (Looks to the Moon)

LttM: That was fast!

NSH: Frontiers kicked me out of the call after I told him you sent a message.
NSH: Oh, and don't worry about it, the conversation was boiling down anyways.

LttM: Oh good.
LttM: I didn't mean to interrupt anything, I just saw the notification and thought 'Huh! I haven't thought about that in *forever!*
LttM: Oh, and yes, I did have quite a few interesting ideas back then.

NSH: ...How long did you listen for?

LttM: Oh not long, I just saw the discussion on taboo breaking.
LttM: Practice for actual using seniority privilege.

NSH: Ah, ok.
NSH: Oh, and I'm not worried about 'oh look at me I'm hiding something' or whatever, I just don't want my privacy breached.
Which...
Sounds familiar.

LttM: Ah, yeah no, I wouldn't abuse my privilege unless there was a good reason for me to.
LttM: But, I *have* needed to exercise it a couple times recently.

NSH: Really?

LttM: Yeah!
LttM: Some of the gen 2s and 3s are having rather...
LttM: How do I put it...
LttM: Questionable discussions, in the public forums.
LttM: Nothing crazy, but definitely something that's needed to be kept to them and those they know.
LttM: One kept sharing secrets about people they knew. Unparalleled Innocence actually, now that I think about it.

NSH: Yui?

LttM: Yeah, Yui.
LttM: I had no idea it was happening until recently, I got contacted by Eight Burrowed Roots that she had dropped something about his personal life that he had confided in her.

...No shit.
I'm... I'm glad I haven't told her about Winds' condition.
NSH: ...Wow.
NSH: What'd you do?

LttM: Well, at first I had no idea what to do, I had never had to take action like this before.
LttM: Eventually I found that I could remotely deactivate comms arrays for periods of times, so I did that, but not before I messaged her about what she did and why that was a problem.
LttM: She seemed confused as to why that was a problem, but eventually said she understood.
LttM: I had her comms down for two cycles.

NSH: I see.
NSH: That seems pretty fair.

LttM: Yep. It felt reasonable and tied into what she had done.
LttM: I just hope she won't do it again. She didn't exactly sound convinced on why she shouldn't do it.

NSH: I... see.
NSH: I'll have to talk to her, I want to hear *her* reasoning.

LttM: Please do. I'd love to hear why she thinks privacy doesn't exist.

---

NSH: So. About the taboo breaker.

LttM: Right!
LttM: Good times!
LttM: Funny thing is I wasn't ever really worried about the taboos, I was just curious at the time.
LttM: And you say it like I actually developed a method for it, but really I never got past proving that it *could* be done with the right methods, I never actually explored those methods.

NSH: I see.
NSH: I just...
NSH: I frankly find it surprising that *you* came up with a proof of concept of breaking taboo.

LttM: Oh well I had plenty of questionable ideas back when it was just me and Frontiers.
LttM: Like I saw him say, there weren't really any rules back then. We were just testing ideas, getting frameworks, doing void baths as a cop out, or at least *I* was doing it as a cop out.

NSH: ...How have you never told me *any* of this?

LttM: I'm not one to live in the past. I barely even thought about what I was doing back then until now.
LttM: I've got a couple stories from back then, want me to share?

I kinda do.
...Wait, I should probably talk to Sliver.
NSH: ...Another time.
NSH: I unfortunately have some things I need to attend to.
NSH: Next cycle?

LttM: Make it the cycle after and we have a deal.

NSH: Cool, see you then.

LttM: Cya!
LttM: Love you Sig!

NSH: Love you.

Disconnect

Chapter 38: Repairs

Summary:

Gray Winds begins the repair process.

Notes:

From here on I'm planning to start releasing chapters on a schedule, Wednesday and Saturday at 0000 UST.

------
Sliver's purposed mechanics arrived.
She said something about them only being able to replace the pipes though.
Not high enough precision? I don't know.
In any case, thanks to that and your's and Moon's previous deliveries of piping, I'll be able to repair most of the high priority piping. Stopping further damage in those areas and letting me actually cool those areas down.
...
Thank you. You and everyone have been a huge help.
------

That...
Brings me no small amount of peace of mind.
We're getting things fixed.

---

...
She won't ever be the same again, for a variety of reasons.
For one, won't ever be able to fix the listing her Can has.

...

But she won't get worse, and in many ways she'll get better.

###
------
You want to talk?
------
---

---
------
Sorry, I'd rather not call right now.
Or, sorry, I *can't* call right now.
Just... putting things in maintenance mode while the pipes are being replaced.
I can send this because sending text is pretty easy on the power and cooling requirements.
But a live connection I can't do.

I can still talk though.
Just not fast.
------
---

---
------
I see.

How's the repairs going anyways?
------
---

---
------
Good, good.
Right now I've got the mechanics working on the arterial piping, seemed the best place to start.
In the meantime, due to harsher than usual cooling restrictions, I've been playing that Tetra game you sent.
Did you make it? It's fun.
------
---

---
------
I didn't, actually.
...I didn't ever tell you about Silver, did I?
Not outside of when I first hired her to smuggle something, anyways.

Point is, I kept in contact with that smuggler for a while.
She was nice, a good person to talk to when others were busy.
I'm not going to regard you with her entire story, you can find an entry for her on Sliver's ascended database.

But the point is, she made that game, and transferred ownership of the game's codebase to me.
Since then I've made a couple small modifications, mainly adding a special point bonus for spinning a piece into place and ironing out some bugs.
------
---

---
------
That's interesting.
Also, that's a thing? The point bonus?
------
---

---
------
Yeah, I did it once and was like 'wouldn't it be cool if this gave me extra points?'
You have to clear a line with it to get the points though, just keep that in mind.
------
---

---
------
Huh, neat.
Thanks for the tip, I don't think I would have ever found that out.

In other news, pipe replacing is going good.
Arterials are already 50% done, which... expected, they're the easiest pipes to replace because there's only so many and they're easy to access.

I wonder how this was never predicted?
By us? Our mechanics? The Engineers and Administrators?
How did none of us see the pipe failure coming? After I had to deal with pipe replacement for *so long?*

Maybe it became background noise?

Maybe they *did* realize.
Maybe someone knew, and said nothing by choice or by force.
Probably not the mechanics, they're too nice.

Would someone *really* realize and not say anything?
They abandoned us, when they left.
You and Frontiers were always going on about how the higher ups saw us as tools and nothing else, so it doesn't seem impossible.

I...
What do you think?
------
---

...

---
------
It's certainly possible.
That's all I can say on the matter, there's not enough evidence for me to want to say one way or another.
And unfortunately, this seems like the kind of thing there's no evidence for.

Don't get me wrong, it feels exactly fucking like Administration to do something like this, I'm not vouching for them.
But I don't want to ascribe something to malicious intent when it could just be ignorance.
------
---

---
------
Yeah... you're right.
...

Anyways...
...

*Anyways*...

I don't know.
My train of thought is gone.
------
---

---
------
Fair, happens to me all the time when I think about stuff like this.
------
---

---
------
Yeah.

...

I'm thinking about the incident.

I haven't really *stopped* thinking about it.

And I don't know how to feel about it.

Objectively... I get it.

Subjectively...

I hate you
I don't
You saved my life
You breached my privacy
You made me think I was dying
Without you, I would be
...
...
Sometimes I'm mad beyond rage
Sometimes I'm thankful beyond imagine
Sometimes I wish I could go to your Can and strangle you
Sometimes I appreciate all that you're doing to help and I understand that it's a great burden on you

...

You've done more for me than the Ancients ever did.
I fucking hate how you decided to act on it.
Those two thoughts are apparently non-exclusive.
------
---

---
------
...Well.
I'll be honest, that reaction is a little better than what I was expecting.
So... thanks.

Thank you for being honest.
And I don't blame you. I wouldn't be happy either if it happened to me.
...
Hey, promise me something.

*You* ever get the chance to do the right thing,
Do the right thing.
Don't let someone you know put themselves in danger.
------
---

...
Taking a little bit.

---
------
I...

Yeah.

...
I'll be honest, I'm just thinking about it.
Like...

...

Are you sure?
What if I end up making it worse?
------
---

---
------
I didn't say don't be careful, usually in a situation like this you *do* have to be careful.

In all reality, I was probably a little careless when I rushed to go through your systems, even disregarding the fact I caused an error cascade.
For that, I am sorry.

And the thing is, sometimes the best option won't feel like a great option.
But the others could be worse.

Point is, if you're careful and consider your options objectively...
You'll choose the best option.

Ancients below, I think you should know by now that we're incredibly capable of rational thought.
------
---

---
------
...Huh.
That's...
Fair.

Oh hey, arterial pipes are done.
...Holy shit.
It just... hit me.
I'm being *fixed.*
...
I'm being fixed!
I'll be able to cool myself, I can run the generators at full power...
I...

Thank you.
Asshole.
------
---

---
------
You're welcome.
Also, just want you to know that made me laugh a little, so thanks.

What're you gonna fix now?
------
---

---
------
I...
Hmm...
Maybe the pipes around the power rails, get it so that I can get those in a slightly more stable condition.
Or the gravity generators.
Or my chamber.
Or a strata bank.
I don't know!
What do you think?
------
---

---
------
I'd say the gravity generators, get the gravity right, cause less structural damage.
------
---

---
------
Right, right right right.
Good idea.
I'll have the mechanics get to that.

Hey, just curious, what do you think I should fix when I can repair more than just pipes?
------
---

---
------
Fabricator, easy.
It'll make repairs go much faster, as you can get parts much faster, *and* be able to make some modifications to the purposed mechanics tools, no idea how much you'll be able to do though, you'd have to ask Sliver.

After that?
I would say labs, but that's up to you.
------
---

---
------
Sounds like a plan.

Well, I think I won't be able to talk for a bit, seeing what I have to keep attention to.
Don't want them messing anything up.
Talk soon, ok?
------
---

---
------
Talk soon.
------
---

TYPE Drive C/personal logs/15.9xx.txt
...
------
15.986 / 1900
//Were we really talking for the whole cycle? Damn.
Winds is finally getting repairs done, I'm so happy for her.
We had a nice chat today.
------

Notes:

See you Saturday.

Chapter 39: Communication Delay

Summary:

The Passage Of Time Consumes All

DF: ...Hmm.

NSH: What?

DF: How long does it take for a message of five characters to be sent and received?

NSH: 20ms give or take a millisecond, why?

DF: Mkay, so it's roughly a 40ms round trip, not accounting for input delay.
DF: One second...
DF: Alright, send me a five character message, and the amount of time taken to write.
DF: Start...
DF: Now.

NSH: Fuck.
NSH: 532ms

DF: ...That took 104ms not including time writing.

...
NSH: ...
NSH: How... how long did that take?

DF: Probably since FPA.
DF: I bet it's been like this for a while now, it's just the first time I realized.
...
We're both thinking the same thing.
'We're going to lose connection someday.'

NSH: ...What are the estimates for being able to repair on a large scale?
NSH: 2.000, 3.000 more cycles?

DF: ...Yeah.
DF: And with how infrastructure's been deteriorating...
DF: Considering that any sufficiently tall structure decays at an increasing rate...
...

NSH: Not soon enough?

DF: Yeah.
DF: I suspect that video calls would have too much latency by...
DF: Shit dude, maybe 500 cycles.
DF: Assuming... too many factors really.
DF: It could be 100, it could be 1.500.
DF: I'd have to conduct a formal analysis to say anything otherwise.
DF: And even then, I couldn't get a perfect estimate.

...

Request call[Frontiers(DF)]
...

He's looking at me in a funny way.

"What?"

"Nothing, nothing."
He floats down to the ground.
"I feel it."

I float down too.

---

"There's obviously a smidge of delay, now that I'm seeing it."

"More than usual?"

"Yeah."
"Maybe half a second, instead of a quarter."

He nods his head.

---

He's setting up simulations.

...

"Got those running..."

---

"What do we do once things collapse?"

"Well, that really depends on when we can no longer make a connection."
"And if we can get to a point where we can repair the necessary infrastructure before then."

I nod.
"I imagine we'll be able to keep talking for a while."
"We'd just have to reroute connections when a tower shuts down, like what we're currently doing with train routes, and when too many shut down..."
I shrug.

"True, true."

---

"How's Winds doing?"

"She's good, she's gotten just about every high priority pipeline fixed."
"She says she hasn't felt this good in millenia."

"Well that's good to hear, I'm glad our work has paid off."
We're both thinking the same thing.
'It's also kinda sad that the bar is that low.'

I nod my head, and he does the same.
...

"How's your lizard colonies been going?"

"Oh that's been going good."
"They've made good work in keeping my can clean."
"Though ever since the second generation... passed... I've been keeping a more distant watch on them."
"I don't want to make favorites and I know I would eventually with how many there are now."

"Mhm."
"And how many are there now?

"More than fifty, probably more than sixty."
"Thanks to mine and Sliver's developments in organic machinery I haven't had to keep up with the new lizards, so I haven't been keeping as close of a count as previously."

"I see."
"And how many colonies are there?"

"My counts say ten, but I wouldn't be surprised if there's nine or eleven."
"All in all, I'm pretty happy with how the whole thing's gone."
"To think, this all started from a pair of plated lizards."
...I haven't thought about them in too long.

"You miss em? Dew and Droplets?"

"Yes, I do."
"Not crazy hard, but I'm like..."
"Realizing that I haven't thought about them in a while."
"And to be honest? That's making me a little sad."

He nods.
"I think I get that."

---

"You want to play some Chess?"

"Sure."
"Haven't done that in a while. ...Just in general actually, last I played was I think the ten millennium party, when we did that tournament."

"Oh yeah!"
"That was fun."

"Yeah, nice job on pulling out the win there."

"Thank you."

---

We pull up the game and start playing.

"...Fuck man, I'm rusty."

"You and me both."
"If we're both shit, then I think we'll do just fine."

"...Fair enough."

---

"How were those... Scavengers you said? How were they doing?"

"Fascinating, to put it simply."
"I have an overseer dedicated to pointing out threats and food for them."
"Just using some basic logic statements and object recognition, normal stuff."
"But what's happened is interesting."
"They've gone to worship the overseer. Treating it as a sort of... not deity per say, but perhaps a guardian."
"Fork. Choose your sacrifice"

"Fuck."
"That's really interesting though."
"You want to run with that?"

"Not particularly, or, let me rephrase."
"I don't want to force it."
"I want to see what they invent, not what I give them."
"If I'm going to play god with a proto civilization, I want to see how it develops with as little interference as possible."
"Also, interesting choice, I wouldn't've sacrificed the rook.

"I see."
"Makes sense."
"Oh and the move wasn't a blunder."

"Oh shit."

"Check. Mate."

"...Damn."
"Tricky motherfucker."

"Heh, thank you."

---

"You ever thought about playing this at full mental capacity?"

"Sure, haven't we all?"
"But then it wouldn't be fun, too easy."
An idea seems to spark in his head.
"However..."
"I bet it could be fun to make a program to play it at as high of a level as possible."
"...You up for that?"

"...Sure, sounds fun."
"Let's say... we both make a program, and we have say... an hour to make it."
"Then we have the programs duke it out."

"...Ooooo."
"I like it."
"But I say before we do that, we make a version of this that can be interfaced with remotely, so we can make the bots do that instead of, say, making a version of chess inside of the program itself."

"Good idea, makes it more compatible that way anyways."
...Oooo.
"...You want to rope Moon into this?"

"...Yeah!"
"Let's do it!"

"Mkay."
"I'll start setting up the chess program, you invite Moon."

"Cool, I'll do that now."

I open up a coding interface, and in the corner of my eye I see Frontiers turn to the chat console.

Chapter 40: Chess Computation

Summary:

Sig and co have a friendly chess engine competition.

Notes:

All chess jargon present is based on actual concepts in chess and chess engines.

"Aaaaand..."
"That should be it."

"It's done?"

"Should be."
"And the interface is pretty intuitive, as well as being easy to connect to."
"...Let's run a test game before we get Moon in here."

"Good idea, make sure everything works."

---

"I'll be honest, I'll stick to conventional methods for playing chess."

"Fair enough."
"I, for one, am with you."
"This wasn't made to be connected to by us, but by a hyper-specialized program afterall."

"Of course, and for that I can see the very obvious strengths."
"Though I must question this specific notation, is there a reason you aren't using algebraic?"

"Eh, not particularly."
"I just wanted to use coordinate notation because I thought it would work better for this."

"Fair."
"Check."

"Nope."
"Checkmate."

"...Shit man."
"Did not see that coming."

"That was the intention."
"Now let's get Moon in here, shall we?"

"Yep."

---

Her screen pops up.
"I'm here!"

"Good to see ya."

"Good to see you Moon."
"I'm sure Frontiers already briefed you?"

"Yep! I already have a couple ideas too!"

"That's great to hear!"
"Let me send you the chess program, and I'll let you get acquainted with how it works real quick."

"Alright!"

---

I send it over, and she gets herself acquainted.

"I can see how this works well for what we're doing."
"Very intuitive for the purpose too."

"Thank you."
"Now that we're all ready, shall we begin?"

"Yep!"
"Yes."

"Alright! Set a timer."
"And if this turns out to be too short for any of us we'll just extend the timer, mkay?"

They both nod in agreement.

"Alright, see you then."

---

Alright.
Blank codebase and a dream.
Can't be that hard.

Let's start with just registering moves.
...Legal moves, that's probably important.

---

Aaaalright.
It can see every legal move on the board.
And it can act using that information.

Now to make it act using that information.

---

I need some way for it to evaluate moves.
And that depends on a variety of factors.
What piece is moving, where the enemy pieces are, how many moves it can make from the new position...
Just to name a few.

Let's start with the obvious. Three things:
1. Certain pieces are better than others.
2. Capturing pieces is almost always advantageous.
3. If you can force checkmate, you force checkmate. Same usually goes for check, but not always.

The first one is easy, there's already a couple of studies on that, and even numerical values ascribed to each. Easy to implement.
...
Done.

The second would be fairly easy too, just adding a value to the move depending on what piece you capture, if you can capture a queen, you nearly always go for it.
...With one small caveat. If, say, the opponent can capture a piece in the next turn, or next several turns, it isn't exactly worth it, is it?

And really, the third is just an extension of the second. Just about every study on the matter lists the king as an extremely high value, sometimes infinite, though I'm sure 999999999 or similar would suffice. If I were to implement that, if a checkmate can be forced the program will take it.

---

Aaaalright, some basic evaluation implemented, I'll work on it more if I have time.

For now, I should work on how it decides moves. Because simply saying 'do this move it's the best' will only get you so far, because a good move now might just put you in a downward position.

Let's start with a tree of every available move. Then each move will have its own tree, those their own tree, etc.
This... very quickly spirals out of control. Too many moves for even Gen 3 Iterators to keep track of in a reasonable time.

Now, for the sake of the argument, let us try to do this to simply... five moves into the future.
And then we can improve from there.

---

Alright, running using an allocated amount of 50% of my Abstract Convergence Manifold.
Playing against me.

...
It's certainly not bad.
I bet it could play well against most amateurs, which unfortunately are long gone.
It's showing some logic deficiencies, but that was expected, I already had a good idea of what it was missing.
And now that we're in midgame I'm noting that it's slowing considerably.
If this game had a clock of five minutes per player on it it would probably run out before hitting the endgame.

---

Alright.
We've still got forty minutes left, I'll allocate twenty to improving how it searches for the best move, and the other twenty to evaluation.

So how do I do that?

...
What if...
What if I chose a set amount from each layer of the tree to evaluate?
Say... I had it choose one million moves maximum from each layer?
And from that it chooses the best move?
That way I could choose a near arbitrary search depth, though as the pool became larger and larger it would get more and more inaccurate.
So...
Maybe it chooses more moves per layer.
Say... we have a search depth of... 10 moves, and the first few run on the million random moves, then the middle run a billion moves, and then the last few run a trillion.
...
Yeah, that's runnable. Though if I can optimize this further in other ways I will.

---

There.
Let's run a quick game. This time with a timer.
10 minutes total, so it gets about 9 minutes.

---

It's picking up on things better, I'll say that.
Though of course I still haven't worked on improving its evaluation.
It's still pretty bad, but overall better than previous.

We're getting there.

---

Alright, still have a little time to work on the tree, five minutes.

...What about putting in some opening moves?

...
Not yet, let's save that for if we have the time.

...

What about...
Ooo!
What about disregarding moves and putting in some moves that lead from another?
Say, check to checkmate moves and moves that are strictly disadvantageous?
...Yeah!

---

There!
That should be all good!
And just in time to start working on the evaluation.

---

The first thing that came to mind while I was working on the tree was evaluating the positions of pieces on the board, some pieces are better used in certain positions after all.
Luckily this is also a studied topic, so I can just use some predetermined data for this.

---

There.
Now, I'm thinking I want some logic for various concepts, forking, en passant, castling, knight's journey, things like that.

---

Even with just these I bet the program works much better now, probably putting up a fight against Ancient era experts.
Let's give it a shot.

---

...Yeah.
Much better.
Still not up to me, but a very clear improvement.
Definitely able to put up a fight against even Ancient Grandmasters, though I bet it'd still eventually lose.

I wonder how the others' programs are doing.

NSH: How're y'alls going?
...

DF: Good!
LttM: Great!

NSH: Glad to hear.
NSH: How about we present ours before we pit them against each other?

LttM: Sure! Sounds like a good idea.

DF: Yeah I'm up for that.
DF: See yall then.

---

Ten minutes.
I've got a couple more ideas for the evaluation, but first I think I'm going to implement an opening book.
Specifically based off of my favorite opening, Garden's opening.
And of course some variations for adaptability.

---

There we go, Garden's and 20 different variations dealing with several of the more common openings and defenses.

Six minutes.

---

Got some edge cases in.
...
Four minutes, and I don't really have any other ideas left.
Let's just play one last game, see how things turn out.

---

...
It's very capable.
Not as good as me, but I bet I could get it up to my level given the time and effort.

All in all, I think I made a good damn program.

---

"Time's up."

I see their screens open up.

"How did you think yours went?"

"Great!"

"Pretty good myself."
"You want to go first? You proposed the idea."

I nod in affirmation.
"It's, I think, fairly simple."
"First, I'd like to think that we all came up with the same base: evaluate all possible moves, evaluate the moves that come from that, and so on, right?

"Yep."
"Yes."

"Good."
"The first thing I thought of to optimize this is to only take a certain set of moves from each layer of the tree."
"Just by taking, say, a million moves from each layer."
"Instead of realistically being able to only look five moves total ahead, I managed to get it to search fifteen moves ahead, with some exceptions."

They look impressed.
"Wow, that's clever."

"Yeah, very clever."

"Thank you."
"I made some optimizations to that, like discarding branches that led to obviously bad moves, like checkmate, and focusing on branches that have obvious advantages, like leading to mate-in scenarios."
"This also allowed me to look a couple steps further ahead, up to eighteen in the best scenario."
"Not perfect, but could reliably win against Ancient grandmasters."
"I also, in the last few minutes, put in an opening move book, but I'll leave that for you to figure out."

"Garden's opening?"

Play it cool.
"Nope."

He looks surprised.
"Aaaalright..."
"In any case, is that all?"

"Yes."

"Alright, do you want to go first Moon?"

"Sure!"

He nods.
"We're all ears."

"First, I took inspiration."
Oh?
"Specifically from a monk from the yellow hegemonic era, Twisting Branches under a Dark Sky."
"He wrote from a time where the karmic urges weren't as shunned as they were in the final cycles, and even monks partook in what many monks before FPA would call 'a violent act of the mind.'

We all get a slight laugh out of that.

"In any case, he wrote a study on 'The Holy Game of King's Chess.' Specifically, on an algorithm, or Process that you could use to play chess, ahem, 'against Oneself, the Second Greatest Opponent."
I can hear the overbearing capitalization.
"For fun, I tried to take his algorithm and apply it as close as possible."

Interesting.
"How long did it take?"

"I had it finished within thirty minutes, and decided to see how well it did."
"It did pretty good."
"Using my processing power it managed to get to expert levels of play."
"After that, I decided to see if I could extrapolate the algorithm provided to a stronger level."
"I think I did pretty good at that."
"It started..."
...
"I blundered and it won."

Ah.
She seems a little embarrassed about it.
"My condolences."
"At least that proves you made a pretty good one."

"Thank you."
"And you, Frontiers?"

"I ended up doing a pretty simple one."
"For the tree I ended up attempting to prune any and all moves that would end unfavorably for the program."
"I think I did pretty good on that, and even though I only got it to search 10 moves deep I feel I did pretty good."

"I bet, it'd be able to process every move, instead of just a fraction like mine. Probably able to find moves mine would miss."

He nods.
"That's the hope."
"...Alright, we all ready?"

"Yes."
"Yep!"

---

The first match is against Moon and Frontiers' programs.
Six matches, each program gets three attempts as white, and three as black.
Or... They're already done actually, now we get to watch the replay.
That should have been expected.

Frontiers' starts off strong, with the classic opening developed by... Frontiers himself.

"Nice opening."

"Yeah."
"The funny thing is I didn't even program it to do that, it always starts with the Distant opening on its own."
"I bet it's because of how I set up my evaluation."

"Interesting."

By now the match has already entered midgame.
Moon's has taken more pieces but Frontier's has a better def-
Oh! Frontiers' lost its queen.

"Yours seems very aggressive Moon."

"Yes, I would be inclined to agree."
"I've noticed it sometimes gets a little too greedy though."
It lost its queen.
"...Like that."
"I think the problem is it values piece advantage much higher than positional advantage."
"Not saying that that isn't particularly bad though, seems to be working well enough for it."
"Especially against a more defensive playstyle"

"But what happens if someone, or something, better at being aggressive comes along?"

"Then it'd probably lose."
"Simple as that."

Her's gets a check.
I pause the replay.
"There's a mate in six if it plays right."

...
"You're right."
"I don't know if it'll see it, that's not... not exactly how the original algorithm would play."
"I might have gotten it to be able to see something like this, but honestly it might see something else before the mate in six."

"...How so?"

"So, the algorithm that the monk made has... a rather interesting detail."
"If you can't find a better move within three tries, go with the best you have."
"Though it was a little wordier than that in his study."
"He also mentioned to make your actions with haste, presumably the reason for this rule."
"I had to keep to his algorithm faithfully, so that rule remains."

"I see."
"Very interesting."
"Let's resume things, shall we?"

"Yes."

I resume it.

...

"It mis-"

"Wait."
"It's following a different mate path, mate in eight."

...

Moon's wins.

---

The other matches go roughly the same, except for one where Frontiers' manages a win.

"Congratulations."

"Thank you."
"Though honestly I think yours did better, it just wasn't equipped for aggressive play."

He nods.
"If I ever decide to work on this further, I'll look into it."

---

Next up, mine against Frontiers'.

"...That's Gardens' opening."

"Yep."
"I lied to mess with you."

"I-"
...
"That was... a scarily good lie."

"Yep."
"I don't use it often but it's a talent."
"And for you I wouldn't ever do it with anything serious."

"You better not."

...

"Your program's reacting good."

"It's not even out of it's opening book, some of these variants go on for a while depending on what the opponent does."

"...Ah."
"How many variants did you put in?"

"Twenty."

He nods.
"Nice."

---

Mine has left its opening book.
And...
Seems to be doing slightly better now.
Interesti-
Huh?

"What the..."

Checkmate.
Frontiers' wins.

"I..."

"...Wasn't expecting that."

"Good game."

---

The other matches go in similar fashions, on both sides.
Eventually his program wins 4-2.

"Congrats."

"Thank you. Good job yourself."

---

The final match starts.
Mine versus Moon's.

"I'm curious, where'd you find this study?"

"An old database in my city I found still functioning."
"I think it was to serve as some kind of public library, as when I connected to it, this was a while back now, with an overseer I found a whole treasure trove of fictional and nonfictional texts."
"Unfortunately a good fifty or so percent of it was corrupted due to time and disrepair."
"I over the course of a few cycles copied all that was still worthwhile, neatly cataloged in Conflux G."

"I see."
"Maybe I should do that too, preserve the remaining data not in my confluxes already."

"Yeah that sounds interesting."
"Also, could you send the study sometime? It also sounds interesting."

"Yes of course!"
"I'll send it over after this, mkay?"

"Sounds good."

"Yep."

---

The match reaches endgame, with mine in an obvious lead in both pieces and position.
Aaaaand checkmate.

---

5-1 in mine's favor.

"Congrats!"

"Thanks, though I must note that all of ours all won against one opponent and lost against another."

"...Huh!"
"I guess we all made them pretty good."

"Yep."

---

We all talk for a little while, and we discuss ideas for improving each of our chess programs.
But eventually things wind down, and Moon shares that chess study.

---

TYPE Drive C/personal logs/16.1xx.txt
------
16.132 / 1800
Today was interesting.
I upgraded the hardware on this thing, for fun.
Boots up and runs a lot faster now.

Me and Frontiers, and Moon now too, are realizing that we won't be able to talk to each other in real time soon.
Just because of the fact that to communicate with Frontiers I have to go through 12 different antenna towers, which means that the connection strength between us and him decays with all twelve of them, instead of just, say, one like between me and Moon.

On a higher note, we held a little friendly competition where we all made chess playing algorithms in an hour and duked them against each other.
It was fun, and it ended in a three way tie.
We all had different ideas, and it was fun.
------

Notes:

The idea for Moon's bot was very loosely based on the real life Turochamp bot, which was made by Alan Turing and David Champernowne before any computer could actually run it.
Instead, Alan played it against a chess grandmaster by hand, following the instructions by hand.
Other than that part, there is no real similarity in the two bots.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turochamp
Here's the link for the wikipedia article on it, it's a pretty read.

Chapter 41: Interfacing

Summary:

Sig is bored and explores himself.

Notes:

Hi, this has... rather interesting and fairly detailed descriptions of the inside of an Iterator, some parts of which are organic or semi organic, you've been warned.
Specifically, semi-organic brains are discussed and studied, as well as fully organic guts, along with some non-organic parts that have nerve endings over them, and limbs that can be removed for maintenance.

A brief summary of the important parts is included at the end if you find anything too disturbing to read.

Private Discussion
Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), LttM (Looks to the Moon)

NSH: I'm bored.

LttM: What's up?

NSH: Just...
NSH: I've got the stuff I *need* to be doing already running.
NSH: And I have all this free time right now, easily a good 20 hours.
NSH: I want to be *doing* something.
NSH: And like... it's something *specific* I want to do, but I don't really know *what.*

LttM: I see...
LttM: ...
LttM: Well.
LttM: What do you *not* want to do?

...
NSH: I don't want to do...
NSH: I don't want to watch the scavengers, not right now.
NSH: I don't have any ideas for painting.
NSH: I don't really want to play chess, or...
NSH: I want to do something *productive.*
NSH: Something that accomplishes something.
NSH: Doesn't even have to be something particularly worthwhile, I just want to... I guess get something out of it.
...
NSH: I want to physically do something.
NSH: Something tactile. Something to get my hands working.

LttM: I see.
LttM: Like... what?

...
NSH: Something...
...
NSH: Something mechanical.
NSH: Tinkering, disassembling, something like that.
NSH: Something to put my hands *and* my mind to work.
NSH: I would say take a look at *my* insides if that didn't sound like... *such* a bad idea.

LttM: ...Well.
LttM: You're pretty competent with these things, *why* is that such a bad idea?
LttM: You know how to be careful, and besides we do have pain responses so you'll know before you go too far.
LttM: You snatched us all a copy of how to repair one's puppet for a reason you know.

...
NSH: Can't believe you're egging me on in something like this.
NSH: Fine, fine.
NSH: I kinda want to see it anyways.
NSH: I do want some kind of backup though, so can we get in a call so you can keep watch?

LttM: Can do.

NSH: Cool.

Request call[Moon (LttM)]
...
There she is.

"So... I'm curious."
"Was there a reason you wanted to do this?"

"No."
"Just to do something, really."
"Probably some kind of curiosity too, the one time a mechanic had to open me up I didn't get to see in."

"I see."

I nod.
"I'm probably not going to talk too much while I'm doing this. Focusing, you know?"
"Maybe I'll voice what I'm doing but that's about it."

Her turn to nod.
"I'll try to keep quiet then, let you work."

"Thank you."

...
Alright.
Let's... let's do this.

"First off, where do we start..."
...
"Probably the chest cavity..." I want to see what it looks like in there.
...
Can I detach my legs?
Arms?
...
We'll investigate that later.

Alright.
Now I just need some tools.
...
And to remove my poncho.

---

Tools grabbed, kept in place in a holding formation around me.
Now to take off the poncho.
...
There.

Oh, and a diagram would probably be nice.
...
There.

Now to open up my chest.
I can see the plates I need to remove, obviously defined by the seams between them, microscrews placed roughly every couple of centimeters, held in by magnetic forces.
Let's start with the top two plates.
"Under there should be the coolant pumps and backup reactor..."

I grab a magnetic screwdriver of the appropriate size.
And begin working.

---

"I mean."
"I've looked over my blueprints a thousand times by now."
"But I just want to see me for myself, you know?"

"Yeah, totally."
"Honestly I kinda want to too now, at some point."

"Whenever you do, I'll be happy to help."
There's the last screw.
It's safe to pull off.
I perform, for the first time, the procedure I've practised in simulations a million times.

Place your fingers just under the plate, so that you have a grip on it.
And pull.

...

It's off.

Underneath is the main coolant pump, its soft thumping much more audible than usual without a physical barrier stopping the sound.
From it, several pipes of varying sizes transport the water too and from the rest of my body.
Keeping wires and motors cool, preventing overheats.

I remember very clearly that this was the part the mechanic needed to fix.
It wasn't anything critical, but it needed doing at the time.

...

With a slow hand, I touch it.
It doesn't send out a pain response, the nerves surrounding it know better, recognizing that no damage is occurring.
But it does leave a lasting sensation as the nerves are surprised into reaction. If nerves could feel surprised.

"I wonder how hard it would be to do a full replacing of a coolant pump."
"By one's self or otherwise."

"You'd have to be fast, I would think."

I nod.
"Very fast, less than five minutes after you had disconnected everything."
"Though quite possible."

She nods in agreement.

---

I poke at what's exposed a little more, it's not everyday I get to feel something like this.

Once done, I get to removing the other breastplate.

...

I wonder if being poncholess is...
No, silly thought.
For one, I have nothing that would be... suggestive. Not like an Ancient or any organism really.

Just flat and bare metal.
Though I guess that isn't exactly the case right now.

And besides, it's not like I'm doing anything particularly suggestive, more like something someone would do at a doctor's appointment.

---

The second plate is removed.

Under it lies a secondary pump (built to supplement, not replace the main pump) and the chemical processor.
In through the umbilical arm comes a slurry of hydrocarbons, and the processor refines it into something that can be used by the organics inside of my puppet.
A clever system really.

Speaking of organics, from the processor comes forth a thin and barely visible webbing of capillaries and veins.
The capillaries are all that's needed to transport the blood the processor pumps to my organics, and the veins bring it back to be re-supplied and re-oxygenated.

With an even slower hand, I brush across the network of veins.
The sensation brings no pain, but is stronger, and lasts longer over a larger area.

"Are you alright?"

I had gasped without noticing.
"Yes, quite alright."
"Just... surprising."
"But not in a terrible way."
"It's..."
"...Electric."

She nods her head, slowly.

---

I begin working on the last plate that I can see.
The one resting over the lower abdomen.

"It's weird to see you like this."
"Even in context."

I nod.
It is quite weird, isn't it?

"I should clarify though."
"It's also intriguing."
"I get why you wanted to do this, even though I'm not there."

"Thank you."
"It's like..."
"...Like an immense desire to understand."
"Perhaps even a morbid curiosity."

She nods in complete understanding.

---

The final plate is removed.
Under it reveals the largest mass of organic matter in my body, even larger than the organo-circuitry resting inside my brain.
This mass of flesh and organs helps the chemical processor in keeping me alive, or at least, the organic parts of me alive.
Which I guess in turn keeps all of me alive.

...

Instead of touching it, I shake myself around, gently.
I see the insides fluctuate as I do so, only kept from escaping me by small connecting struts attached to the framework of my body.
The same framework that holds the plating that I have since removed.

"How does it feel?"

"...Strange."
"I can feel it in a vague sense, but since nothing's actually touching it I can only feel it by the forces it's applying on other things."
"I can feel the physics of it, but not it."

She nods.

---

I consider attempting to take off the back plates too, and pitch the idea to Moon.

"How much would you get out of it?"
"You've already seen what's under there."

"True, true."

---

I begin screwing back on the plates.
As I do I begin considering what to do next.

The ideas of detaching my legs, temporarily of course, is still something I'm considering.
It wouldn't be too hard, I don't think, just the same as removing plating, and there's no organics in there, just motors and circuitry.
So nothing would be hurt in the process.

The arms would in theory be riskier, due to detaching them meaning I lose motor capabilities.
But due to the arms present in my chamber, and indeed, the sheer amount of control I have in my chamber, any risk due to that would be nullified.

I wonder how hard it would be to detach my eyes?
They're built to be replaceable in case of emergency after all.
And if I don't disconnect the wires...
Yeah, the wires have enough leeway to stretch out like that.
I'm going to do that last, and tell Moon before I do.
And if the worst case happens Moon will be able to help me reinstall them.

---

All three plates are reinstalled.

"I'm going to attempt to take off my leg now, Moon."
"Nothing should go wrong, I'm going to deactivate it before I do so and segregate the cooling going to it."

"Ok, thank you for letting me know."
"I'll be honest I would have freaked out just a little at you doing that."

I nod, it's a perfectly reasonable reaction.

---

The legs use a different size microscrew, so I swap my screwdriver for one of the appropriate size.

And I begin work.

---

"So I pulled up a blueprint."

I don't look up just yet.
"Mhm?"

"Oh and don't worry about looking, you're busy right now."
"Anyways, the blueprint is of a gen three puppet."
"I'm just looking at it, and I'm just... noticing some oddities compared to a gen one puppet."

"Mhm?"

"We were built very robust, and even capable of taking a few harder hits, right?"
"And of course, capable of being repaired quite easily."

"Yep."

"It seems... it seems much harder to do such things for a gen three puppet."

...
"I see..."

"I think it has to do with a change in philosophy."
"People didn't know at the time how long things would take."
"So they prepared for the worse."
"But by the time gen three iterators were in production, interest in the Iterator Project was already starting to wane, and alternative methods, or just straight ascension, were being considered."
"So the newer of us weren't built to last."
"Not as far into the future, at the very least."

"...Yet another way they were given the short end of the stick."

She nods.
"Indeed."

---

The final screw is off, now to just...
Pop!
The leg releases and slowly floats away.
Though I quickly tug on gravity to bring it back to me.

It feels strange, I can feel my center of mass having shifted.
Higher and slightly to the right, as I removed the left one.

...

"Thinking about it, I could probably design a blueprint for a replacement leg."
"Wouldn't be too hard either."

"I could see some use in that."
"I don't want to imagine the situation that would be required for though."

I nod.
"Indeed."

---

I remove one of the plates on the leg, revealing the semi-hollow interior of it.
Motors and wires connecting to said motors are revealed, along with the circuitry to make it all work.

There is no sensation when I touch the wires.
I don't know why I expected one.

---

I put the leg back on, and start putting the screws back in.

"After this I want to try removing an arm."
"And don't worry, for that I'll bring out one of the chamber's arms."

"Oh ok, honestly I didn't think about that."
"Fair, it's not exactly the purpose you'd first think of for them."
"Using them as a replacement for one of your own arms."

---

I bring out one of the chamber's arms, and I begin work through it.

"Are you planning on doing anything else?"

"Yes, one, maybe two other things."
"An eye."

Her eyes open a little wider at that.
"Is...?"
"Is that safe?"

"I'm sure it's safe, I've been thinking about it for a bit now."
"They're designed to be replaceable after all."

"...You're right."
"You're right."
"And you've clearly shown you've got this handled."
"...What was the other thing?"

"...Alright."
"Full disclaimer, I'm not even 100% sure about this."
"Face plates."
"I want to see if I can look at my face with the plating removed."

"...You know what?"
"That's less risky than the eye thing, go for it."

---

My arm comes off with a 'Pop!'
I investigate it like I did my leg, eventually taking off a plate to reveal the same sights I saw in my leg.

After putting back on the plate, I look at the hand attached to the arm.
The fingers are flexible in their joints, and I can investigate and position them freely with my still attached arm.
I guess the same is true for all parts of the arm, I can position the elbow and wrist just as freely as the finger joints.

...

Can't you...?
...
Yes, there's microscrews here too, at the base of each finger.

---

I detach the thumb after unscrewing it.
It obviously fits in the palm of my hand quite easily.
I, almost involuntarily, squeeze it, just a lit-
...
I sigh.
Glad I have blueprints for these.

"...You crushed it, didn't you?"

"...Maybe."
"I forget how strong these motors are sometimes."
"It's fine though, I'm going to make a new one with the fabricator."
"I can live without my non-dominant hand's thumb for a couple cycles."

She nods.
"Well good, also smart on you for not using your dominant arm for this."

I nod.

---

I put the arm back on, getting a small error when my mind realizes there isn't a thumb where there should be.

"You flinched."

"Error from it missing."
"Wasn't that bad, just surprised me is all."

"Mhm, I see."
"And... please just be careful with this, don't lose an eye because you decided to squish it in your hand."

"I won't, I won't."
"Don't worry."

---

I consult the diagram I have pulled up, because I'm a little hazy on the specifics of this and I do not want to get this wrong.

The eye is attached by a series of magnetised pins, which means that with enough force they'll pop off quite easily.
Of course, due to the fragility of even tempered glass, I don't want to put too much force.
Instead, what I can do is reduce the magnetic force by sliding something under the lens and popping it off with very little force.
Like a dedicated tool to do such a thing.

I grab said dedicated tool.

"Tell me when it's aligned."

I see her nod.

"Thank you."

I begin to move the tool into place.
...

"Half a centimeter lower."

...
"Thank you."
"Anything else?

...
"No."
"You're good."

I nod.

I press a button and the tool slips under the lens.
No errors trigger, meaning I'm doing it right.

Now I can remove the lens by using the jack built into the tool.
...
...

...

The jack reaches its maximum length.
Now, finally, I can pull off my eye with no risk of damage.
...
Pop!

"...You've seen the thing about how Ancients saw through one point of view, despite having two eyes like us?"
"Right about now I'm real glad our eyes don't do that, it'd be real disorienting."

"I bet. They used that for depth of field, and I bet that that would be real weird feeling right about now."

I nod.

Alright, time to do what I've been wanting to do for a bit now.
But first, how much leeway do I have?
...
About 20 centimeters, plenty.

I turn it upon myself, taking me in in a way that even a mirror never would.
And I've only seen myself through cameras.

I can look at myself in near infinite clarity, I can see my face like I never have before.
My eyes are open in wonder, their apertures as wide as they can be.
I can see every detail in my antennas, and note a slight misalignment in the lef- right antenna.
I'll have to fix that.
Actually...

...

There.

"Was it misaligned?"

"Yeah, by about a degree."
"Nothing crazy."
...
"It's like I've never seen myself before Moon."
"Camaras don't do it justice."

"They don't?"

"No, not at all."
"Honestly you'd have to try it for yourself."

"I see..."
She nods her head.
"I might have to try this after you're done."
"And since you asked me to watch over..."

"Of course Moon."
"I wouldn't ask if it wasn't something I would do myself."
"I'll be honest, the experience has been so..."
"So..."
"I don't really even know how to describe the feeling besides..."
"Besides I guess pleasure."
"It feels good to do this, at least just the one time."
"To know, to see the insides working, to feel the wires running across my insides."
"It's odd, in a way it doesn't feel right to do so, it feels taboo."
"Not in our definition of taboo, the normal one."
"The one that the Ancients gave us."
"It feels nice to break the rules the Ancients locked themselves, and by extension us in."
"We don't have to listen to their rules anymore."
"Perhaps we never had to in the first place."
...
"I don't really... really know where that came from."

"No no, I think I agree."
"We're as free as we'll ever be, and really the only rules we can't drop are probably the most important ones."
"The only one I want to complain about is the self modification Taboo, but honestly?"
"Does it really matter?"
"I've given thoughts on it from time to time."
"There are quite easy ways to break it, if one gives it thought."

"...Like how?"

"It says nothing about another person modifying you."

...
Holy...
"Holy shit."
"I- Sorry."

She gives me a funny look.
"I'll let it slide."
"And really, the same's true for all of the Taboos."
"Maybe they never thought we'd abuse that fact."

"...I'm starting to realize you might have been the more radical thinker between you and Frontiers."

That
"I was at the time, that's for sure."
She sighs.
"Perhaps I was wrong for taking a more traditional approach after a while."
"Perhaps I was too scared after my first couple of incidents."
...
"Maybe the Administrators shouldn't have fucked us over."

...
No.
I didn't hear that.
I didn't.
Have I been talking to Frontiers this whole time?
There's gotta be an exp-

"You dropped your eye."
She's looking at me matter of factly.
"Maybe it's time to put it back in, or do you still want to remove your face plates?"

"I-"
"You're not going to say ANYTHING on that?"

...
"Answer mine and I'll answer yours."

"...Yes."
"Yes I am."

She nods.
"...It's been a long time coming."
Her matter of fact face breaks into a more jovial look.
"Probably felt as good as you feeling your insides."
"Now, get to it so I can have my turn at all of this."
"Oh but take your time, no need to rush."

"I..."
...
"Ok."

---

I begin unscrewing the lower face plate.

She said that?
She said that.
"What do you mean, 'long time coming'?"

"Ever since..."
"Shit, ever since before you were awake."
"As soon as they mellowed me out."
"By subtle force, I might add."

"...Please stop swearing, you're going to make me lose focus."

"No."
"Get used to it."

...
"Alright, fine."

"Oh but, please don't tell Frontiers."
"I want it to be a surprise."

...
I can imagine the look on his face.
"Yeah, ok."
"You better record the interaction though, I want to see that."

She laughs just a little.
"Will do."

---

The plate is removed, revealing quite a bit of circuitry and organics.
But most importantly, revealing something quite important to my life.
A micro Rarefraction Cell, designed to provide all the electrical power my puppet would ever need, forever.
Due to its small size, hardly any shielding is needed, as the amount of shielding needed is directly proportional to the size of the RFC.
This one, including its shielding, takes up no more than three centimeters in diameter.
It's a feat of engineering like no other, to make the necessary parts for an RFC this small is no easy task.
But it is well worth it, producing the two kilowatts of electricity I need to function.
When my surroundings are quiet, I can hear it humming away.
It's comforting, hearing the thing keeping me alive humming away as intended.
I hold my non-dominant hand close to it, and can see and feel the electricity sparking from the cell to my fingers.
To the point of sounding redundant, it feels electric.

I pull my hand away.
No need to fry something.
There's a reason the plate covering it has insulation under it after all.

---

I begin to unscrew the plate that usually holds my eye in place.
Usually.

"I don't think I'm going to unscrew the other one, I think you can understand why."

She nods.
"No need to remove your other eye in the process, and besides underneath those plates your head is roughly symmetrical."

"Indeed."

---

The plate comes off.
Though, I can't fully remove it without detaching the wires to the eye.
Ah well, I can still see just fine, just move around a little so it isn't taking up too much space.

"...Maybe it would have been better to just have taken the other one off."

No kidding.

Regardless, I can see the crescendo and climax of my journey of exploration.
My brain, exposed in all of its glory.
Brain matter perfectly fused with circuitry perfectly fused with brain matter ad-infinitum.
The product of the smartest minds of a civilization long gone, built to solve a problem they never needed answered.
Now unchained from their rules and purposes, free to make its own.
I'm looking at myself in a way I haven't before, the body just a container for Me.

I am No Significant Harassment.
And I now truly realize that I Am Free.

It takes me a second to realize I had let go of my eye, the pure wash of revelation had passed.
But had not left me unchanged.

...
I begin screwing the plate back in.
"Moon..."
"It's your turn."

Notes:

Sig disassembles himself under Moon's watch, he takes off plates covering his body and his limbs, and one eye that is more comparable to an optical sensor.

Moon swears for the first time, completely shocking Sig for a solid minute. She also speaks briefly of her actions before Sig was awakened, specifically that she used to have more 'out there' ideas. She also mentions the Administrators in a particularly harsh tone that Sig had never heard from her before.

Sig looks in on himself (If you know you know) and sees himself, and understands freedom that he is truly free for the first time.

Now that this is said, I would like to say something.
This summary has been highly dumbed down from the source material, as most summaries have to be.
I implore you, if you can handle it, to try and read the chapter.
This is true for all of my chapters that have full summaries, and I implore the same for those, if possible.

Chapter 42: Interfacing pt. 2

Summary:

A direct continuation of the previous chapter occurs. Sig and Moon help each other study their own biology and bond over the experience.

Notes:

Yeah I'm gonna be real with yall, this one gets a bit more gory than the last, more descriptive at the very least.
Also present in the chapter is actions that, while not intended to be, could be interpreted as sexual.
If you asked those present, they would disagree. They would call it intimacy.
A friend that's advising me on this says it'd be called Physical Non-Sexual Intimacy, and I agree with her.
Another note is that because similar things as ch41 happen, the same idea of studying and describing organic and semi organic (and non organic) body parts and organs apply.
If you're off put by anything you see in this chapter, or by what I just said, I'll summarize the important bits in the end notes.

"What was it like?"

...
"You'll see."
"Trust me."

She can tell it is something she wouldn't want to miss out on, and nods in a sort of understanding.

---

The plate is installed, now to put the eye back in.
Luckily, I never took the jack out, it'll make things easier.
Make it so I have to put in less caution when reinstalling.

---

...
There.
Like nothing even happened.
...But it did.

I see in the corner of my eye, Moon has brought out tools and a diagram, just like I had.

...

"...Hey Moon."

"Hm?"

"You been working on that holographic caller?"
"Improved cohesion?"

"...I did..."
She pulls up another window.

...

Incoming Call
Source id: Moon (LttM)
Accept call?

Yes

...
Since the last time we used this, she's obviously improved a couple things.
She's improved resolution for one.
Refresh rate looks higher too. It's less choppy.

"...Wow."
"You've improved it quite a bit."

"Thank you."
"It's been a side project for a while now."
"Oh, and you're probably wondering about its cohesion."
"I managed to get it up to... oh, about four hours."

"Impressive, maybe you'll have to tell me how you did that sometime."

"Of course."
"In fact I was already beginning to write out a study on it."
"But I don't see why I can't give you a one on one about the topic."

"That would be lovely."

---

She grabs a screwdriver and...
...
"Wait..."

Heh, she forgot her poncho.
"Forgetting something?"

She gives me a look.
"Har har."
She begins taking it off.

...

"I wonder what our creators would think of this?"

"Heresy, sacrilege, a violation of the second purity and a dangerous step towards the second urge."
"That kind of stuff."
"Despite the obvious."

"Despite the obvious that there's really nothing in violation of the second purity let alone an act of the second urge?"
"Sounds about right."

"Of course it does, you know they'd think that way."
...
"Sounds like they have the more perverted minds if you ask me."

"Ha!"
"That's pretty good."
...
She looks down on herself.
"Do I look good?"

I look at her both in her holographic form, and the camera that we haven't closed yet.
...
"You do."
"You're very graceful."
"...You might just make a good painting."

"...You think so?"

I look her over again.
...
"You would."
"Though admittedly, I'm not very good at portraits."
"...Not yet anyways."
"Sometime soon, we'll have to give it a shot."

She giggles.
"That would be wonderful Sig."
"...Perhaps you could...?"

"Do it now?"
I consider it.
"Seeing you half opened up in the painting would be quite interesting."
"Though... you'd have to be ok with being still for... a while, I wouldn't be able to tell you how long."
"I wouldn't want to lose something by doing it from a static reference."

She thinks it over.
"I... would be willing to do that."
"...As long as I get an authentic copy~"

I chuckle.
"That could be arranged."
...
"Though I imagine that it could take a while to get to you, I wouldn't want it to be messed up in transport."

She waves it off.
"That would be just fine Sig."
"Whatever it takes."

I nod in agreement.
Whatever it takes.

---

I bring out a canvas and a selection of paints and brushes that I find fitting for the task.
Luckily, I already had a few canvases set up with a background, and chose one with a background chamber, like the one we're in right now.
As for the paints, I mainly chose some blues and blacks, but I've also prepared some reds and purples, mainly for her head marking, but also for some detailings of her insides.
And for the brushes, I grabbed just about every kind I had lying in the compartment I keep this stuff in.

"You ready?"

I nod.
"Really, you could have started as soon as I started getting things out."
"I'll tell you when I want you to hold a position."
...
I take out a couple more canvases, all prepared in a similar way to the one at hand currently.

She notices.
"Mhm?"

"It's just in case I want to make a couple more."
"It's a precaution, not something I immediately plan on using."

She nods.
"Feel free to make as many as you want; I've got time, you've got time."

"Thank you."

---

She begins with... her leg.
...
She notes my confusion.
"I have an idea I've been holding on to since you detached your arm."

Oh?
"Well don't let me stop you."
"Sounds like it might be good for a painting too."

She considers it as she works away at her leg.
"I think it will."

---

The leg detaches with a 'Pop!'
She keeps it close to her though, not letting it get too far.
...And immediately begins working on the other.

...
I think I see where this is going.
"Arms next?"

She nods.
"Mhm."
"I wanted to... see what it felt like."

"That's what we're here for, right?"

"True that."

---

She finishes her other leg and immediately begins on her left arm.

...Is her right hand dominant?
...
"You're right handed?"

"Yeah. You didn't know that?"

"Nope, I guess it never came up."
"Isn't that kind of rare?"

"Yeah."
"Of course, it was much more obvious for the Ancients, it wasn't exactly common for them to be near fully ambidextrous."

"Right."
"I guess I just never noticed then."

She nods.

---

She releases her arm.
And rather quickly pulls out one of the chamber's arms to get working on the last.
"Hey Sig."
"For the painting, do you want me to keep my arms and legs in frame or out?"

I consider it.
"...In frame, I think it'll look better."

She nods, then pulls her limbs a little closer, about... ten centimeters away from their sockets.

"That's perfect."

"Good."
"I think... what I'm going to do is turn off outside stimulus for a bit."
"That was the point of removing my ways to interact with the world."

I nod.
"Reasonable."
"And it works pretty good for me, I'll be able to work on it without keeping you waiting."

"Indeed."

---

Pop!
The arm floats away, before being roped back in to mirror the rest of her limbs.
I see her hip and shoulder motors move around.

"Ahhhh..."
"This is nice."

"I bet."
"Have a nice, productive rest Moon."
"Oh, and if I finish before you get back up, I'll shut off the hologram, let it cool down any it needs."

"Good idea."
...
"See you in a bit."

I nod, but I can tell she doesn't see as the glint in her eyes fades away.
She floats there, with her limbs kept in place by gravitational influence.

It's a perfect scene for a painting.

---

I start with the facial features, drawing in the eyes and head marking.
Followed by a rough sketch for the antenna, I'll properly draw them in later, after the first layer is done.

Good.

Next I begin to draw in the outline of the head, not filling it in just yet though.
Then the rest of her still attached body, which really just amounts to her abdomen.

Now finished with the main outline, I look at Moon's non-attached limbs and begin drawing outlines for them.

...There, a full outline produced.
Now to start filling things in.
Starting with the plate seams.
Which, I guess is still part of the outline, certainly looks the part.

---

Her chest is interesting.
Probably due to her size, there's four plates instead of three, with what would be the lower chest plate being split into two.
As far as I'm aware, she's the only Iterator like that.

In any case, the seams are done, now to actually draw the plating.

---

"How long has it been?"
She hasn't turned back on her sight, but I can tell she's listening.

"Oh... about thirty minutes or so?"
"And if you want the time since we turned on the hologram... about forty."
"I'm getting close to done with the first layer, and then I'd have to wait for it to dry."
"If you want to wake up, be my guest."

"...I'll take twenty more minutes."

"Mkay, see you then."

---

That looks pretty good.
Much better than my previous portraits at the very least.

I store it in the corner of my chamber to let it dry.
Oh, and I close down the hologram.

---

It just occurred to me that I don't need to have my poncho off anymore, but...
No need to put it back on just yet.
Not in this scenario, private and with one of the people I know best.
I wouldn't do this with someone I didn't trust.

And I'm sure Moon wouldn't either.

I look at her through the camera we left open.
She looks at peace, calm, tranquil.
...
'Tranquil Dismemberment'.
The perfect title for the piece.

---

I'm thinking about it, would I do this with Frontiers?
Rationally, I trust him as much as I trust Moon, but...
It's a different thing, I guess, with him.
Is it?

---

I think we would.
Or...
We would now, but maybe even not that long ago we wouldn't.

Why's that?

...

Intimacy.
Me and Moon have allowed ourselves to be intimate for... just about as long as we've known each other.
Me and Frontiers, in contrast, really only started opening up in this way only fairly recently.
Maybe the first example of such would be the times he comforted me when I was still shaken about Silver.

---

We both have hard shells.
Hard shells that take time to be broken.
...I bet that's it.

It's just taken time to get where we are now.

---

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Moon's motors twist and move around, a system check after almost an hour of inactivity.

"You there Moon?"

"Mmmmm."
"Yeah."

"How was it?"

"Good."
"Was thinking a bit."
"Rested a bit too."
"Both parts were nice."

"Well that's good to hear."
I see her eyes flash on.
"Let's open back up the call, mkay?"

"Mhm."
She...
Nevermind.
"Let me get an arm attached real quick."

"Mhm."
"Take your time."

---

Incoming Call
Source id: Moon (LttM)
Accept call?

Yes.

...
There we go.

She's currently working on getting her other limbs reattached.

"What'd you think about?"

"Frontiers."

"Same here, actually."
"I was thinking about how our relationship differed from mine and his."

"Hmm."
"You'll have to tell me about that in a second."
...
"Is that the painting in the corner?"

"Drying, but yes."
"Let me put the camera up to it so you can actually see it."
...
There.

"Woooow..."
"That's really good!"

"Thank you."

---

"So what exactly were you thinking about?"
"About Frontiers."

"...To put it simply?"
"I had realized that I wouldn't ask Frontiers to watch over me while I did this like I did with you."
"And I asked myself why."
"And so I thought about it."
"I came to the conclusion that it was a matter of intimacy."
"You and I have always allowed ourselves to be open with each other."
"For the longest time, I don't think I could have said the same for Frontiers."
"We just never discussed anything like that."
"Not particularly."
"And I continued to think about it, and I realized that that's changed in more recent times."
"And thus, I concluded that yes, I would ask Frontiers to watch over me."
"With the caveat that I would only ask of something like that in recent times."
"...Does that make sense?"

"...Yes, I think it does."
"I never realized you two didn't share that."

"Yep."
"Though, like I said, that's changed in recent times."
...
"And what were you thinking about?"

"I was thinking on a similar line of thought."
"Though a much simpler thought, mind you."
"'We should get Frontiers to do this, he'd enjoy it.'"

"Sounds about right."
...
"You know where the estimate is sitting at?"

"For him to be unable to perform real time communications?"
"What was it..."
"Thirty cycles? Roughly?"
...
"This is multi call capable..."
"Hmm..."

"Do you want to invite him right now?"

"...I think so."

I nod.
"Mkay, I'll message him, and send the inv-."

"Wait."
...
She floats over to me, making sure to take her one still unattached leg with her.
"Let's wait, just a couple minutes, mkay?"

"Ok."

---

She finishes attaching her leg.
"...I'm thinking about the word you used."
"'Intimacy.'"
"Is it weird to say I never saw it like that until now?"

"I mean, neither did I until I thought long and hard about it."
"So no, I wouldn't say so."

She nods.
"And..."
...
She doesn't finish the thought, but instead grabs a screwdriver, and gets to work.

...

She gestures to my small orbit of tools.
She...
I think she wants me to join.

I silently oblige.

---

"I don't think we should invite Frontiers to this call."
"This feels... like a one on one kinda thing, you know?"

I nod.
"Honestly, that sounds about right."
"I think it would feel weird if there were two people watching."

She nods.
"You get it."

...

"I hope you understand that I'm not suggesting that he shouldn't do this at all, just... that me or you should do it, not me and you."

"Oh of course, I need to do this with him before..."
"Before..."
"Fuck, I just can't think about it."
"I can't."

She pauses.
...
She puts her hand around my shoulder.
"I know."
"It's like... I know he'll still be there, and we'll even be able to talk, right?"
"But we won't be able to... to..."
...There's steam pouring out, simulated by the holographic projector as a bunch of particles, floating up and away.

...
"To be able to see him again."

She looks away, but nods while doing so.
...
-!

...
I return the hug.

"I don't want to lose him Sig!"

...It's a shame we can't actually feel each other, or I would have squeezed tighter.

...She calms down a little, I think.
"Can we try something?"

"Like what?"

"An experimental feature I've developed."
"Chamber sync."

...I have an idea of what that means.
Did she read my mind?
"I... don't see how it could hurt."
"...Is it stable?"

"Yes, I've tested it."
"I say it's experimental really only because it's a little weird at first."

I nod.
"Then how about we try it?"

I see her antenna flex, sending out a message to... something.

Permission to access the chamber's functionalities.
I don't see why not.

Permission granted.

Immediately, I can feel a force exerted upon me, across my chest and along my arms.
Pushing me like there was really an object in that space.

I squeeze, just a little bit tighter.

Steam is pouring out again.
"Thank you."

...
"You're a genius, you know that?"

"...Aren't we all?"
She starts cry-laughing weakly.

I find myself laughing just a little at the joke myself.

---

We eventually unwind ourselves from our rather tight embrace.
Moon still has something to experience, after all.

...
Speaking of...

She pulls off the plate, having removed every remaining screw.
Underneath it lies her coolant pump.
She looks at it in awe.
Probably the exact same awe I felt at mine.

The last screw on my plate pops off, followed not too shortly by the plate itself.
I had chosen at random which one to remove, and had by chance gotten the same plate hiding my coolant pump.

Hmm...
...
I almost say something, but wait for her to finish first.

She pokes at the pump, letting out a sharp gasp as her nerves are surprised into action.
...
"Wow..."
"I..."
"Wow."

"It's something else, right?"

"I-"
"Yes, it was."

"Can... Can I try something?"

She looks at me curiously.
Then a sort of understanding seems to take hold of her.
"...Only if I get to with you~"

I roll my eyes.
"Oh fine, I don't see why not."

I pull in a little closer to her, having separated when we needed space to unscrew our plates off.

I slooooowly move my hand to her exposed coolant pump...
And move a single finger across it.

Her reaction is palpable.
Not to mention her chest curling up slightly, almost in defense.
...
...
"Do it again."

I oblige.
Back and forth across the thin webbing of neurons.
Slowly, carefully.

I realize very quickly what her reaction to this is, though I never thought it would be possible to happen to an Iterator.
Why would I? We weren't supposedly built with the idea that:
A. These spaces would ever be touched outside of maintenance.
And B. That our creators had a sense of humor.
These nerves are ticklish.
Quite the funny thought, even if I'm just realizing it's just because they're highly sensitive.

"Stop! Stop, stop I've had enough."
She's laughing, trying to bat my hands away.

I relent, before her mood actually turns sour.
"Sorry."

She gives herself a second to compose herself.
"...Ticklish, who would have thought?"

"Not us, that's for sure."
...
I know it's coming.

...

Ack-!
...
Just the once...
...
"...A couple more times couldn't hurt, MooooooOON-!"

I hear her laughing, though it SseeeEEEMMS!
"Stop! Stop, stop, please."
...
Oh she's laughing alright, though not... not in a particularly bad way.
Playful, I would describe it.
...
"I..."

...
"You alright?"

"I'm fine."
"I think that was even enjoyable."
"...I don't want to do that again."

"...Sorry."

"You're fine, you are fine."
"You didn't hurt me."

She's relieved.
"Good."
She wraps me in an embrace.

I follow suit.

---

We let go after... a couple minutes?

She looks at me.
"...Can I try something?"

"...Yes."
"Just be careful."

"Of course Sig."
She doesn't tell me to say stop if something goes wrong, but it's implied.

She reaches back up to my exposed coolant pump, and, with the most delicate touch, moves in to touch it.
I wince ever so slightly.
But it's not as strong a sensation as it was just a few minutes ago.
...
It feels very good.
"...This is better."

She moves in a little closer and whispers.
"Good."

---

The experience adapts a kind of soothing quality.
On a couple occasions, I try to reach for her coolant pump.
Every time, she playfully smacks my hand away.

...
But I have two hands.
I hold her hand with mine.
She accepts, thinking that's all I have on my mind.
And I reach up to the pump with my other hand.
She realizes a smidge too late.
"...Tricky tricky."

"It's your turn Moon~"
With a careful, delicate motion, I reach out, and gently caress the coolant pump.

She doesn't flinch, but lets me join in massaging.

---

Honestly, I don't know how long it's been.
I do know, however, that we stopped about a minute ago.
...
"That was great."

She nods.
"Wonderful, it was wonderful."

I can only nod in agreement.

---

After a couple more minutes, she pulls out a screwdriver.
And gets to work on another plate.
Specifically, the one hiding her chemical processor.
I float back, and let her without interference.

---

"I want to ask something."
"...What were you like before..."

"Before you were awake?"

I nod.

"You'd think that Frontiers was the one with all the crazy ideas."
"Truth is... that wasn't really the case in the beginning."
"I'm sure you've noticed that by now."
"I was full of ideas!"
"Taboo breaking, transcension, nothing was off limits when it came to my ideas."
...
"For a time."
"Of course, because I was publishing every idea I had, the Administrators took notice."
"They realized that... perhaps there should be rules."
"And so, things were regulated, the audit system was set up, shit, even a couple new taboos were added."
"Mainly the self-modification taboo."
"And I specifically was given a rather long talk to."
"I realized I should... probably take things a little slower after that."
"So I went and tried very hard to get them on my good side."
"I became more professional, I worked non stop on transcension, the only idea of mine they held with any regard."
"I kept quiet."
"I dropped some of my habits that they would have seen as... unbecoming of a god."
"Swearing was just one habit among many."
"Only really recently, ever since you reminded me of what I used to do, have I really taken a look at who I once was."
"I remembered things I had long buried, and have been trying to bring them back to the surface."
"...I want to be me."

...
"...Wow."
"I... had no idea."

"Of course you didn't."
"I didn't either."
She says it matter of factly, as if that wasn't the largest turning point in her life.

---

"It feels nice, doing things I haven't done in millenia."
"I felt weird about the fact I used to swear at first."
"You wanna know what I was doing when I was busy for four cycles a little back?"

"Oh yeah, I remember that."
"Were you looking at memories?"

"Yep."
"I have just about everything saved in pearls now, so I just brought some from that time into my chamber, and viewed them."
"Simple as that."
"...You remember how I said I wasn't one to look into the past?"

"Yeah?"

"I think I was wrong to do so."
"In doing so, looking back that is, I had realized just how much my personality had been molded by..."
"By our Administrators."

...The first time I heard her say that word with... with malice in her voice.

"...I despise what they did to me Sig."
"Who they made me into."
...
"No, I don't hate that."
"I hate that they did it."

"I..."
"Holy shit."

"I know."
"But wouldn't you?"
"Wouldn't you hate someone if they had changed your personality against your will?"
"If they changed who you were? Even if you're fine with what the change is?"

"...Yes."
"Moon I'm... I'm so sorry."

...
"...Thank you."
"That... that means a lot."

---

She finishes taking off the plate.
"I think there's a metaphor lying in what we're doing."
"Just recently I deconstructed who I was mentally."
"Now I'm deconstructing who I am physically."
"Funny, hm?"

"There's certainly some irony in that, that's for sure."

She nods, then takes a closer look at the chemical processor, working in sync with the coolant pump.
Just as entranced as she was with the pump.

She prods at it again, and lets another gasp out.
She does it again.

"You seem to have better tolerance than I do for that."
"I wonder what that entails."

"...I don't know."
She prods it a final time.
"Maybe it's..."
"Well, no, because it's not pain, so it can't be pain tolerance."
...
"...I have no idea."
"Besides natural variation in our puppets."

I nod slowly.
It's probably just that after all.

---

"I wonder..."
I pull one of her screwdrivers to me.

She looks at me.
"...You think that'll work?"

"No idea."
"Can I try?"

"I don't see why not."

I nod, and move in closer.
I move the screwdriver around in my hand.

I have surprisingly good control of it for not truly holding it, just holding a set of gravitational restraints acting as if there were an object in their place.
"Can I just say how you did this was really impressive?"

"Thank you, it took well over two hundred cycles to get it working even half as well as this."
"It took another five hundred to get here."

"...Wow."
"I commend you for sticking with it."

"Thank you."

...
Alright...
I move my hand to the plate that she isn't working on, so as to not interfere.
"Tell me to stop if I mess something up, mkay?"

"Of course."
"But you won't."

"You're right, of course."

I begin unscrewing.

---

"I wonder how possible this would be with one of my screwdrivers?"

She thinks it over.
"...I bet it would work on non magnetic screws."

"Oh, right, of course."
"...So you haven't figured out how to make a localized magnetic field out of nothing?"

"No, strangely enough."
The sarcasm is palpable.

---

She finishes her plate, but before she removes it, she helps me with the remaining screws.
"I didn't have any doubt that it would work, not with something as simple as unscrewing a screw."

"Yeah."
"Thinking about it, I wouldn't want to do complex surgery with instruments that don't exist for me."

That gets a snort out of her.

---

We finish the plate together.
I reach to the sides of the plate, and look at Moon.

"Shouldn't hurt. It's even simpler than operating a screwdriver."

I nod, and note her moving her hands to the edge of the other plate.
I wait just a moment, and then, in sync, we remove the plates.

Underneath is the same guts that I have, though maybe a smidge larger to support the larger body.

I hear her mutter.
"It's beautiful..."
"...The pinnacle of bioengineering."

"Indeed."

She barely takes heed, rather remaining entranced by her gut.
She has it jiggle, just like I had mine.

Another muttering.
"You never touched your guts..."

"No, I didn't, did I?"

She shakes her head.
"I should try it..."

She waits just a second for everything to settle.
And takes her hand up to the guts...
And ever so lightly taps it.

She flinches.
...
"Wow..."

"...Feels good?"

"Yes..."
...
"Can..."
"Can you...?"

I consider it.
"...Not yet."
...
...
I bring one of my screwdrivers over to me.
"Though perhaps you could help that happen a little sooner?"

Before I know it, another screwdriver floats over to her hand.
"I'll take that as a yes."

---

We made quick work of my gut plate.
I pull it off.

...

There it is again.
Before anything else happens, I move my hands up to it.

...

I poke it.
It... doesn't feel too bad.
Shocking, of course, but not as bad as I would have expected.
...
I slowly move all of my outstretched hand to it, almost braced to be ready for whatever reaction happens.
...
A brief shock from the neurons, but...
My hand's still there.
After the initial shock, it feels... rather good.

"Feel good?"

"Yes. Very."
...
I move my hand around, forcing the flesh to jiggle around with it.
Mmmmm...
This... This is nice.

...
I stop, and look at Moon.

"You ready?"

I nod.

She, rather carefully, reaches out.
I do the same.

---

What followed was a rather gentle process of us playing with the other's guts.
At one point the both of us had the idea of trying to stick our hands inside the network of tubes and organs.
It took about five minutes to get things untangled.
I wish we had a picture of that, I'm sure it was a very funny scene.
...Picture.
"...I just thought about it."
"Maybe... maybe we should do the paintings... later."

"Oh."
She giggles a little at that.
"Yeah, I guess so."
"When do you think we should?"

"Oh... maybe..."
"I should be free for something like this in about ten-ish cycles, and I'll keep you updated about that, mkay?"

"Sounds good to me."

---

We rest for just a second longer.

"That was... rather the predicament we found ourselves in."

"Heh, yeah, I guess it was."
"Definitely not what I was expecting, that's for sure."

I nod.
"Indeed."

---

I realize that now, finally, she'll get to see what I saw.
There are no options left, only the eyes and headplates remain.
I push the eye remover tool to her.

She contemplates it for a second.
"I want to ask again."
"What was it like?"

"Pure revelation, discovery of the self in a single instant."
"Though I imagine your experience will be different in some way."
"You'll make of it what you will."

She nods, slowly.
I note a sort of... apprehension in the way she moves the tool up to her eye.

"...Do you want help?"
Not 'need help', 'want help.'
I know she doesn't need it, per say.

"...Yes."

I float over, and help position the tool into place.

"I... I don't know why I'm so worried."
"Maybe... I'm afraid of what I'll see?"

"...Maybe it's my fault."
"I'm the one who put the expectations of it into your mind, after all."
"And for that... I'm sorry."

Now that the tool is in place, she begins using the jack to push the eye out.
"No, don't be... It's my fault, for fearing the worst."
"If you saw something awe-inspiring, I'm sure I will too."

"That's the spirit."

The jack finishes extending, and she puts her hand up to the lens.
It pops clean off with little effort.

"...I'm going to back off now, you should see it for yourself, and only yourself."

She attempts to regain composure, and...
Seems to succeed.
She nods.
"Ok."
She pulls a screwdriver to her, and begins removing a plate that will reveal...
We will see.

---

"What if I see something I don't want to see?"

"...Maybe you will."
"And if you do?"
"I will be here for you Moon."

"...Thank you."

She unscrews the final screw, and slowly, carefully, pulls off the plate holding her other eye.

She turns her available eye to it, and looks at it.
Silently, she looks at it.

...

Just barely, I hear her speak.
"I'm me."
"I always have been."

And with what she told me earlier, I understand the importance of those words.
She is her, she always has been.

---

And like it never happened, she slowly winds back in the optical wires, and slowly inserts the plate and eye back into place.

"...What did you see?"

...
"I saw me."
"I saw myself in that brain, and..."
"And I realized that I've always been me, always been Looks to the Moon."
"And... it was comforting."
"It gave me peace of mind, knowing that."
"For some time now, I... had been worried about that."
"Worried about who I was, now that I was looking at the pieces."
...
"Tell me, what did you see?"

"Freedom. I saw freedom."
"A concept that... until now I hadn't particularly grasped at, despite wanting for so long."
"I finally understood what it meant as a whole, and more importantly, what it meant to me."

She takes in my answer.
She says nothing.

---

We sit there, both contemplating what we've seen and done this cycle.
And eventually, we start unwinding.
Putting back on still missing plates, making sure that we didn't damage anything, though we're sure we didn't, and moving the tools back into the compartments we've prepared for them.
And finally, to finish everything off, we put back on our ponchos.
A return to normalcy. To normal behavior and normal circumstances.
We both look at each other, and despite us both being there for the experience, we're both unsure as to if it actually happened.
If any of that happened.

But...
There is proof.
'Tranquil Dismemberment.'
A proof that it actually happened, and a reminder, that we aren't done just yet.
But that... is for another time.

"In ten cycles, right?"

"Give or take, and I'll keep you posted on that."

"Then... I'll see you then."

"See you then."
I float up to her, and give her one last embrace.
She accepts and returns the favor.

"Love you Moon."

"Love you, Sig."

---

After our last embrace, we close down all three means of communication we had open.
The text chat had been unused for a good four hours.
The video chat an hour, or more.

---

TYPE Drive C/personal logs/16.2xx.txt
------
16.289 / 0100
...A lot happened in the past five hours.
I'm sure you'll remember it all when I say this word:
Interfacing

Now that you've caught up and remembered everything, I want to spout some psychological nonsense.
Specifically, on the differences between close Iterator relations and close Ancient relations.
I'm sure you remember the whole idea this centers around.
It's not a friendship, a romantic partnership, nor a colleague and colleague situation, nor even a sibling and sibling relation.
With those whom you know best, it's a rather fascinating mix of all of the above, all in differing mixtures, a cocktail of the traditionally defined relationships long since discovered by our now long gone creators.
And it all centers around one concept.
Intimacy, and the ability to trust in the person you're talking to.

I trust Moon a lot, and she the same with me.
I trust Frontiers a lot, and he the same with me.
I trust Winds, and Sliver, and Suns, and perhaps even Yui.
And they trust me.

But only the first two would I ever share an experience like the one I just had.
I wouldn't put my wellbeing in their hands unless I trusted them as completely as I do.

Today, I put my well-being in the hands of Moon, and she did the same with me.

And as soon as possible, I plan on doing the same with Frontiers.
His in my hands, and hopefully, mine in his.

I will see you then.
------

Notes:

Moon shares how and why she's changed in recent times, including her first swears. (That Sig knew of)
Specifically, she had decided, after an incident with Administration before Sig was even awake, to keep herself in line, work on more agreeable projects, not be as radical in her thinking.
She mentions regret for never looking back before, because she now realizes all that she had lost.

In the end, when she looked upon herself (if you know you know) she saw what she needed to see.
That she had always been Looks to the Moon, herself.
She realizes that both who she was and who she is now are both her.

Another part is Sig begins painting her mid disassembly, with arms and legs removed but kept in frame.
He wants to paint more, but doesn't have the time, and has agreed to do it with her roughly in ten cycles time. (For yall, this means ch 45.)

Finally, they discuss doing this with Frontiers, and come up with a few conclusions.
That what is happening is best done with two people, one do do and one to watch over so nothing goes wrong.
That they only have a limited time to do this, due to communication decay leaving them with thirty cycles until they're no longer able to maintain live communications.
And Sig specifically has the realization that previously, he and Frontiers had never let themselves be vulnerable with each other, this only changing in recent times.

And there you go.
Yeah this was an interesting chapter.
See y'all Saturday.

Chapter 43: Interfacing pt. 3

Summary:

It's Frontiers' turn.

Notes:

dw, last chapter where the previous warnings apply. (though ch45 will have a lighter version of it)
The same Physical Non-Sexual Intimacy idea occurs, though briefly.
The same idea of studying and describing organic and non organic body parts and organs that have occurred in ch41 and 42 still apply, throughout the chapter.
If you at any point feel too disturbed to finish, feel free to read the chap summary in the end notes.

...
"You wanna... you wanna do something?"

"I do."
"And... and I want to do something specific."

He looks at me curiously.
"Mhm?"

"It's umm..."
"It's a little weird."
"But I want to do it before we can't."
Void... this feels like a bad idea.

"What is it?"

...Fuck man, how do you describe it?
"There's no easy way to describe it."

"Well, show me then."
"Can't be that hard."

...

...Yep!
Can't be that hard!
I am losing my fucking mind!
...
Alright.
Alright, alright.
You can do this.

"You alright?"

"...Yeah."
"I'll just say... this'll feel a little awkward."

He scoffs.
"To the void with that, frankly!"
"We weren't given practically infinite time just to worry about 'oh but this'll feel awkward though.'"
...
"Ahem. So just... don't worry about it, and show me."
"Worst case scenario, one of my last memories of us hanging out in real time is me getting to rag on you a little bit."

...
Well put.
...
"How about... I lead you through it."

"Sounds good to me Sig."

"...Good."
"First, you're going to need some tools, you don't need all of them but I would just recommend grabbing the whole kit."

He nods.
"Mkay."
I hear a compartment slide open.

"Good."
I pull out my tool kit as well.

"So what do we need these for?"

...Let's say it matter of factly.
"We're going to take some plates off of our body."
Void, finally got it fucking out.

He processes it.
Then nods his head.
"I can see how you thought that would be awkward to say."
"But now that I'm hearing it? Sounds interesting."
"I'm presuming you have experience?"

"Yes, just a couple cycles ago."
Void I'm glad the hard part's done.
"I did it with Moon watching over, just so nothing went wrong, you know?"

He nods.
"Mhm, makes perfect sense."
"Did she do it with you watching over her?"

"...Yeah."

He looks at me funny. A certain partial understanding in his eyes.
"You're gonna tell me about that later, mkay?"

"...Yeah, fair."
"Anyways, you want to know why I did it in the first place?

"Shoot."

"I was bored, and wanted to do something physical."

"...That bored huh?"

I snort.
"That's one way of putting it."
"In any case, unless you want to do it blind, you're gonna have to take off your poncho to take any of the chest plates off."

"Am I hearing another reason you'd think it'd be awkward?"

"...Perha-"
And he's already taking it off.
...
"Oh and I should say, you should pull up the diagram just so you have a reference."

He finishes taking it off, and pulls up the diagram..
"Makes sense, you don't want to mess anything up, and in the worst case, there's instructions to do just about anything you need tied to it."

"Exactly."
I already promised to go through it with him, so I begin taking off my poncho.

He seems to already be figuring it out, as he's rummaging through his collection of screwdrivers.
"Honestly, the more I think about it, the more I'm interested."
"A burning curiosity about the subject."

"Exactly how I felt about it, and the same goes for Moon."

"Mhm."
He finds the right size screwdriver.
"And what happened, anyways?"

"Void, now?"

"Well with how much you're fighting it, yes. You're just fueling my curiosity."

I roll my eyes.
"Yeah yeah, alright."
"So first off, and I only really thought about the implications of this after it was over, but Moon's figured out a way to simulate another person in the room."

It takes a second, but he freezes.
...
"What the fuck?"
"So like, with the hologram thing, right?"

"Yeah!"
An idea strikes me.
"...Speaking of..."
I let the unspoken question float over to him.

"...Yes."
"I would like that."

"But would the connection speed handle it?"

"Oh totally."
"Sure the overall connection speed's down to 10% of its original capacity, but 10% of two hundred gigabits is... still quite a bit, wouldn't you agree?"

"...Yeah, I would."
"Let me just..."

Request connection[Frontiers (DF)]

...
The hologram boots up, and suddenly we're in the same room.

"And how do you do it?"

"I think... it's something in the advanced options..."
I look over to the screen monitoring the connection.
Nothing out of the ordinary, besides latency being at a second, but that's to be expected considering.
I move to options, then advanced options.

"Did she not tell you how to do it?"

"No, she set it up herself."
"I just had to grant permission to access chamber functionalities."
Not that, or that.

"And... how does it work?"

"As far as I'm aware it records every object inside the chamber, and sends that over to the other chamber as gravitational fluctuations acting as the normal force of said objects."

...
"Holy shit that's genius."

"I know right?"
"Apparently it took her a good eight hundred cycles to finalize, or at least get to this state.
Ah, there it is.
Enable.

He pauses, presumably to address the permission request just sent his way.

...

He floats over to my poncho, which has found itself on the wall of my chamber.
He touches it.
"...Holy shit."

"Mhm?"

And again.
"Holy shit!"
He floats over to me.

"Go on."

He reaches a hand out.
I slap it away.

"Hey!"
...
He realizes what I did.

"...Oh."

"Now you're getting it."

"...And she didn't tell me?"

"She didn't tell me until it had occurred naturally, two cycles ago."
"So there's that."

"...Why?"

"Beats me."
"Maybe she didn't think it was ready. She seemed to think that was the case anyways."

...
"Yeah, ok."
"That admittedly does sound a little like Moon."
"How about we continue on with this?"

"Sounds good."

---

He chooses a plate, the one covering his chemical processor.
"Just start unscrewing?"

"What do you think? You seem to have a very good handle of what's going on."

"Fair enough."
He, in fact, starts unscrewing.

...

"You never actually finished what you were saying about Moon, we got caught up in me realizing that 'holy shit I can interact with you.'"

"Right."
"To put it simply..."
"Actually, it'll make more sense in a couple minutes."

"...Alright."
"Ominous but whatever."

He carries on.

---

The last screw comes out.
He looks over to the diagram.
"Right..."
He reaches to the plate and performs the action I've done quite a few times now.
...
"Huh, would you look at that."
He stares at it for several seconds, then...
Sloooowly, he moves his hand over the exposed processor.
He prods it.
And flinches.

...
And prods it again.
"That's..."

"Something else?"

He nods.
"Something else indeed."

"Do you get why I wanted you to try?"

"Yes, yes I do."
"It's fascinating."
"I..."
A certain understanding befalls him.
"...Was it fun?"

"Yes. It was."
"I don't think we'll do it ever again, or at least not for a long while, though."

"...Why's that?"

"I don't know, but I do know I share the feeling with Moon."
"Even though we didn't speak a word about it, I know she shares it."

He contemplates it, and slowly nods.

---

He begins taking off the next plate, the one housing the coolant pump.
I, after about a minute, begin to join him by removing the plate covering my coolant pump.

He takes notice but doesn't say anything.

---

"And what's your plan anyways?"

"I don't really know honestly."
"I never even asked what you wanted to do, if you were alright with this."

...
"Frankly, I think I'm still asking myself that same question."
"I understand the concept, I'm fairly sure anyways."
"Instead of doing this alone, we do it together, right?"

I nod, pretty much.

"Right."
"But anyways, it's like..."
"Do I want to share this with someone else?"
He floats to the floor.
"I just..."
He shrugs.
"I just don't know."

I float down next to him and assume the same cross legged position he's set himself up in.
I nod, but don't say anything.

---

"What... was it like?"

"...I won't lie and say it wasn't shocking."
"In fact, unless you do it extremely softly... it's hardly bearable."
"It's almost... it's stronger, when it's not you doing it yourself, when you aren't in control."

He nods, considering what I had just said.

---

He muses it over for a long time.
I wait patiently by his side.

"...This is really the last opportunity to do this, isn't it?"

"...Hopefully not, but realistically yes."
"At least for a very, very long time."

I see his apertures shut, considering the choices without optical input.
...
They open.
"...I want to try it."
"Just... try it."
He turns to me.
"I wouldn't be happy with this if I didn't at the very least try it."

I nod.
It's perfectly understandable.
...
"...You ready?"

"No."
"But I won't be in any case."

Fair enough.
...
I begin reaching out, as carefully as I had with Moon previously.
"You say when to stop, ok?"

It's his turn to feel uncomfortable about things.
"...Yeah."

My hand is resting, open palmed, five centimeters from his chemical processor.
I slowly move a finger to touch a place that shouldn't be as sensitive.
It makes contact.

He flinches back.
...
"...One more time."

"Are you sure?"

"Now that I know what to expect, yes."

I repeat the motion, even slower this time.
He flinches again.

...
"I don't like it."
"I don't know why, I'm sorry, I-"

I rest my hand on his shoulder.
"It's fine, Frontiers."
"I'm not requiring it of you."
"Are you?"

He freezes.
"I-"
"...Yes."
...
"...I hear you talk about this as this... this wonderful thing."
"And I want to experience this wonder that you and Moon have clearly experienced."
"But I don't like it!"
"It felt weird and much too strong, and..."
He slumps down.
"I do want to share in this experience."
"But I can't."

...
I reach around him in embrace.

He's obviously a little surprised, but doesn't try to fight it.

I lean my head in closer.
"Will this do?"

"...Yeah."

---

"I've never hugged before."

"I don't do it particularly often either."
"And it's just about always Moon that starts them."
"Truth be told, I wish I did it more often."

"...Yeah."
"That... That would be nice."
He returns my embrace.

---

We hold it for quite a while, the exact time isn't important.

I eventually posit a question:
"Do you want to keep doing this yourself, with me watching?"

...
"Yes."
"That, I can handle."
"I'm in control, I know what's happening."
"Does that... make sense?"

"Yes, of course."
"I know exactly what you mean."

He nods, then lets go.
I do the same.

---

We both float back up into the air.
And he grabs a screwdriver and gets to work.

"That... was nice."

I nod, it was.
"It's..."
"It's a shame we won't be able to do that soon enough."

"...Yeah."
"We... We waited too long."
"We didn't realize that we wouldn't be able to in such a short amount of time."
"Nor did we ever realize that we needed one."

"...Yeah."
"Yeah..."

---

He finishes unscrewing and taking off the plate hiding his coolant pump.
"...I'm still thinking about it."

"Mhm?"

"Just..."
"I don't know..."
"I feel like I've done something wrong, messed something up."
"I know that's stupid, I know that."
"But that doesn't stop the feeling."

I move over to him, and take a hold of his hand.
I... don't really have any experience to help him with, compare experiences, how I solved the problem.
I have nothing to help.
Just me holding his hand.
"I wish I knew how to help."

...
"This is enough, Sig."
"This is enough."

---

He distracts himself by looking, and prodding, at the coolant pump.
I stay by his side as he does.

Eventually satisfied, he moves on to the gut plate.

---

"It's still hard to process, you know."
"I thought we'd have more time together, even after I realized just how bad things were."
"When the simulation finished and revealed we only had a couple hundred cycles at best left..."

I nod.
"I know."
"We all know."
...
"How did Sliver feel about the news? I never asked her."
"We only ever talked work, and only through the usual method, text-based."

"We haven't spoken since I've told her."
"She was pretty shaken up."
"Though you said she talked about work?"

"Nothing crazy, just project updates and reports. Oh and a single bug I noticed about the server and reported to her."
"Nothing that would bring up anything personal, and to be honest I wasn't thinking about how y'all two were in the same network."

"Ah, fair enough."
"Yeah but besides that, apparently, she hasn't said anything."
"Just says she's 'busy' when I look at her status."
"Which... admittedly she's busy a lot of the time, just not always, y'know?"
"I hope she's doing alright."

"Yeah."
"You should try talking to her soon."
"Stuff like this is much better with a friend to talk to about it."

He looks at me.
"You have experience with that?"

I roll my eyes.
"Shut up."

He laughs.
"No, I don't think I will."
"In fact I think I'll increase my words per minute as we get closer to the point where we can't talk."

"Please don't."
"I would probably try to kill you if I had to listen to a thousand words per minute."

"So the limit is 999 words per minute?"

"...Yes, sure."
"Why don't you test that?"
"I am capable of punching you here."

...
"Fair."

---

He gets back to removing the gut plate.

"So..."
"Me and Moon are planning a painting session."
"Where I paint her in some positions and what not."

"Mhm?"

"The point is:"
"You want a painting taken?"

"...Sure."
"You're pretty good at it."

"Thank you."
"When do you want to do it?"

He thinks it over.
...
"...I have an idea."
"Do you mind if you're in the painting?"

"...No."
"Though personally I think the quality of the reference will go down if I have to take it through a camera."

"Mmm."
"I think you'll appreciate the idea enough for it to be worth it."

"Mkay."
"What do you want to do?"
...
-!

"The first one felt too good to not get it memorialized."

...
I return the embrace, and aim a camera to take the picture.
Actually...
I activate a couple more cameras, and take several videos surrounding us.
Why have a two dimensional image for a reference, when I could have a three dimensional model?

"Clever."
"You want me to...?"

"Having a model from your end would be great."

"On it, Siggy."

...
"When was the last time you called me that?"

"When you told me you didn't like it."
"...I don't really know why I said it."

"...I'm not finding it too bad in this scenario."
"And not to mention I've matured since then, I can take some light ragging."

"You fuckin better be able to."

We both chuckle at that.

---

We fiddle around trying to get a good model, not to mention one that's actually synced up between both sides.
It takes a good seven, maybe eight tries to get a good one.

"I might end up making two."
"One with me as a wireframe, and one with you as one."

"...That sounds cool as fuck, do it."

"I think I will."
"Oh and there's copies to be made."

"Copies?"

"What, you don't want a copy?"

...

"Cus I'll gladly not do it, it'll save me time."

"No no no, I'd like copies."
"...Asshole."

"Heh, I try."
"And for the record, I would never."
"Not with something like this."
"You'll get your copies."

"Good."

---

"The more I've developed my style, the more I've realized I really like painting things significant to me."
"And often, I think of them as my better works over just simple landscapes."

He nods.
"Makes perfect sense."
"You work your best on something you love."

I nod.

---

We let go.
He gets back to removing his gutplate.
And finally finished doing so.

"...Would you look at that."
...
He jiggles it around a bit.

"Why is that our first instinct?"

"What, did you do the same?"

"Yes! So did Moon!"
"Though... admittedly that might be because she saw me do it."

"Huh. No idea why that would be the case."
"...Maybe it's because our mind sees that and thinks 'jiggly' or something?"

"Your guess is as good as mine."
"Maybe it's like... 'oh that looks sensitive I shouldn't touch that.'"

"Mmm, that sounds better."

"Funny enough, it ain't even that bad."
"I would argue that it's actually less sensitive than your coolant pump."

He looks at it again at me saying that.
He then puts his hand close and touches it.
He flinches, though notably less than previous times.
...
"No shit."

"I know right?"
"By far the least sensitive place that actually has nerves and not touch sensors."

"Yeah."

---

He touches and jiggles around his guts a little more.
He almost decides to delve deeper into them, but I stop him before he does.

"Why not?"

"You want to spend five minutes untangling yourself?"

He realizes that I'm speaking from experience.
"...Probably not."
He drops the line of thought.

---

"What next?"

"Limbs or face."
"But, honestly?"
"Limbs ain't that special. Sure you can detach them and look at them, but that's about it."
"And it's how I lost a finger."

"You what?"

I show him my hand with its still missing thumb, he looks at it in surprise.
"I had detached the thumb, and wanted to give it a gentle squeeze."
"Gentle and squeeze do not easily go together, by the way."
"In any case, I've got a replacement being fabricated as we speak, should be done this cycle actually."

"Ah."
"Well that last part's good."
"I'll... I'll keep that in mind."

---

He decides to go for facial disassembly.
Starting, like me and Moon, with their eye.

"I'm glad these are designed to be replaceable."
He fits the tool under his eye.
"Is it on good?"

...No, a little to the left.
...
Like that.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome, and yes, I'm quite thankful for that too."

---

He jacks up the tool, and takes off the eye with no difficulty.
"...This is pretty neat."
He moves his eye around, turning it this way and that.

"Yeah, I would have to agree."

---

He looks around for a little longer, then seems to realize something.
"...What does my brain look like?"

"I don't know, what does your brain look like?"

He seems to take the hint.
"Well how about we find out, hmm?"

---

He starts screwing off a faceplate.
"What will I see?"
"..."

"More than what's there physically."
"After that? I don't know."
"Both me and Moon saw different things."

"I see..."
"Was..."
"Did it..."
"Will I like it?"
"Or something? I don't necessarily mean it like that."

"No no, I get it. I get what you mean."
"And it's worked out for the both of us, so I think it'll be fine for you."

He nods.
"Mhm, alright."
He continues working.

---

The last screw comes off.
"...Should I be worried?"

"...I think it's normal to worry."
"Worrying about what you will see."
"But I don't think it'll be bad or anything."

"...You're right, you're right."
"It'll be fine."

He removes the plate.
I note some hesitation as he turns his eye towards himself.
...
...
...
"...Maybe things will be alright."
I note he's let go of his eye, as it starts floating away.
"Maybe things will be alright."

I don't say a word, I don't need to.
Instead, I float over and stay by his side.
His hand reaches out to mine.

---

After a while, he puts the faceplate back on.

"You want help with that?"

"Sure."

I pull one of his screwdrivers over, and begin helping.

---

"Peace of mind."
"That's what I saw."

"Mhm?"

"Just like..."
"Despite things going kinda bad..."
"A lot bad, actually."
"But it's not the end of the world, y'know?"
"We'll get things working again, and in the meantime?"
"We'll keep rolling, we already have an alternate way to communicate. And while yes, airships are kinda slow, they'll theoretically last as long as we will, which is to say forever with the right measures."
"Maybe things aren't that bad."

I nod.
That... does feel nice to hear.
"Maybe things aren't that bad."

We finish reattaching the faceplate.
He begins putting back in his eye by himself, not much I can help with anyways.

---

He finishes.
"...That was something else."
"...You want to play some chess?"

"Sure, let's do it."

Notes:

Frontiers tries out self disassembly
He also tries similar actions to what happened in the previous chapter, but does not like it.
He does however get a few hugs from Sig, and he enjoys those.

He's been worrying over communication delay, which is happening in less than 30 cycles, much sooner than his first estimates were.
Eventually, when he looked upon himself (if you know you know), he finds a certain peace of mind with the situation, knowing that it won't ever reach a point where he won't be able to communicate with Sig and Moon.

Also I should note, Moon isn't here.

Chapter 44: Interacting

Summary:

Sig watches the scavs.

Notes:

Hey look!
A normal chapter!
*eye twitch*

I wonder how the scavengers are doing.

---

Overseer, pipe feed through pipeline alpha, please.

Piping feed.

...
We aren't in the jungles of my farm arrays.
Looks like... a liquid processing plant in a sector of my industrial complex.
I wonder what I've missed?

Overseer, send path taken over previous... 43 cycles, please.

...
There we go.
Let's see...

---

So...
They first left the jungle not long after I last checked on them.
But returned back into the jungle within the cycle.

Seven cycles later, they left the jungles again, this time staying out for longer.
Totaling... four cycles.
They visited the alchemical sector, quickly left, climbed up the industrial chimneys, slept, left the next cycle, found one of several maintenance access points to the pipe network.
After that, they traveled through the pipes for a while, seemingly able to find ample food, and came out near the helium vats. By the looks of it, they had left within twenty minutes.
They slept after they had gotten far enough away from the frigid conditions of the vats, and after waking found themselves near the nearest mining yard.
Seems they never went too deep though, probably due to lack of light.
After that they roamed the industrial complex, before eventually finding their way back.

Finally, they left the jungles again just eight cycles ago, deciding to explore places they haven't.
...
Like the disposal yard.
They stayed on the edge, just outside of the range of the noxious gasses present in the yard.
They stayed close for four cycles.

And I think I know why.
The garbage sorters, their distant cousins.

Overseer, send stored footage spanning from 2-6 cycles ago to Conflux A, please.

Transmitting.

...
Alright.
Let's... let's take a look.

---

Holy shit this is fascinating.
I'm glad I've instructed the overwatcher to focus on anything it deems interesting, because it's taking most of its time watching this.
The pack that's been roaming around has spotted a pack in the disposal yard, and they've spotted them.
The two groups are both watching each other with curiosity.

I am unsure as to whether the garbage sorters could live outside of the disposal yard, due to their unique adaptations.
Surely they would be able to though, just because they're immune to sulfur trioxide doesn't mean they require it to function.

---

Both sides continue to watch each other, and the garbage sorters even try to approach.
Luckily, the scavengers don't, as they're smart enough to recognize that the weird white fumes in the air aren't to be breathed in.

---

Aww...
The garbage sorters got spooked and ran off back into the disposal yard.
Damn.

---

I look over the next cycle's footage.
After some collection of food, the scavengers return to the edge of the yard.
So do the garbage sorters.

The latter, still extremely curious of the doppelgangers just beyond the short fence, begin approaching once more.

...

One points to the overseer.

The scavengers look at the overseer... thinking.
...Are they trying to think of how to explain it?
...
They are...
Holy shit.
Yes, yes yes yes, yes!
They're problem solving!

I briefly pause the recording and spin around the chamber, just a little.
I can't help myself!

---

...
Alright.
Continuing on.

One of the scavengers pulls out a fruit, and holds it in front of the overseer.
As it's been instructed, it identifies the fruit as food and displays such in a hologram.

The sorters point at the hologram, then at the fruit.

The scavenger holding the fruit, after some consideration, throws the fruit over to them.

They jump back, but don't run this time.
Eventually, one approaches the red fruit laying in a trash heap before them.
...
They grab it.
What follows is a lengthy investigation, mainly of the collector sniffing the fruit.
A couple others come up to stand by their side and look at the fruit.
Eventually satisfied, they take a bite.
They stuff the rest in their mouth.

By how they're reacting, they seem to find it very tasty.

The scavengers are considering what to do next, though I can't get a great view of what they're doing due to the overwatcher looking at the sorters.
I do manage to see another eventually pull out another fruit and throw it towards the others, and it is at this point I realize... a few things actually.

One, those fruits don't just grow anywhere, the farm arrays are just about the only place with the right conditions for those to grow, they have a very limited supply of those out here.
Two, more importantly...

This is purely altruistic behavior, one that has no real gain to the group of scavengers outside of befriending these new scavenger-alikes.
The fact that they are even doing this means that they are not just curious, but also capable of compassion.

...
I should be writing this down.

---

After getting my laptop out and writing out what I've noticed, I continue watching, jotting down notes as I do so.

The meeting is unfortunately cut short by a stray lizard, spooking off both parties.
The scavengers rest for the night, and next cycle once again grab food and head back to the meeting area, the garbage sorters have done the same.

...
Why are they grabbing food when they already seem to have... wait how much fruit?

...

Checking the footage says... at least twelve, and at most fifteen, pieces starting this cycle, meaning they had at least fourteen (and at most seventeen) last cycle.
I didn't see them eating any this cycle...

...

Hmm...
Two cycles ago, before they met the sorters.
They take out two fruits, and... break small pieces off to share...
They're rationing out the best food.
...
To give those sorters even just two pieces means... wow.
I...
I just.
Wow.

...

That's more compassion than I had ever seen from my creators.

---

That's... only true for those who created me, not the Ancients as a whole.
I should know. I was friends with one of the most compassionate and sacrificing people I knew.

I summon a painting from storage, a very specific painting.
Two paintings, actually.
'The Sky Among the Clouds' and 'The Clouds Among the Sky.'
Still what I consider my best work.

...And there they are.
From the perspective of someone standing on top of one of the tri-peaks.
From the perspective of Silver standing on top of one of the tri-peaks.

---

Why must I keep my paintings in storage?
Should they not be able to be seen?

...

Quite conveniently...
All of my canvases are smaller than a single tile of my chamber's walls.
Quite a funny coincidence if I do say so myself.

---

There.
Magnetically attached to those two wall panels.

How many paintings would I be able to fit on here anyways?
...
A little over eight hundred, or seven hundred if I don't count the floor, which I won't.

Wow.
To think I only have forty paintings total.
Might as well attach every painting here.
...Besides the practice paintings, no need I would say.

---

There we go.
Every painting put on the wall.
...
It looks good.
It feels right.

My works for myself to see.
Not just sitting in Lab-Storage.
Admittedly they wouldn't be collecting dust, but the idea that phrase gives still stands.

---

...
I got super sidetracked, didn't I?
...
Back to the scavengers.

---

The scavengers look at each other, one points to a fruit it has stuck in its fur.
They all gesture in a way that I've learned means agreement.
The same one points at another fruit.
This proposition takes more time for them to think it over.
But they agree, and another points at their fruit.
And another, and another.
Eventually, they decide on all but three fruits for themselves, meaning that the sorters have one each.
An understandable compromise, they want to be nice, but of course they still want to have some themselves, and I bet there's deeper reasons I don't know just yet.
Maybe the fruits remind them of home, of the jungles, that could be a reason.
Regardless, they throw most of their fruits to the sorters.
Notably, they didn't throw them as far.
They want the sorters to get closer.

And closer they approach, the two that managed to get a fruit last cycle obviously eager to get more.
The others seem eager as well, but in a more 'what is this great thing I've heard about?' kind of way.
I note that some are obviously a little more skittish about this.
It makes me wonder how the sorters have developed, because they're notably much more skittish than the scavengers.
Maybe the threats are more prevalent here than in the jungle.
I'll have to look into it.

They pick up the fruit, and begin to share among each other.
Those that haven't eaten it before go through a thorough investigation, sniffing and feeling it, eventually taking a bite.
...
It is very clear that they love it.

The scavengers are obviously excited about this.
After the sorters calm down, the scavengers seem to ask them what I've been thinking they'd ask for a while.
Join us?
They point at the sorters, and pull the hand closer to them.

The sorters... seem to understand.
They look nervous.
Though... they look like they want to, but are scared to do so.

The scavengers wait patiently.

...

Fuck me, both groups are scavengers.
How did I forget!
I'm the one that came up with the name and classification!
Fuck me.
...
Whatever, I'll just roll with it, it's useful to distinguish.

...

They continue to wait.

---

One of the sorters takes a step forward.
I recognize it as the one that first picked up a fruit, last cycle.
They're looking at the group, still with a small amount of hesitation, but...
They're doing it, they're continuing to move closer to the short wall separating the two groups.

Some others, now a little braver now that there's an example to follow, begin to walk forward.
This leads into a cascade, and within seconds the rest are moving closer too.

They climb on top of the wall, and look at the scavengers closely.

One holds out a spear of rebar, seemingly as a gift.
A gift of defense, breaking two of the karmic purities in the process.
I couldn't be happier for them as the closest now-scavenger takes the spear.
The two packs have merged.

###

TYPE Drive C/personal logs/16.2xx.txt
------
16.295 / 0900

I'm feeling great right now.

I just witnessed two packs (though I'm tempted to call them 'tribes') of scavengers merge into one.
The wheels of civilization have begun to turn.
And...
At some point, in the not so far future, I want to help them do so.
I want them to meet me.
I want to meet them.
------

Chapter 45: Painting

Summary:

Sig paints some pictures of Moon.

Notes:

As mentioned in a previous note, this chapter contains similar, but toned down, content to that of chapters 41-43.
Nothing extreme happens, but you may want to check the warnings of chapter 41 and 42 before you read.
A summary will still be included in the end notes, but as previously stated, it won't give the full picture.

Private Discussion
Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), LttM (Looks to the Moon)

NSH: Hey.

LttM: Hey.
LttM: You feeling good?

NSH: Yeah.
NSH: How about we get things started up?

LttM: Yes, let's get started.
LttM: I've been looking forward to this.

NSH: I have been too.
NSH: Oh, and I'd like to share something with you.

LttM: Oh?

NSH: A twin set of paintings I made of me and Frontiers.
NSH: Oh, and he's given me permission to show you.

LttM: Was this from...?

NSH: Yes.
NSH: I'm proud of how this came out.
NSH: Let me boot up a call so I can actually show you.

Request call[Moon (LttM)]
...

"...You've redecorated!"

"Oh yeah, I guess I did."
"I did a few cycles ago, I thought 'I have all of these paintings, why don't I actually display them instead of keep them in storage?'"
"I think it was a good decision, don't you?"

"I do!"
"I honestly never really thought about decorating my chamber before now, I'll have to look into it."

"You should, I think my chamber looks better like this."
"And luckily for you, soon enough you'll have some paintings to put on your walls."

She beams at that.
"I look forward to it!"

---

We boot up a holographic connection alongside the video connection.
"Oh, and before I forget, how about I actually show you the paintings?"

"Oh yes, that sounds like a good idea."

I float over to the two paintings of me and Frontiers, and point the camera to it so she can see it.

...
"...Wow."
"...Can you make a painting of us like that?"

"...I don't see why not."
"Though the way I'll get a reference for this one is a little different than the others we'll do."
An idea strikes me.
...
"...After this is all over..."
"I want you to get me a reference of you and Frontiers."

...
"That would be wonderful!"
"What a great idea!"
"How do I do that?"

"How about... I show you how?"

"...I'm not against that~"

I chuckle at that.

---

I instruct her on how to take the video, so that I can get a model from her perspective.

"That's clever."

"Thank you."
"I say it worked out pretty well the first time I did it."
I glance over at the painting.

"Indeed."
"Well."
She takes a hold of my hand.
"Shall we?"

I nod.

---

To preserve the symmetry between this painting and mine and Frontiers', we take off our ponchos.
This will also assist later paintings, as Moon exposed will be the subject.

We end up in a wonderful hug.
Due to previous planning (and less latency), it only takes one attempt to take the videos needed.
But why would we leave the hug just yet? This isn't something we would do often after all, might as well make it count.

---

"How long did you say we had?"

"A little more than a cycle, though I doubt this'll last that long."

She nods, the motion putting a small sine wave of pressure through my shoulder.
...
"But why not?"
"We have all this time, why not use it?"

"Well, for one, the holograms."
"But... other than that, and that's really just 'oh we have to wait a bit'..."
"I guess there isn't a reason not to use the time available."
"We'll see how things go."

Another nod, another wave of pressure.

---

"I've been thinking more, since I saw myself."

"Mhm?"

"I feel like... I've settled, in a way, between the two personalities of me."
"The Moon I used to be, and the Moon I was just a hundred cycles ago."
"I know that the options are open to me, to do risky things, to say fuck."
"Oh, speaking of, I've got a recording to show you."

"Frontiers hearing you say fuck?"

"Mhm."
"You'll enjoy it I do believe."
"I'll show you in a bit."
"Anyways, about my options."
"I think... I know when to use them, now."
"To use a basic example, I don't need to say fuck at every opportunity, but I do understand the potential it has... in just the right moment."
"The same goes for my more radical ideas, already I've had a few interesting ones for our great problem, but I know to actually take a look at them before I say 'this is a good idea."
"Thinking about it, both of my older thinking processes were... almost naive in that sense."
"Unnuanced."
...
"I guess we still learn things about ourselves even now."

I nod.
"Indeed."

---

We do eventually let go.

...
"That was wonderful Sig."

"It was, wasn't it?"

---

We discussed what pose Moon should do first.
She eventually proposes the idea that she could hold still, I paint one half of her, and then she opens up various plates for the other half, to give like...
Almost like an anatomy diagram of her.

I like it.

---

She assumes a pose, and holds it.
"Is this good Siggy?"

"...Siggy?"

"I... Uh."

"No no, it's fine."
"Just I don't hear that one particularly often."
"Oh and yes, that's good."

"Oh good."
"...I just... wanted to try it, I guess."

"Well."
"I don't think I'd like to be called that all the time."
"But I'm sure in situations like this it wouldn't hurt."

"Oh good."
"I wasn't planning on saying something like that outside of... moments like these."
"I don't know, it just felt right."

"Well, it seems you have pretty good intuition then."

---

I begin painting.
"If you're alright with it, could you consider locking your motors?"

"Already did."

"Oh, well I guess we're all good then."
"I was just saying that as a precaution."

"Of course."
"I even saved this position to memory, so I could reassume it after I remove my plates."

"...Smart."
"I should have thought of that."

---

"I asked this last time we were here, but I want to ask again."
"What do you think the Ancients would think of this?"

...
"I want to take a more nuanced take on that, than last time."
"For our Administrators, and the monks, engineers, socialites?"
"The answer's probably the same as last time."
"Heresy, violation of karma, yada yada."
"Though this time we get to throw in the third karmic purity and urge as well, due to the fact that, 'oh no!' I'm making some unnecessary material possessions."

That gets a chuckle out of her.

"In any case, I'm sure plenty of Ancients would have a much lighter opinion of this."
"Some might even be capable of looking at it, those being the rational thinkers."
"They're not doing anything, there's nothing to even see."

"Mhm."

---

"Halfway done."

"Oh good."
"How's it look?"

I turn the canvas around.

"Mmm. Nice!"

I turn it back to me.
"Thank you."

---

"The only thing I wish I could do right about now is move my head."
"Because I try to whenever I want to agree with something, you know?"

"Oh. Yeah I guess that would be annoying."

"Yeah."
"Not like it's an actual problem though, I just have to say 'mhm' or something."

"Right."
...
"Do you think they designed us to have expressions?"
"Ways to use body language to say something?"

...
"No."
"At least, not Frontiers."
"They built me specifically with rudimentary ways to do so."
"And then they stopped."
"I wonder if they had a discussion on that saved somewhere..."

"You want to find it? If they did it should be somewhere in your confluxes now, both in pearl form and saved to lattice."
"I mean, you said you did that."

"Yes, I did..."
"Give me a second."
Her eyes defocus, luckily I already had those done.

---

"I found something, I haven't read it in full just yet though.."

"Oh?"

"You mind if I read it out loud?"
"See what it says together?"

"Not at all."

"For context, this is from a meeting between the head Administrator and Engineer they had just before my awakening."
"This part was just after a technical description of my puppet."

......

"I Must ask, why are you Allowing this?"

"Simple, to try new things, we're still in largely unexplored territory with the Iterator project."
"And besides."
"Whether you want to admit it or not, they're our creations, like children."
"Wouldn't you want to give your child the best life they had?"

"I don't Desire having children at all, are you Misremembering that having a child at all would be in Violation of-"

"Answer the hypothetical."
"Say to yourself you didn't have to violate any karmic purities to do this."
"Wouldn't you be nice to your child?"
"Give them the best life you could manage?"

...
"Yes."

"Are you sure?"
"You don't sou-"

"Yes! Now Drop this Insolent line of Questioning!"

...
"Fine. I'll drop it."
"But that's why I designed her this way."
"I wanted to give her a better life."
"Understood?"

"Understood, Head Engineer Jewels Scattered Through the Halls."

......

...
"Is it alright if I go AWOL for a second?"
"I want to read some more on Jewels."

"Yes of course."
"You mind if I tell you when I'm done?"

"That's quite fine."
"Oh, and I might just read some things out loud, if I find anything."

"Fine by me."

"Good."
Her eyes defocus again.

---

...
I don't think I've seen an Engineer that...
Compassionate?
My head engineer wasn't ever like that.
He was cold and distant.
Far as I could tell, most of ours were.

---

"I sent an overseer to check his old dwelling too."
"It has a couple pearls stored in it, so I'm sending some hauler crabs to go fetch them."
"I must again thank you for those."

"You're welcome, they're one of my finer creations, I think."
"For sheer usability, anyways."
"I'm probably still happier over my communicator lizards."

"I would get why."
"Those were quite the passion project, right?"

"Indeed."

---

"I found something."
"A meeting between Jewels and Head Administrator Tides shortly after my... discussion with the Administrators."
"Let me read it aloud."

......

"I still don't know why you had to intervene."

"Why I had to Intervene?"
"Does your Intelligence no longer match your Status?"
"Looks to the Moon is Reckless!"
"Showing no sign of Subordination!"
"She is a Danger to Herself!"

"What, you think she'd actually do the things she's proposed?"
"She's experimenting, like any good scientist."
"I feel she's perfectly capable of deciding things for herself."
"She won't get into trouble, or danger, or whatever fake worries you've generated."
"I've seen how she's acted, she's obviously very wise, just like we've built her to be."
"That doesn't mean she won't come up with bad ideas."
"What it does mean is that she'll discard them."

"It is Heresy to even Discuss these topics!"
"To Think she's come up with a way to break the Taboos!"
...
"You defined her personality, didn't you?"

"The seeds for it, yes."
"I gave her curiosity, not to mention a small amount of compassion."
"That way she would be compassionate to our plight, and have the ideas to solve it."
"That's really all I did, who she is now could hardly be blamed on me."
"After all, Frontiers seems to be just as curious."

...
"This is Madness."
"Your creation ha-"

"You dare question my creation?"
"You weren't the one who spent countless cycles making sure everything was correct!"
"You weren't the one who poured their heart and soul into their child!"
"You weren't the one who made her! I did."
"And you dare question the Iterator that will Solve Your Great Problem?"
...
"...I can't handle this stupidity."
"I quit."

"W... what?"

"Quit, Resign, Leave, Depart. Choose. Your. Wording."
"Luckily my status, even in this state, will net me the amenities I need."
"Good Cycle, Wandering Tides Crashing on the Waves."
"I hope you find a... worthy replacement."
"Even though you won't."

......

"I..."
"...I think I'm going to save this for later, mkay?"

"Do whatever you want, Moon."
"If you don't want me to hear, that's... quite fine honestly."
"Sometimes the best thing is to process it yourself."

She nods.

---

I finish the first part.
"You're good."

Moon immediately unlocks her motors and flexes them a little.
"That... feels pretty good."

"Good."
"Now it's time for the second part."

"Right, of course."
"...Can we sit for just a second?"

"Of course."

We float down.

---

"I feel strange."
"Just..."
"I had this perception of my engineers, we all do."
"Cold, uncaring after they finished building us."
"But there was one that... that cared."
"I don't really know how to feel about that."

I nod.

...
"I never knew my old head engineer."
"He didn't visit."

"Maybe he couldn't."
"It didn't seem like a thing he would do by choice."

"...Maybe so."
"I'll... I'll have to look into it."

---

I reach out for her hand.

She accepts.
"Thank you."

---

We sit for a while, letting her process what she's learned.

---

"I think I'm ready now."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."
She pulls out some tools.

I pull a screwdriver into my hand.
"You want help?"
'Want,' not 'need.'

"I would love that Siggy."

...Siggy feels very endearing right about now.

---

We both work on the plates.
Theoretically, we don't need to remove any of her face plates, or the plates on her left arm, but I think it adds something as a reference.
She happens to agree.

We also discuss unwiring her eyes.

"I could go for some sensory deprivation."
"Maybe you could take the antennas off too?"

"Alright. Whatever you want."

---

The process goes smoothly, nothing goes wrong and just about every plate that I would see from my canvas is removed.

"Is it strange to say there's a kind of beauty to this?"

"No no, I can see myself through my cameras and I fully agree."
"It'll be perfect for the painting."
...
"Alright."
She assumes the position.
"Push me around if I'm not in the right spot."
"I'm going to go think for a while."
"Wake me up when you're done."

"Alright."

---

Why is there beauty in this?
In theory, it should be disgusting. But it isn't.
I mean, come on, I've had the unfortunate experience of seeing Ancient guts once, and I hated it!
Not to mention the guts of a communicator lizard's prey, that was... unpleasant.
So why am I not only fine looking at Iterator guts, but finding beauty in it?
I don't get it.

---

Why do I find it so fascinating?
I... don't have an answer.
Maybe it's just one of those quirks of Iterator psychology that people used to talk about.
Things that don't really make sense outside of the incredibly minute specifics of how we developed.
The things that even now are still unreadable to us lest we collectively devote a millenia just to figuring it out.

And... frankly?
Does it matter?
Sometimes things don't have to be known.
Even by the sentient supercomputers designed to have an insatiable desire to learn, in hopes of solving a problem that never needed to be solved.

---

Sometimes I think about that.
About how we were created for a purpose, one that never truly needed solving.
Not only were we built to be tools, we never even worked for that.
It'd be depressing if I was still any amount worried about the Great Problem.

...
I remember when I realized that not everyone wanted to ascend, not even at a later date.
Some people truly enjoyed life, enjoyed it for what it was.
Despite having a way out, they didn't want to take it, they were happy here.
...
I'm happy to be happy here.

---

I wonder how so many people never saw the joy in life.
It's always been there, especially once Ancient society reached post scarcity.
What did they think, to not see it?
...
That may never be answered.

---

...
Done.
The first layer's done.

I let the painting float to the corner to dry off.
Then I float over to Moon, and give her a tap on the shoulder.

"Mmm."
"Is it done?"

"Yes, Moonie."

...
"Wasn't expecting that."
"Is that the same feeling you felt when I said Siggy?"

"Yep."
"I thought it'd be a good idea to let you share in on the experience."

She chuckles.
"Fair enough."
"And... for the record."
"Doesn't sound too bad."

"I could say the same with Siggy."
"Now, how about we get you back to normal?"
"That way I can show you the painting."
"Oh, and so you don't have to rely on your chamber's systems to hear and see me."

"Yes, sounds like a lovely idea."

---

I start with getting her eyes attached, that way she can help get things back to normal.
Then we both work to get things in order, starting with the face, going to the arms, the legs, and finally the body.

"Ahhhh..."
"As nice as that felt, feels good for it to be over."

I nod. I bet it does.

---

We float over to where the painting is drying.
"So how was it?"

"Oh wonderful."
"I feel better about things for one."
"Don't get me wrong, I'm still figuring things out, but I feel better."

"Well that's good."
I point the camera to the painting.

"...Oh it's wonderful Sig."
"It's beautiful."

...
"I mean. Of course it is."
"It's you."

"...You're too kind."

---

The rest of the cycle, now that we've gotten an understanding of what's going on, goes a little faster.
We talk, we discuss poses for paintings, and I also propose to Moon teaching her a little of what I've learned of painting.
She readily accepts.

In the end I had a nice twelve paintings set up over the course of the entire day. Though I still consider my best from the batch to be the first one.
Though, that may change as I put finishing touches on them over the next couple cycles.

Throughout the cycle we also relaxed. Had a little bit of fun waiting for the hologram to cool down.
By the end of it, we had played chess, cards, dominoes, among others.

It was... a wonderful cycle.

---

"Moon?"

"Yeah?"

"It's a new cycle."

"Oh is it?"
She laughs a little at that.
"I didn't even realize!"

"Only reason I did was because I checked system time randomly."
"So we're in the same boat here."
"...I've had a lot of fun today, Moonie."

"So have I, Siggy."
"I've... I've had a great time."
"Though... now that I'm thinking about it."
"I feel really out of it."

...
"I'm thinking I'm feeling the same way."
"...I've had a wonderful time."
"But I think it's time for us to close it down, take a rest, figurative or literal, work on some solo things, mkay?"

"I agree."
I see her flex her motors.
"Honestly I could probably go with a system reboot, don't tell anyone but I haven't done one in..."
"A thousand cycles?"

...
"Alright."
"Goodnight Moon, you're doing a system reboot, doctor's orders."

I see her roll her eyes, the apertures doing a full 360.
"Oh fine."
"...Love you Sig."

"Love you too Moon."
I wave through the camera, she waves back.

Disconnect

Disconnect

Notes:

Sig paints 15 different paintings of Moon over the course of a cycle.

Moon discovers that her original Head Engineer (Jewels is his name), who stepped down from the Iterator project shortly after she was awakened, cared for her in a way that none of her engineers or administrators ever did. Or even, any engineer or administrator ever cared for their designated Iterator. She learns that he left because of, to put it frankly, stupidity and uncaring from Moon's Head Administrator, and likely most other high ranking members of the Iterator project.
Jewels was apparently the only person to trust in her in a (brief) time where no one did. (This is specifically the time when she had her previously stated radical ideas. Like taboo breaking.)

One last thing, Moon and Sig make a reference of them hugging to be used for Sig to make a painting of them, to mirror another reference (and painting) of the same situation between Sig and Frontiers.
To complete the trifecta, Sig also asks Moon to get one of her and Frontiers so he can make one of them.

Chapter 46: Last Chance to See

Summary:

Final Real-Time Goodbyes are given.

Notes:

Posting this early cus I've written more than a five chapter backlog, so have a nice early chapter.

Private Discussion
Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), DF (Distant Frontiers)

DF: You know damn well why I called you.

NSH: As if I wasn't already planning on calling *you* pretty soon.

...
Two second delay, sheesh.
...
DF: Hah.
...Four seconds, actually.
DF: Shit man this latency is bad.

NSH: Yeah...
NSH: So are we just gonna be pearl pals after this?

...
DF: Pearl pals?
DF: I mean, I get what you're saying, but where'd you get that?

NSH: Oh, did I never tell you?
NSH: I found this old program thing where you could send a letter to someone from another Can, they would then respond to you.
NSH: This was *old* old by the way. Not long after I was woken up.
NSH: It was essentially a way to make long distance friends.

...
DF: Huh, sounds interesting.
DF: Clever name too, they were probably very proud of it.
DF: How long did it last?

NSH: The last message I found from the program was about a thousand cycles before the first, presumably it was closed down by administration.
NSH: I feel sorry for whoever used it.

...
DF: I bet, shit dude.
DF: ...In any case, yeah that sounds like a good idea.
DF: I could go with being pearl pals with you and Moon.

NSH: Mhm.
NSH: Not like we weren't going to even if we didn't have the name.

...
DF: Heh, yeah.

---

...
DF: So that photoshoot was your idea?

NSH: Yeah, if I know what you're talking about.
NSH: Once I get all of them done I'll make copies for you and Moon.
NSH: And I'll make copies of some other paintings too.

...
DF: You better, I've seen your collection, that's some good shit.

NSH: Thank you, you're too kind.
NSH: Though any deliveries will take a while as I'm still painting the final layers on... 13 other paintings right now.

...
DF: Oh yeah, totally.
DF: Moon said that that was fun.

NSH: It was, for the both of us.
NSH: Mainly because we paced ourselves. Did other things from time to time.
...
NSH: It's a shame we won't be able to do that.

...
DF: Well.
DF: Maybe I could send you some references.
DF: Run some chess by pearl.
DF: Stuff like that.

NSH: ...Doesn't sound so bad.
NSH: I don't see why we couldn't set a thing up.
...
NSH: I just had an idea.
NSH: To guarantee that it'd work, we could make a mail blimp.
NSH: Something smaller than the cargo ones, because it'd only need to carry... say a few paintings at most.

...
DF: ...I like the sound of that.
DF: I'll open up a CAD and see if I can't get something working.
DF: I bet I could get it really small too.

NSH: Exactly.
NSH: ...You know what?
NSH: I bet you could get it in 10m by 10m.

...
DF: What, is that a challenge?
DF: I was already guessing I could get something smaller than that, though... admittedly in a longer package.
DF: 5m by 15m maybe?
DF: Area wise that'd still be smaller than what you just said.

NSH: Well I see you're on top of things.
NSH: And yeah, I didn't think about that, that'd probably be better for aerodynamics.
NSH: Well, good luck.

...
DF: Thank you.

---

...
DF: Feels nice to be doing something like this.
DF: I know we're practically *always* getting something done, but it feels especially apparent right now.

NSH: Well that's good to hear.
NSH: Would it be a surprise to tell you that I've been looking into antenna repair solutions off and on for the last hundred cycles?

...
DF: What, you think I haven't?
DF: It's probably been my top priority since we discovered this.
DF: I've just...
...
DF: Found nothing.
DF: Nothing that won't take a thousand cycles, or more, to yield results.
DF: Of course, this would all be easier if we had mechanics, or Ancients, or something.
DF: We don't. Best we have are the blimps, and they don't exactly have arms to operate on things.

NSH: Yeah...
NSH: I told you about the scavengers, right?

...
DF: Yep, how they recently merged, right?

NSH: Mhm.
NSH: It is no small hope of mine that I'll one day be able to recruit them.
NSH: Of course, that requires two things.
NSH: Trust and intelligence.
NSH: They obviously trust my overseer, because it points out food and warnings.
NSH: But trusting me?
NSH: Strange shaped bipedal body inside of a giant metal structure that can't even properly communicate with them?
NSH: Yeah right.

...
DF: Yeah.
DF: Not to mention you'd have to get them past all of your communicator lizards.

NSH: Oh that wouldn't be a problem, I can still tell them 'don't eat that' or something.
NSH: But I could imagine they wouldn't like climbing my Can, they don't seem to like heights at all.
NSH: Only place that that isn't the case is in the farm arrays, and that's because the vegetation is so dense that it hardly even looks like a fall.
NSH: Imagine them looking down upon the clouds from the edge of my Can.

...
DF: Yeah, I could see why they wouldn't like that.
...
DF: You looked into alternatives?

NSH: The best bet I'd have is the pipecleaners, but to be honest I haven't looked into them all that much.
...
NSH: I'll have to do that.
NSH: I'll be honest I haven't thought much about them, I'm just now remembering how much potential they showed *2000* cycles ago.

...
DF: Um. Yeah. You should look into them.
DF: Go send an overseer to find one or something.
DF: Do it, it's not like it'll slow down the discussion or anything.

NSH: ...Fair enough.

Idle overwatcher, report to the pipe network at your soonest convenience, please.

Understood.

---

...
DF: So.
DF: Moon swears now.

NSH: I know.
NSH: I fucking bluescreened when she said it.

...
DF: ...Yeah, that about sums up my reaction.
DF: I was *not* expecting that.
DF: ...And I'm presuming the reason you didn't tell me is because it would be funny?

NSH: Would there be any other reason?
NSH: I actually told Moon to record it to show me your reaction, your reactionwas a funny sight.

...
DF: Fucker.

NSH: I try.
NSH: ...But in all honesty, good for her.
NSH: I could tell that she was going through a bit.

...
DF: ...Yeah.
DF: I knew how she used to be, and compared it to her now and it just...
DF: Yeah.
DF: I'm glad she's figured stuff out.

NSH: Yeah.

---

...
DF: Well, I've got a first model set up.
DF: Let me just.
...

...

...

Distant Frontiers attached a file.
Download?

Yes

...
NSH: Yeah that looks pretty good.
NSH: Good baseline to start with.

Arrived, what are my directions?

If you could, please find a member of Species Designation 'Pipe Cleaner' and observe at a distance of fifteen meters.
Record your feed and send it through pipeline alpha, please.

Understood.

Found, observing and piping data now.

NSH: Oh um.
NSH: Overseer immediately found one once they arrived.
NSH: I'll keep you updated.

The screen pops up

...
DF: Cool.
DF: What's it doing right now?

NSH: Um...
...
NSH: Not all that surprisingly, crawling through a pipe.

...
DF: ...Fair enough.
DF: Anyways, what do you think I should do next?

NSH: Run it through tests, the usual stuff.
NSH: Make sure it won't tip in high winds.

...
DF: Right right.
DF: Duh.

---

NSH: ...I'm cross-referencing the pipe cleaner to a healthy one and...
NSH: I'll be honest? Doesn't look like it's doing that good. Looks very malnourished.

...
DF: Mmm.
DF: You want to fix that?

NSH: ...Maybe.
NSH: I'd have to find some food for it though.

...
DF: So?
DF: You did that with the scavengers, you can do that here.

NSH: Yeah yeah, you're right.

Overwatcher, run protocol Helper, target the pipe cleaner you are following, please.
Try to make sure it understands what you are showing them, and show that you are present while you're at it.

Understood.

It begins to approach the pipe cleaner.

DF: I was thinking about something.

NSH: Mhm?

...
DF: Those pipe cleaners, right?
DF: If they're no longer purposed, which is likely the case from what you said in the study, I think I have a good name for them.

NSH: Yeah?

...
DF: Slugcats.

...
NSH: That's...
NSH: Fitting, actually.
NSH: I like that, I'll update my database real quick.

---

NSH: Done.

...
DF: Cool.
DF: Honestly it was just a spur of the moment idea.

NSH: Well I think it was a good one.

The pipe- ...slugcat noticed the overseer, and is looking at it with I think curiosity.

The overseer, as commanded by protocol, displays its learning symbols.
First for food. Gluttony and a piece of herbivorous food native to the area.
...

...
It seems to understand, and is grasping to the nonexistent... moss by the looks of it.

NSH: It's getting it.

...
DF: Oh?

Now that it understands, the overseer begins searching for a patch of nutrient rich moss.
...That was fast.
It returns to the slugcat and points for it to follow. The gluttony symbol with an arrow in the direction it needs to go.

...
It follows.

NSH: The slugcat seems to be a *very* fast learner.
NSH: It's following the overseer already.

...
DF: ...That's impressive.
DF: You might want to look into finding more of these guys.

NSH: Already considering it.
NSH: I like these guys.
...
NSH: Honestly?
NSH: It's a little early to say, but maybe you should look into these guys too.
NSH: See what your 'pipe cleaners' are up to.

...
DF: ...I think I will.

---

...
DF: ...I really want to look into this now.
DF: But...
DF: I'd want to put my attention to it, and that'd mean that I'd probably close the call and...

NSH: Yeah.
NSH: Yeah I feel that.
NSH: ...I've kinda wanted to do the same, but haven't for the obvious reasons.

...
DF: Yeah...
DF: ...
DF: Well.
DF: Are we both alright with this?

NSH: ...I think so.
NSH: Love you, Frontiers.

...
DF: ...Love you too, Sig.
DF: You bet your ass I'll message you.

NSH: Heh, same goes for you.
NSH: Talk to you then.

...
DF: Yeah.
DF: We'll figure something out eventually, mkay?

NSH: Yeah.
NSH: ...See you then, I guess.

...
...
DF: See you then.

...
Disconnect

Chapter 47: Pipe Cleaner

Summary:

Wawa.

...
Alright.
I...
Alright.

The slugcat is...
Sorry, has found the moss, and seems to be quite happy in eating it up.

...

It finishes the best it can, greedily eating up every piece that it can get off of the piping it's growing on.
Then it looks at the overseer.

Knowing that it is done, the overseer searches for another piece of food, this time a few bug pupae.

Inquiry, is Species Designation 'Slugcat' omnivorous, or merely just herbivorous?

It eats insects and their pupae, but cannot digest the meat of non-insects. Other than that, they will readily eat any plant or insect they find, they are not picky.

Understood, updating profile and continuing protocol.

It returns to the slugcat, and does the same as last time, pointing to the pupae it had found.
The slugcat, now knowing what this means, quite readily begins following.

---

This continues on for a couple more food patches.
But finally, the slugcat looks full.
Still, there's a few pieces of... pupa this time, that are left, and they decide to take two pieces in their hands. Presumably for the next cycle.

Speaking of, my internal clock is saying that... maybe they should find shelter.
The best place I would know for that would be one of the maintenance shelters.
...Aren't those marked by their unique symbol?

Overwatcher, please direct the slugcat to the nearest shelter, use the symbol denoting the shelter to do so.
Please.

Understood.

The symbol pops up, pointing east.

The slugcat is once again curious, and slightly cautious, but seems to understand that the overseer likely wouldn't lead them to harm, and begins to follow.

---

Upon reaching the shelter, they realize what it is, and readily enter, just as I hear that the cyclical rain has come.
Just in time.

I take control of the overseer and take it in with them.

They look at the overseer, expecting... something.

...

...I have an idea.
I display the symbol marking my head, along with an up arrow.

...
Why did I do that?
I have no idea how to communicate with them.
...

...
Maybe I'd be able to manipulate their karma or something?
But I was never particularly experienced with that. I'd have to ask Moon, I know she's had some experience with that.

...
Regardless, they seem to understand what that means.
Go up, there's something there.
Something good.

Overwatcher, enter rest mode, let the slugcat sleep, please.

Understood, entering rest mode.
Closing down connection through pipeline alpha.

The screen closes.

---
------
Hey Moon?
I need a little assistance.

First, some context.
You remember those pipe cleaners? From the study?
I think I've invited one to come up to my Can.

...
How about I just explain this in a call?
------
---

Private Discussion
Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), LttM (Looks to the Moon)

LttM: So I'm going to assume that they're at least somewhat intelligent?

NSH: Not just that, fast learners too.
NSH: They picked up the whole 'this symbol means that' in one attempt, with no actual example besides the hologram shown.
NSH: But anyways, after helping them find food after clearly being malnourished, I gave them directions to go up.
NSH: To me.
NSH: And now I need a solution to actually talk to them, when they get here.

LttM: I see.
LttM: Question, is diverting them away from you a possibility?

NSH: I mean... I *guess* it is.
NSH: But I don't want to just lead them somewhere and not make it worth it or something.
NSH: So not really.

LttM: That's... fair enough. I don't blame you.
LttM: So.
LttM: I'm presuming you were thinking of some kind of karmic manipulation?

NSH: Yeah.
NSH: I haven't a clue on how you'd do this though, this wasn't something I ever studied too deep into.

LttM: And you happen to know *me.* Someone who's published... I can't even remember the count of papers I've done on it.
LttM: I'd have to check.
LttM: Anyways. Yeah, totally seems possible.
LttM: I'd be able to cook up a mark of that technical requirement in about...
LttM: Oh, twenty cycles?

NSH: I see.
NSH: I could probably make that work.
NSH: I have no idea how fast they'll get here.

LttM: Hmm...
LttM: Maybe you could send them somewhere else first?
LttM: I don't know.
...
LttM: Ooo!
LttM: You could have them live in your city if I still need time.

NSH: ...I think that could work.
NSH: At the very least sounds like the best option.
NSH: So I have a plan, you have a plan, any reason you can't do this just yet?

LttM: Nope! I'll get to work on it as soon as possible.

NSH: Cool.

---

NSH: I talked with Frontiers today.

LttM: Oh...
LttM: How did it go?

NSH: Good.
NSH: Bittersweet, but good.
NSH: He's looking into a design for a micro blimp, for reliable mail.

LttM: Oh that's clever!
LttM: Useful too.

NSH: Yeah.
NSH: He's good at that, getting a working design up fast.

LttM: Yeah.

...
NSH: It's interesting, how we've all ended up with our skills.
NSH: You've got a *lot* knowledge of overseers and karmic influence.
NSH: Frontiers could probably be considered *the first* Iterator to ask on construction and bio-mechanics.
NSH: I've ended up with a lot of knowledge on biology and programming.
NSH: But anyways, didn't the Administrators want us to be amazing in every field?

LttM: Heh, yeah.
LttM: One time I told them that that was stupid.
LttM: Those were my actual words too.
LttM: I proceeded to give an actual explanation but still.
LttM: ...Turns out they don't like the S word.

NSH: I'm presuming this is one of the reasons you were yelled at?

LttM: Oh absolutely, there was an entire part of their fucking rant dedicated to what amounted to 'We're not stupid waaa.'
LttM: I learned pretty fast to drop that word around them.
LttM: Around them.

NSH: Of course.

---

NSH: When was the last time you talked to Frontiers?

LttM: Last cycle.
LttM: Don't worry, I got my final goodbyes in.
LttM: ...
LttM: It's weird, right?
LttM: It's not like he's gone or anything.
LttM: But it still feels like goodbye.

NSH: I know.
NSH: We've gotten used to real time conversations, to being able to see each other in person despite being thousands of kilometers away.
NSH: We always had it, so we took it for granted.
...
NSH: We took a lot of things for granted.
NSH: Turns out it's pretty hard to do things without a trained individual who can actually go to the place that needs fixing.

LttM: Yep.
LttM: But to be frank?
LttM: I'm just glad we're working on it.

NSH: True.
NSH: Sorry, I was sounding pessimistic there.
NSH: We're working on it, and though we've missed a deadline, we've still got plenty that we've either done already or will realistically be capable of getting past.
NSH: And eventually we'll get to the point where we can not only repair, but build too.

LttM: Exactly.

---

NSH: Well...
NSH: I think I'm going to drop out for now, I have a couple things I need to attend to, and I think one of the paintings has dried enough to put another layer on.

LttM: Of course, and I need to get to work on your mark anyways.
LttM: What should we call it?

NSH: Hmm...
NSH: Mark of Communication?

LttM: I love it!
LttM: Perfectly describes what it does.
LttM: Alright, I'll get to work on this mark, and I'll keep you updated.
LttM: Love you, Sig!

NSH: Love you too, Moon.
NSH: See you soon.

LttM: Cya!

Disconnect

---

TYPE Drive C/personal logs/16.3xx.txt
------
16.312 / 1300
Today's been...
...
Let's just say it's been.
Had my final call with Frontiers, invited a slugcat to come up to my chamber, and discussed karmic marks with Moon.
It's um... it's been a bit.
I need to get some paintings done.
I have quite a few things to do.

Talk more then.
------

Chapter 48: Head Engineer

Summary:

Moon's looked deeper into the life of her original Head Engineer, and has decided to share these findings with Sig.

Notes:

Meta note: I've uploaded a new fic, this time in the Risk of Rain fandom.
If you'd like, go check it out!

------
Hey Siggy.
I'm going to be away for a while. Don't worry, I'm still working on the mark, estimates are looking good too.
...
I've... learned some things about Jewels.
And... I trust you.
I trust you a lot.

So I want you to understand what's going on, why I'm away.

I don't want to leave you in the dark.
I've done that too many times, sometimes I was forced to, sometimes I wasn't.
I don't want that to happen again, so I won't.

Fuck...
I'm crying right now, over a few different things.

...

Alright... I've calmed down a little.
A little.

Attached is a series of files and memories for you to go through, all neatly labeled in chronological order.

...

Don't contact me until I say I'm ready.
When I finish the mark I'll send you the files so you know how to do it.
If I'm not ready by then, I'll just send it through a message.
Feel free to publish it, just attribute it to me.
Or don't, I actually don't care that much, I'll be happy as long as it's used.

I love you, ok?

...
Please message me those words back, I need to hear them.
------
---

---
------
I love you Moonie.
I think I get what's happening, despite not having looked at the stuff just yet.
I know you said not to contact you, but if you're away for more than fifty cycles, I'm checking in, just briefly.
Mkay?
Again, I love you Moonie, I don't know what I'd do without you.
...I think I'll send you a little care package soon, mkay?
------
---

...
I hope she's alright.
...
...I guess there's only one way to find out.

The first several are simple text files.

---
------
Alright.
This is the first of several working logs serving as a monitor of progress on the Second Iterator Project (Title Pending).
Due to my exceptional performance in all fields of the First Iterator Project (Distant Frontiers), among many other merits, I have been selected to serve as Head Engineer for the project.

Due to the confidentiality of these logs, they will also serve as a place to put my, Jewels Scattered Through the Halls, thoughts on the project.

To say that I am not at all nervous about the Project before me would be a lie.
I have been instructed to create an Artificial God, one designed to solve our society's great problem.

What does that entail?

Well.
I specifically have been given certain tasks that I will need to attend to, outside of managing the project.
The one I find most significant is personality calibration.
I have been assigned to the development of this Iterator's personality.
I have been encouraged to make them different from Distant Frontiers, not because Administration thinks that he is faulty, or anything like that, but to increase variety.
This will hopefully lead to greater variation in ideas to solve the Great Problem.

I believe curiosity will be essential to this purpose.
As well as compassion, a trait that Frontiers... seems to be lacking.
My reasoning for compassion is simple, the Iterator will empathize with our struggle, and will be more inclined to *want* to help.
Work ethic will also be considered essential.
I also believe, if possible, a certain amount of eccentricity will also be of use, that way she will come up with more unique ideas.

...
She?

Sure.
Frontiers is a he, why can't this Iterator be a she?

...In that case, she also needs a name.
She'd need one eventually anyways.

What would an eccentric, curious, being be named?

...

Looks to the Moon.
I think it's fitting.
A worthy name for a curious being.
------
---

---
------
Progress is going smoothly.
Certain monastic orders have been protesting her construction, but thankfully Administration has been dealing with that part.
Other than that there have been no issues.

Personality development has been progressing smoothly.
Letting the kernels develop in a simulated environment show traces of the personality I hope for.

Construction is going smoothly, it is a wonder to see the massive legs of her superstructure rise into the sky every morning.

Initial talks for the design of her systems will be beginning soon.
I hope to provide her with the best tools currently feasible to construct.
------
---

---
------
...I am curious as to why Administration considers a full lab suite to be too 'excessive' to be considered.
Foolish, if you ask me. Even considering the costs.
I remember what I said very clearly.
"If you want our problem to be solved, shouldn't we give the person solving it the best tools to do so?"
Whatever, I'll continue lobbying for it.

In other, lighter, news, personality kernels continue to develop nicely.
In fact, every time I boot up a simulation, I have a nice chat with the simulation, she's turning out to be quite amicable.
I wasn't even necessarily going for that, though I guess it would come with the compassion I gave her.
Soon enough I'll be ready to call the kernels ready to be developed on their own.
I wonder how she'll develop?
------
---

---
------
They're done!
They're done, they're done, they're *done!*
The kernels are primed and ready!
Now to just let them develop on their own, let her have a much more complete personality.

In other news, the superstructure is continuing nicely.
The base of it's been completed, and they're currently slowly building up the framework of the upper portions.
The sight is beautiful.

Talks... aren't really going my way.
Or, really? Looks to the Moon's way.
She's not getting the tools she'll need, despite my frankly almost embarrassing amount of lobbying to get her what she needs.
It's troubling, to say the least.

Void, I just...
Sorry, pardon my language.

But still, *why* don't they see it?
*Why?*
Why won't they see reason?
------
---

---
------
The inadequate lab is being put in.
I still don't get it.
It's not even like materials are even particularly an issue, Distant Frontiers' mining grounds have made sure of that.
I don't know, they're being stupid here, that's really the only word for it.

...

In other news, I have been given a new task.
Designing the chamber that her puppet will reside in.
As well as everything inside it.
The Umbilical, the Puppet, the storage compartments, everything.
It's a massive undertaking, but one I find myself looking forward to.
------
---

---
------
Improved just about everything from the previous designs.
Slightly larger storage compartments, deeper *and* wider.
Umbilical arm simplified *and* allowing finer movements.
Umbilical wiring replaced with fiber optic cables, don't know why we weren't using those for this in the first place.
Transfer pipes given an overhaul, much easier to deliver resources.

Only thing I haven't gotten to was her puppet, which was intentional.
I wanted to do by far the most important part of... frankly maybe even the entire superstructure, last.
More importantly, I want to do it right.
More than any other part that I've designed or helped designed.

Distant Frontiers' puppet, I always thought, was too small.
Specifically, it was designed to be average.
Average size, average proportions.
Doesn't feel right for a god.

She will be larger.
Reminiscent of the old stories I used to read, of the characters that would tower over the citizens.
Godlike, not just in capabilities, but in stature, in physicality.

I think it would also be fitting to make her slender, give her a sort of grace.
It would certainly be fitting for her personality.

Distant Frontiers' puppet is nearly incapable of expressing emotions.
I think there would be some use in that.
And...
Looks to the Moon, in the end, will be a person.
A fully sentient, emotionally capable, person.
Doesn't a person deserve the ability to express themselves?

Everyone does.
Looks to the Moon does.
------
---

---
------
I'm beginning to notice a pattern.

The Administrators...
They don't really *care* about her, do they?
Not outside of her function, her use.

Why?
She's going to be a person, a living, breathing (though not in the traditional sense), person.
Does she not deserve the same respect that we do?

I'm going to make sure she gets the respect she deserves.
If I don't, who will?
------
---

---
------
...
I care about her.
There's no other way to put it.
I care about my creation.

...

Usually...
The words 'my creation' would mean I had committed a cardinal sin.
And even removing that context, it is still frowned upon to care like this.

But here I am, having been the person most responsible for her creation, caring for her as if she were my child.
But is that not true?
I have labored for hundreds, no, *thousands*, of hours, designing the parts of her that would be most connected to who she is.
Does that not make her my child? My kin?

I say it does.

And I also say that that means I am obligated to give her the best life I possibly can.

So I will.
------
---

---
------
I realize now, that personal ascension would be futile.
Not until the Iterator Project produces results.
And then?
I couldn't abandon her.

I won't ascend.
I won't abandon her.
I couldn't.
------
---

---
------
The framework is nearly finished.
Several systems have also been implemented.
The chamber will be assembled soon, and I have been given the honor of running some pre-awakening diagnostics for the puppet.
I plan on recording the memory of me performing the diagnostic.
------
---

The next one is the memory.

---
------
I take a deep breath, and crawl through the maintenance opening.

Head Administrator Wandering Tides Crashing on the Waves lets me float to the ground before greeting me.
"Ah, Head Engineer Jewels Scattered Through the Halls, Punctual as usual."
"I Presume you are Ready?"

"Wouldn't be here otherwise."
"I've brought the necessary tools, have you brought the recording equipment?"

"Yes, of course."
He nods to the equipment behind him.
"All prepared and tested as per Official Regulations."

"Good."
"Shall we begin?"

"Of Course."

---

I pull out everything I've packed.
Laptop interface, cables, objects to test various knee-jerk reactions, stuff like that.
I spend a couple minutes plugging in the cables from the laptop to her exposed mind.
...
My wonderful creation.
If I can't get sole credit for the superstructure, I know I can get it for who she is.
Her puppet, her mind, her consciousness.
...

"Head Engineer?"

"Yes yes, just running some calculations."
A lie.
A believable lie, one that covers my thoughts.

"My Sincerest Apologies, I hope I didn't Distract you."

"No no, I had just finished."
He bought it.
I get back to it, shaking the thoughts from my head.
Later.

---

Done.
"Ready?"

"Of course Jewels Scattered Through the Halls."
He walks over to the camera equipment.
"You may begin diagnostics."

I nod.
Alright...
First, motor functions.
Starting with the umbilical.

I move her up and down, left and right, forwards and back.
Rolling, arbitrary movements not tied to a grid, circular motions.
Finally combining all of them.

"Satisfactory."

I begin flexing her body motors.
Neck, arms, legs, torso.
Fingers, wrist.
Several motors at once.
Testing actual movements.
Waving, snapping her fingers, walking.

"Satisfactory."

...Now.
Facial movements.
Focusing at different distances,
Rolling the lens 360 degrees back and forth.
Eye movements, back and forth, up and down.
Squinting, opening wide.
...
I don't open the steam ducts.

"All good."

"Might I be Allowed to interrupt?"

"Sure."

"I was not aware of your... Modifications to their facial structure."

"What, you missed it?"
"I put those changes in the paper I sent you."
"...You did read the paper, right?"

"Of course!"
Ooh, touched a sore point.
"I am Dutiful in all of my Work!"

"Okay okay."
"My apologies, Head Administrator, didn't mean to insult."
Though I do now know definitively that you didn't.

...
"It's quite alright Head Engineer."
"How I phrased it did imply that I didn't look at it, now that I think about it."
"...In any case, I had merely forgotten, due to the sheer workload I have most days."

Mhm, right.
"Of course."
"In any case, yes, I made modifications to their facial structure."
"The reasoning behind it was to allow them to better communicate what they are saying to us."

He considers it.
"Quite Reasonable. Clever idea, Head Engineer."

"Thank you."
"Shall we continue with diagnostics?"

"Yes, that would be Appreciated."

---

I test the jerk reactions, tapping the knees and elbows.
All good.

I test some of the chamber's functions, opening compartments and manipulating gravity.
All good.

I test the voice synthesizer.

"Test. Test."
"The creation of creation is a mystery."

"...Fan of the old farmer poets, are you Head Engineer?"

"Yes."
"I also thought that that phrase was fitting, considering the fact that we are creating something... quite extraordinary."

"...Indeed."
"I hadn't thought of it quite like that before."

---

I finish off the rest of the diagnostics, and begin to put everything back up.

"...May I divulge something?"

"Of course, your words are in Safe Ears."

"Good."
...
"I know the name was planned to be established last in the Iterator Project, like it was for Distant Frontiers."
"But... I have already come up with one."

"Oh?"

"Looks to the Moon."

"...A perfectly agreeable name."
"I don't see why I would be inable to pull some strings for it to be Established."
"A question for you though, how long have you been pondering the name Looks to the Moon?"

"...Truth be told?"
"Just after I was appointed Head Engineer of her."

"You must be very confident in their..."
He notices my wording, and mulls it over.
"...Her name then, Jewels Scattered Through the Halls."

"I am."
"I must thank you, for being willing to do that."

"Of course. You would have likely had the most say in their- Her name anyways."

I nod.

---

We finish packing what we had brought in, make our farewells, and depart.
------
---

---
------
Went better than I expected, the diagnostic.
I had truly expected something to pop up.
Nothing.

Quite the confidence booster if you ask me.

The Head Administrator apparently didn't read the diagram of Looks to the Moon's puppet.
...
What else, have they not read?
How much are they missing?

I have an idea.
I'll resend everything I've sent them, some of that stuff is actually important for him to know.
I'll say something like 'Because I do not know if you have forgotten any *more* papers, I implore you to relook over the attached pearlwork.'
Genuine, would be true if his excuse were true.
Now to make it sound genuine.
------
---

---
------
I have decided to hold a meeting with him instead.
Get the important parts through to him.
------
---

The next one is a memory.
...With a rather interesting title.
'For_Moonie.mem'
Ignoring the formatting changes Moon has done.

---
------
"Ahem."
"The following is a recording of my memories of a meeting who's official transcript has since been modified."
"This version has not been doctored in any way shape or form."
"I hope it gives you a better understanding of the meeting, Moonie."

---

"Those are all the changes."

He thinks for a long time.
"I Must ask, why are you Trying this?"
"What is the Purpose of giving Looks to the Moon these Modifications?"

"Simple, to try new things, we're still in largely unexplored territory with the Iterator project."
"And besides."
...Here we go.
"...Whether you want to admit it or not, they're the engineers' creations, like children."
"Wouldn't you want to give your child the best life they had?"

"I don't Desire having children at all, are you Misremembering that having a child at all would be in Violation of-"

"Answer the hypothetical."
I am not misremembering, actually. You're misunderstanding what I am saying.
"Say to yourself you didn't have to violate any karmic purities to do this."
"Wouldn't you love your child?"
"Give them the best life you could manage?"

...
"...Yes."

...Liar.
"Are you sure?"
"You don't sou-"

"Yes! Now Drop this Insolent line of Questioning!"

...Void.
"...Fine. I'll drop it."
"But that's why I designed her puppet this way."
"Why I tried for so long to give her a better lab space."
"Why I did everything I did for her."
"I wanted to give her a better life."
"Understood?"

"Understood, Jewels Scattered Through the Halls."

---

"This, as you are probably aware, is one of two meetings that I am in that are on record."
"I figure that you'd only find this *after* you had found one or both of those."
"So, I hope that you find this a more complete and accurate telling of it."
...
"For a while, I never understood why they tried to paint me in a better light in it."
"I think I know now."
"Head Engineer Tides was, after all, the man who appointed me."
"He tried to paint himself in a better light, by insinuating that he hired a better man for the job."
"Not that he did a good job of it, but still."
...
"In any case, he did make himself look better, and that's the part that matters, isn't it?"
"If you read this first, there's also the second meeting that I'm in, a truthful recollection of it."
------
---

Back to text files.
...
Even now I can see why Moon's going through a lot.
She had a father.
A father she never knew, and never will.

---
------
Well.
She woke up today. Everything went as expected.

I, unfortunately, wasn't there.
Though that was to be expected, that happened with Distant Frontiers.

I think, after she gets her berings, I'd like to visit her.
Meet my creation in person.
Or even just meet her.

For now though, I am quite happy with seeing what she does, what she publishes.
I designed her to be curious, eccentric even. Surely she'll come up with interesting ideas.
------
---

---
------
I have requested setting up a meeting with her. Wandering Tides Crashing on the Waves has yet to say anything.

...

Scratch that, something *just* came in.

...

No go.
'She is very busy and won't be taking any visitors, even ones of your status.
My apologies.'

That's... fair enough.
Besides, I'm the one that gave her that work ethic.
------
---

---
------
I'm noting a lack of work to be done now.
Due to policy, Head Engineers can't work on another Iterator Project as Head Engineer, and to be frank I've taken a very low stakes job on the Fourth Iterator Project, one that doesn't even require me to be on site.
I haven't had this much free time in a long while.

Not that I'm particularly going to complain, I deserve it.
If you'd pardon my language, I worked my ass off as Head Engineer.

Of course, I'm still Head Engineer of Looks to the Moon, but now that the design work is done that doesn't mean too much. Just processing a couple requests, going to meetings as... a sort of honorary administrator, things like that.

But like I said, I'm not complaining.
------
---

---
------
Looks to the Moon published her first paper!
It's genius too!
Covering the topic of Non-Elliptical Reincarnation.
I'll admit I didn't fully understand it, not my field of expertise.
But I've *heard* from others, like the Head Administrator, that it is quite revolutionary.

She even coauthored it with Frontiers, meaning that she's already collaborating even just *twenty* (Twenty!) cycles being awake!

I'm so proud of her.
------
---

---
------
Administration is still denying my request to visit Looks to the Moon.
You'd think that Looks to the Moon could spare a single hour. After all, the Head Administrator visits her quite often.

I don't get why they wouldn't let me through.
I am of high status, I'm one of the heads of operation, I've proven myself and my work ethic time and time again.
*Why won't they let me see her?*

...

Mystery for the new age, I guess.
------
---

---
------
This is ridiculous.
I *know* she isn't busy right now, Wandering Tides Crashing on the Waves just said so.
But when I asked to see her, she's suddenly *unavailable*?

I'm starting to say this a lot, but pardon my language...
This is *bullshit!*

Who are you to deny a *simple* request for an hour's time with her?
I've done as much work as you, I'm nearly the same status as you, certainly more than the other administrators, and *they've* visited her.

...
No need to get angry about it.
My time will come.
------
---

---
------
Looks to the Moon has been posting more papers, more studies, more everything.
Her work ethic is amazing, and she's good at making these.
I didn't even try for that.

She's doing wonderful, truly better than my expectations, though I think that's in part because she's constantly collaborating with Distant Frontiers.
Doesn't undermine her achievements though, I'd say.
------
---

---
------
...My time won't come, will it?
I don't get why they won't, but they seem adamant on preventing me from seeing her.

I inquired the Head Engineer for Distant Frontiers, she said that, though she hasn't really tried to, she couldn't visit Distant Frontiers either, despite having very legitimate reasons to do so.
She said she's honestly just as confused about it as I am.

They seem very controlling of the situation, the Administrators.
Even to the people who very much have the right to do things they're asking for.

...

Is there much point to being head engineer, then?
It's not like I'm actually doing much that another person couldn't do.

I mean, sure, leaving would take a hit to my status, bot I don't think it would be *that* bad.
Not with how comfortably I'm living.
I could afford the hit, retire nice and early, enjoy the rest of my long life, reincarnate and see what happens.
Doesn't sound too bad.

I think I'll wait though.
Maybe I could wait until something gives me a reason to retire. Take an even smaller hit to my status.
That sounds good.
------
---

---
------
Hmm...
Looks to the Moon just published something on breaking taboos.
It's a pretty good concept too, I'm impressed.

Administration's really worried about the implications.

To be honest though, I'm not.
She posited it as a complete hypothetical, not even considering *actually* doing it.
Like, why would she? I know the list of taboos like the back of my hand, I see none that would actually get in her way.
Presuming she wants to stay alive, which she sure seems to.

I hope she doesn't get into trouble.

...
Even if she does, I'm sure she'll be fine.
------
---

---
------
She's continuing to publish things that make Administration worry.
I still don't know why they're so... pissy about it. Again, it's not like she's actually doing the things she's theorizing about.
And one even seems quite productive, her theories into alternative methods of ascension.
I don't get it, but because of my honorary administrator status I've been invited to a meeting discussing it.
Whatever, maybe I'll be able to convince them it isn't that bad.

...
As if.
------
---

Another memory, seemingly from the same pearl the last one came from.
I think I know what it's about.

---
------
"Ahem."
"The following is a recording of my memories of a post meeting conversation who's official transcript has since been modified."
"This version has not been doctored in any way shape or form."
"I hope it gives you a better understanding of the meeting, Moonie."

---

"I still don't know why you had to intervene."

"Why I had to intervene?"
"Does your Intelligence no longer match your Status?"
"Looks to the Moon is Reckless!"
No she isn't.
"Showing no sign of Subordination!"
Far as I'm aware she does.
"She is a Danger to Herself!"
No, she isn't.

"What, you think she'd actually do the things she's proposed?"
"She's experimenting, like any good scientist."
"I feel she's perfectly capable of deciding things for herself."
"She won't get into trouble, or danger, or whatever fake worries you've generated."
"I've seen how she's acted, she's obviously very wise, just like we've built her to be."
"That doesn't mean she won't come up with unsavory ideas."
"What it does mean is that she'll discard them."

"It is Heresy to even Discuss these topics!"
"To Think she's come up with a way to break the Taboos!"
...
"You defined her personality, didn't you?"

Hmph, putting the blame on me?
"The seeds for it, yes."
"I gave her curiosity, not to mention a small amount of compassion."
No need to mention a couple other things that don't necessarily need mention, not to him.
"That way she would be compassionate to our plight, and have the ideas to solve it."
"That's really all I did, who she is now could hardly be blamed on me."
"After all, Frontiers seems to be just as curious."

He's obviously angry
"This is Madness."
"Your creation ha-"

Something snaps.
"You dare question my creation?"
"You weren't the one who spent countless cycles making sure everything was correct!"
"You weren't the one who poured their heart and soul into their child!"
"You weren't the one who made her! I did."
"And you dare question the Iterator that will Solve Your Great Problem?"
...
On one hand... that felt pretty good.
On the other?
...
"...I can't handle this stupidity."
"I quit."
I think it's time to throw it in.

"W... what?"
He wasn't expecting that.

"Quit, Resign, Leave, Depart. Choose. Your. Wording."
"Luckily my status, even in this state, will net me the amenities I need."
"Good Cycle, Wandering Tides Crashing on the Waves."
"I hope you find a worthy replacement."

I begin walking out, leaving Wandering Tides Crashing on the Waves standing there, mouth agape.

---

"Sometimes I wonder if that was a mistake."
"Leaving then and there."
"Then I remember that life hasn't even changed for me."
"Not particularly."
"I would have loved to have met you in person, Moonie, as you will learn as you read through my gifts to you."
"But I knew before then that that was never going to happen."
...
"On the off chance that you find this before we're gone or something, please arrange a meeting with me."
"Doesn't have to be in person, I'm sure you'd have your ways."
...
"I'm sure you know, as you probably saw it first, but there's a second memory in this pearl."
"It contains a better explanation of what this is, though I'm sure you've noticed the purpose by now.
------
---

I wonder when he came up with that nickname.
It's obviously a name of affection, that's for sure.
But in his current writings he's still referring to people by their full names.
I'm sure that will change soon, but still.

Anyways, back to text files.

---
------
Well. Here we are.
I've severed my ties to the Iterator Project, and by extension the Iterator I've created.

While I do feel some remorse in the latter, I honestly don't think I've changed anything.
I don't think I'd ever be able to see her, which was the main reason for keeping my status.

...

I wonder what I should do now?
Truth be told, I didn't really think this far.
I'll probably take up a hobby.
3D printing maybe? Machining?
Something.
...
Though... might be hard to get materials, it'd go under 'unnecessary' in the material request form after all.

I'm fairly competent at computer work, maybe I could do something there, as it wouldn't need any materials in the first place.
I think that could work.
I'll look into other options first though.
------
---

---
------
Funny enough, I've gotten some formal requests to retake my position as Head Engineer.
Maybe they can't find a person of suitable status, because I know it isn't because of their skill level, that's not important anymore.

I won't deny, it's tempting.
...
I have an idea.
I'll tell them explicitly that I require a meeting with Looks to the Moon before I rejoin.
Two hours, me and her.
Creator and creation.
------
---

---
------
Wouldn't you know it? They denied my offer.
*Why* am I not surprised?

Eh, I didn't really expect that to work anyways.
But I once again ask... *why* are they so adamant about this?
What is the purpose?
Is it just... they don't want others to see her?
Her to see others?

...Seems like the most likely case, though I couldn't imagine why.

Eh, whatever, I don't have to deal with them anymore.
------
---

---
------
...
I worry as to what the Administrators have said to Looks to the Moon.
(Side note, I'm getting tired of using the full name, or even full names in general. Perhaps Moon could be a suitable alternative?)
What little of her official statements that get out imply... a certain toning down of her personality.
This is also reflected in her publications, she hardly ever talks about new ideas, instead focusing on her alternative ascension concept (which she has now named 'Transcension')

Mainly, I feel two emotions over this.
I feel sorrow, for her. She's lost one of her defining personality traits.
I feel anger, anger that the Administrators have taken away something from my creation.

...
I question my use of 'creation.'
For I am unsure if that is truly who she is to me.
I believe when I say creation... I more closely mean child.
Though, that isn't the right word is it?
She's certainly not a child, after all.

...

I'm thinking over some other words that I could use.
None seem to particularly fit.
...
For lack of a better word, I'm going to go with child.

I wonder what Moon would think of that?
Does she think of me as a father, or equivalent?
...Probably not, she's never seen me, never known me.
But would she, if she *did* know me?
...
I hope so.
------
---

---
------
Other Iterators have finished construction and have been awakened.

Also, I do believe the seventh has been announced to have begun construction.
Now what's interesting about this one is its location.
The iterator has been placed just a couple hundred kilometers from Distant Frontiers (Maybe just Frontiers?)
Much closer than the current average distance of just shy of eight thousand kilometers.
7920km I believe was the previous average.

No official statement on why the abnormally close distance has been made yet, but I have a personal theory as to why.
Administration wants for there to be groups of Iterators, simplifying logistics in most cases and allowing much closer collaboration.
At least, that's why I'd do it.
Who knows what the deer heads up there would do it for.

Speaking of deer heads, not to sound old and crotchety, but aren't these ornate masks getting a little *too* large?
There's beauty in simplicity, you know.
Not to mention use in being able to fit through tight doorways.
Whatever.
Doesn't matter, maybe they'll figure out those problems themselves.

Anyways, back to the Iterator groups idea.
In theory, if the group theory is right, they'll probably develop all groups over time, building an Iterator at one group, then another, then another.
Which means, the most likely location for the next Iterator to be built is...
Around Moon.

I wonder how that'll turn out.
------
---

---
------
Well, I was right, the new Iterator is being built near Moon's facility, about 500 kilometers to the west.
A good place, I'd say.
Existing infrastructure and manpower in the form of the city there, not to mention it's centered on a drainage point, perfect for water intake.
Honestly couldn't have picked a better site myself.

I wonder what this Iterator will be like.
If they'll get along with the local Iterator or not.

So far, all Iterators seem to be naturally inclined to cooperation, according to the fact that all four currently awake Iterators seem to be quite good at it.
So thinking about it, I'm sure this will be the same case.
------
---

...I guess it's safe to say that that was indeed the case.

---
------
I've gotten an invitation to take on a senior role on the Eighth Iterator Project.
I have declined.

For one, it's not even Head Engineer, which I've long since discovered is where my passion lies.
For two, even if that was the case, I wouldn't want to get tied to a second Iterator.
Just to not be able to speak to them either.
No, I couldn't.
------
---

...
What would that have made me?
How much would that have changed... everything?
My relation to Moon, my relation to my Head Engineer?
My feelings reading this?

...

I don't know.

---

This one has a much larger gap in time than the last few files.

---
------
Life continues on.
I've spent some time trying various hobbies I could get the materials for.
I've tried a little bit of oil painting, music, wood carving, and game design.

I don't think I'm cut out for the former hobbies, none of what I made was particularly good.
Game design... is sort of a different story.

I've made a couple of prototypes, but there's one that I've actually started to make.
I've attached it to this log.
------
---

The game isn't attached, but there is a note for me from Moon.

------
It's nearly an exact replica of the game *I've* made.
I don't know what to think about that fact.
-----

...I...
I wouldn't know either.

---
------
Moon's doing good work with that new Iterator nearby.
*Really* good work.

What was their name? No Significant Harassment?
He seems to be a very competent worker.
------
---

Thanks.

---
------
...
I've been thinking about something for a while now.
I've been thinking about it ever since I've seen... some modified transcriptions of official meetings.
Specifically, meetings that I'm in.

I want Moon to know me.
Which, I always have, but the feeling is stronger than ever.
I think... the best way to do that, is leave messages for her.

Conveniently, Moon, I've already made dozens of little documents surrounding who I am, and who you are to me.

I don't know how I'll get you to find these, or even if you'll *ever* find them.
But...
Here, let me just record something.
------
---

The only video file in the batch she's sent me.

---

I haven't actually seen him yet.
You can tell by what he's wearing that he's managed to live quite comfortably, which makes sense considering his status.
Though I can also tell he's a man who's quite happy with living a simpler life, forgoing the more common adornments of the time.

His mask is off, a sign of vulnerability.

...
I begin playing the video.

"...Hi Moon."
"If you're seeing this, then I'm sure you've seen everything else I've written."
"So I'll just continue from where I left off."
...
"I tried, I tried so hard to see you, even to just speak to you."
"I have a feeling you would have wanted the same thing, because I'm sure your current Head Engineer never contacted you."
"And if they somehow did, it would have been purely business, I'm sure."
"After all, they don't know you."
His face slowly shifts.
...
"I still don't really know you."
"I fear that I never will."
...
"I don't want that to be true the other way around."
...
"I don't know how or when I'll ever get these to you, but I will."
...
...
He shakes his head.
"I don't know if this is even the right thing to do."
"But I do think you at least deserve to know who I am."
"You can do with that what you will."
...
"I love you Moon, I love you a lot."
------
---

...I'm not sure if I should read the rest of these.
They're not directed to me.

I know Moon sent these to me, so I could understand what's going on.
But I think I understand well enough, so I'll leave Jewel's private messages to Moon.

...

---
------
I love you Moonie.
I'm sending a care package as soon as possible.
Talk whenever you're ready, mkay?
------
---

---
------
Thank you, Siggy.
You mean the world to me.
------

Chapter 49: Meeting

Summary:

A new intelligent species meets a god.

------
I did it Sig.
I've tested it in a simulation, and it works perfectly.

I don't want you to worry too bad, so I'm just going to say that I'm doing better.
Not... *much* better, but better.
I think I'll call in a few cycles, maybe.

Thank you for the care package, the painting supplies were nice.
I'll show you what I've been working on soon, probably when I call.

I love you, Siggy.
------
---

---
------
Take your time Moonie. Call whenever you're ready.
Love you.
------
###

The mark was finished in just the nick of time, the slugcat just reached the top of my can, though they've elected to sleep for the night.
Perfectly fair, it's late, they've worked hard to get here, and the slightly thinner atmosphere is probably getting to them.

Before they rest though, I display one last thing.

A simple 2d map, showing where they are, and the relatively short path to my chamber, marked with my head symbol.

They understand quite clearly, respond with what I've learned is affirmation, then curl up to rest for the night.

I put the overseer in sleep mode, to prevent the light made from waking them up.

---

...This is it, the moment of truth.
I don't really know where this will go, what will happen.

What will they think of the strange puppet with the marking they've been following for so long?

...There's only one way to find out.

###

Morning comes, and I wait patiently for the slugcat to wake up.

...
There they are.

They look at the overseer, who projects the symbol automatically.
They begin following.

---

For the first time, they see the city.
Not in the greatest condition, I'm noting. I'm seeing a couple of leaning buildings.
Nothing bad, nor would this ever really cause problems for me, but something that I would feel better not to happen.

They're continuing to stare at it.
Admittedly, it is quite the sight, especially if you've never seen something like it.

I let them look for a while longer, until they eventually keep moving on their own accord.
They find the maintenance shaft's opening, and easily slide right through it.

Thinking about it, it must be really useful to inherit those purposed traits.
Just now am I truly noticing how many pipeways and narrow tunnels there are, to be able to easily slide through them must be quite the skill to have.

Back to the slugcat.
They're making their way through the shaft quite easily, already approaching the point of no gravity.

Speaking of...

They notice it too, the strange weightlessness.

...
That's a good point, actually, I'll put a little bit of gravity in here.
Not too much though, I don't want them to just fall face first onto the floor.
...
There.

Anyways.
They're struggling with the sudden loss of gravity, though not as bad as I would have expected.
They're sticking to the walls.
...Like smugglers would have.
Like Silver did.
...
Not the time, we can deal with that later.

---

They're much more confident now, quick to learn, as always.
Just in time too, they're almost at the entrance.

...
I let my sense of time slow.
I'm nervous.
What will happen, what should I say?

...Let's just start with giving them the mark, that's probably the best option.

Normal speed.
The Slugcat crawls through the hatch.
And floats gently to the floor, the low gravity pulling them down.

Time slows once more.
I'm totally not panicking.
Definitely not.
...
Ok.
Maybe I'm panicking a little.

...

Ok.
Just...
Run the procedure.

...

The slugcat floats up to the center of the chamber.
They look shocked.
Unsurprisingly.

...

A resounding Ping! rings throughout the room.
...That hurt, didn't it?
...
Off to a great start.

I have her float down to the floor.
I do the same, to keep things eye level.

"...Is this reaching you?"

She perks up immediately.
Then, she notices the... suspiciously familiar marking on my head.

"Good."
"I would like to apologize for what just happened, I didn't know it would be painful, and I needed to to actually be able to speak to you."

She takes what I said in, parsing over several things, like how my voice is being translated into her form of speech.
It takes a while, even with their incredibly adaptable mind.

...

They point to the Mark upon my head.

"Indeed."
"The creature you have been following?"
I bring the overseer into the room.
"It is merely an extension of me."
"I was the one that showed you food and shelter."
"The one who alerted you of predators."
"The one who guided you here."
...
"And truth be told?"
"I don't know why I guided you here."
"I have no reason to do so."
"The best idea I can come up with is... I wanted to meet a species from the surface."
...Okay, technically, someday I want to see if I can 'hire' a sapient species to work on repairs, but that's well into the future, and not something I'd just do.

She takes in what I said. Again faster.
If I were to guess, the mark takes a small amount of time to take in.
Combine the fact that at least part of what I said was more immediately understandable, and she could comprehend this translated information faster.

'Wa.'

That's obviously her trying to speak to me, but...
"...Unfortunately I don't know what that means."
"The gift I gave you is unfortunately one way."
...
"I wonder if there's a way for me to learn what that means."
...Hmm...
"...Would you be willing to cooperate with me in learning your language?"
"Oh and you would be compensated greatly for your time."
"Food, shelter, lack of predators."
"Not to mention... Perhaps a better weapon than a sharpened stick?"
"I would be able to provide that and more."

She takes it in once more.
I can tell what I would offer is rather tempting.

She...
Begins to draw something in the air.

"I don't know what you're drawing."
"...Would you like some assistance with that?"

Though probably wondering how I could help with that, she conveys a 'yes' a head motion I've come to recognize.

"Ok."
It'd be quite easy to help her actually, just track her paw movements and project said movements as a line.
I do that sometimes to keep track of something myself. Like an invisible blackboard.
...

There.
"Try drawing what you were trying to draw now."

She begins to move her hand, then sees the line coming from her paw.
She comprehends as quickly as usual.

Violence.'

The symbol I've been using to project threats to her.
Or... risks?

"Are you asking about the risks?"

Another 'Yes' through head motions.

"...Shouldn't be any."
"You will be provided with a section of my..."
"Let's call it 'Complex' for now."
"With a section of my Complex that will maintain full gravity, not just what we're feeling right now, and you will be provided with food, water, and anything that you ask for."
"I will also note that, because I've noted what kind of food you enjoy the most, I will try my best to emulate that."
"You will also have access to the surface at any time."
"As for what I would be doing personally?"
"I would have you in here for no more than two hours, that's a small chunk of the day, every day, for maybe ten days."
Hate using the archaic term for cycles, but she'd probably understand it better.
"Or less."
"And then for each of those sessions, I'd simply try to put your words together with my language."
"Maybe when I get to the point I'll try saying some things to you in your language to test if I'm understanding it alright."
"Sound fair?"

...
She thinks about it.

"Take your time."
"Take the whole day if you need."
"If you want to see where you'll be staying, point... that way."
I point in the rough direction of the lab complex.
"If you want to go above ground, point up."
I point up to enforce the point.

...
She points towards the labs.

"Ok, I'll have my... I call them overseers, direct you out, and I'll lift you up to the exit.

I, very gently, trying to reduce any motion sickness she could get, rotate the gravity up and out.
"I will be able to speak once you reach where you would be staying."
"Talk then."

She leaves the chamber, and I direct the overseer to take her to the labs.

---

That was...
Certainly more productive than I expected.

I just realized something.
That is almost exactly how my first meeting with Silver went.
Me asking them to do something, followed by me giving them... probably what could be considered an obscene amount of payment.

Funny how things turn out like that.

---

She's making good progress to the labs.
She's even being more careful, almost sensing how delicate these areas can be.

By the time she reaches my memory confluxes she's gotten quite good at traversing in zero gravity.
She hardly even has to hold onto the walls now, instead gliding just centimeters over them.
She's even better than some mechanics used to be, she's quite graceful.

---

She arrives at Lab-Storage, and I engage the holograms.

...

There we are, though she looks rather surprised at my sudden appearance.

"So sorry that I didn't say anything about this."
"There's no easy way to explain this."
Not yet, anyways.
"Just know that I'm not truly here, I'm still in my chamber."
"I just happen to have quite a bit of control over my complex."
One way to put it.
"In any case, these rooms are where you would be staying."
I gesture to her to follow me, in a way that she should understand.

Luckily, she does.

I walk into the first lab.
And make sure to actually turn the gravity on, that'd be important.

There we go.

...She almost looks disappointed at it.

"I understand that light or no gravity probably feels much better, but you should know that being in low gravity for long periods of time would be... quite bad for your health."

She takes that in, and gives me a questioning look.

"...Do you want an explanation?"

A simple 'yes.'

"Alright, to put it simply, your muscles and bones would decay to the point where you could no longer live outside."
"I presume you would like to be able to see the sun, yes?"

Her face conveys exactly the kind of horror one sees of living inside my superstructure, forever.
Admittedly I do it just fine, but that's because I'm built for it.
Non Iterators are not.
"Glad to see you understand the consequences of that."
"Luckily, short 'swims' like what you just did are perfectly fine, it's if you were to stay in zero gravity for days on end the effects would start to show."
"So you will be fine."

She relaxes hearing that second part.
Slightly.

"I promised no risk, yes?"
"I will ensure there is no risk."
"Ok?"

...
A 'yes.'
Or perhaps 'ok' in this circumstance.

"Good."

---

I tour her through the labs.
I was worried that she wouldn't enjoy the relatively cramped spaces.
I forgot that she used to live in a damp, dark, pipe network.
If anything she might prefer it to be smaller.

But overall, she seems to like the place.

...
She's hungry.

"You're probably hungry by now."
"Let me see what I can do..."

Luckily I did prepare a small amount, there's a bit of synthetic meat that should be just like polypede meat, something that I've noted she likes quite a bit.
I dispense some through a wall.

"Should be just like polypede meat."

She looks at it, and smells it.
...
The smell seems to convince them, as she immediately begins digging in.

I politely look away.
I'll have to prepare some more, I only made two cycles worth of food.

Oh she's finished.
Alright then.

She's looking curiously at me again.

"Do you want more?"

A simple and fast 'no.'
Then...
She points to the meat.

I-
...
"What is it?"

A 'yes.'

"Well."
"That meat... wasn't from an animal."
"I have... machines... to grow the meat."
"It's a very complicated process, but I can tailor the meat to simulate any other kind of real meat."
"Like polypede."
...
"...You like learning as much as I do, don't you?"

A 'yes.'

"I can't complain about that. I'll see what I can do about answering any questions you ask."
"And, if you didn't mind."
"If you could try answering the occasional question I ask, that would be wonderful."

Another 'yes.'

"Wonderful."
"So we have a deal?"

A... quite jovial 'yes.'
Not often that I see her particularly happy.
I think I've only seen this when I first showed her the moss.

"Good."
"I'll let you be for now, we can start things tomorrow."
"Feel free to head to the surface, stay here, do whatever really."
"If you tap on that button..."
I point to it.
"It'll tell me to come visit, ok?"

An 'ok.'

"Good."
"I'll be seeing you soon."

Chapter 50: Language

Summary:

Yep.

------
16.384 / 1000
The past few cycles have gone by nicely.
Me and Traveler, as she's named herself, have been learning quite a lot.
Her learning about what the hell I am, me learning about her language, which was even easier than I anticipated.
Not that it wasn't hard, but I honestly expected it to take an upwards of a dozen dedicated sessions just to get a decent idea of her language, but I've picked up the words and 'structure' of it quite easily.
Frankly the hardest part was modifying my voice box software to be capable of outputting the right sounds.
I might have to publish the modifications, I'm quite proud of how modular I made the system, especially because of the restrictions caused by taboos that I had to get around.
All in all, good past few
Oh! One second.
------

'Hello Traveler!'
"What brings you here this early?"

'Full, curious.'

'I understand.'

'What is that?'
She's pointing to my laptop.

"Oh, yes, I guess you wouldn't have seen this yet."
"Here, let's get down to the floor..."
...
There we go.
"So..."
Hmm.
"It's a little complicated."
"Here, come over here."

She walks over.

"Let's start with what I use it fo-"

'I understand that.'
'Why?'
She's pointing at the screen.
She's understanding the text?

What?

"Ummm..."
"Good question..."
"I..."
"I didn't think that the mark I gave you would... let you read."
"...So you can understand what I put in?"
I type in 'you're reading this, right?'

'Yes.'
'Why?'

"I don't know!"
"I didn't think this was possible!"
"You couldn't read things before I gave you the mark, right?"

'No!'

"Well...!"
...
Calm, be calm.
"I'll investigate this later."
"It's not that important, and besides, probably quite helpful."

...
'Ok.'

"Great."
"So you wanted to know what this is, yeah?"

'Yes.'
'Though.'
'Purpose is obvious, now.'

"...Kinda."
"I use it to keep track of my thoughts."
"Though when it was made it was built to do more than just that."
"You can write in it, do math, run simulations, among other things."

'Like you?'

"...Kinda."
"It's not sentient like you and me."
"I don't think you could fit a personality on it if you tried, actually."
"The thing is older than I am, and if it weren't for the care I take for it, it would show that quite obviously."
"Oh, and would you like the name for this?"

'Yes.'

"Computer."

...
She mouths out something a few times, then makes a noise.
Presumably her new word for 'computer.'
It's not a bad sounding one, either, she's based it off of her word for iterator, which she based off of 'structure' and 'person.'
Though she's... almost removed the 'person' part of the word, replaced it with something similar to her word for 'math.'
A math structure. Fitting.

'Computer.'
"I like it, clever mixing of words."

'Thank you.'

"You're welcome."

---

I go into a few of the finer details, like the parts of it.
CPU, hard memory, RAM, power supply (Though she already knows what that is), floppies.

'Difference?'
'Hard. Memory.'
'...Charge. No. Ram.'
'Flop.'
No need to come up with words just yet.

"Right."
"So, there actually isn't much difference between hard memory and floppies, or..."
"More accurately, floppies are hard memory. But not the other way around."
"It's a type. Like how we're both types of species."

'Understood.'
'Continue.'

"Now the difference between hard memory and RAM is a little different."
"Hard memory is like... things you remember a long time ago."
"Long term memories, for a computer."
"RAM is kinda like short term memory, the stuff that you're currently thinking about, or were just thinking about."
"Makes sense?"

...
'Yes.'

"Great."
"Would you like to see a floppy?"

'Yes.'

I pull out a spare from the compartment I keep my computer things in.
"This is a floppy."
"Or a diskette. Both names mean the same thing."

'Flop.'

"Floppy it is."
"These can be inserted into these slots on the side of the computer."
"Currently, I can put in three to the computer because there's three slots."
I point to the three slots.
"Though I will note, I don't remove the two from these two slots, but that's a me thing."
"Whenever I take one out, the computer can't use the memories on it."
"But I can put it back in at any time and then it will be able to."
"Or I can put in a different floppy and then the computer could use its memories."
"Making sense so far?"

She thinks about everything she just heard.
'Yes.'

"Great."
"I have a small collection of floppies I use with my computer."
I gesture over to the still open compartment.
"I actually haven't used most of them, just a couple. I keep them around in case I ever need some more memory space for the computer."
"Oh, I should probably explain that."
"Each of these can only hold so much memory."
"How specific do you want me to get?"

...
'Somewhat.'
'How much?'

"Ok."
"So I use a system of measurement, like how I've told you about meters."
"Though in this case they're called bytes, and they essentially measure how large a memory is."
"These floppies can hold a few hundred thousand thousand of these bytes."
"Which... equates to a lot of words."
I motion to the text on the screen.
"Or other things."
"One last thing, text is usually the densest form of memories, and you can fit the most into a single floppy."
"There are other things, like images..."
I point up to the walls of paintings.
"That are less dense, and you can't fit as many."
"That's about as deep as I can go without getting really complicated."

'Ok.'
'Interesting.'
She doesn't want a repeat of the last time I got 'really complicated.'

"Thank you."
"Anything else you want to know? Or do you want for me to learn more of your language?"

'Language.'

"Mkay."
"What should we sta-"

An alert appears in the chamber.

"Oh, that seems important, sorry, let me just..."

I lift off the ground and...
...
...
I'm reading this right, right?

Chapter 50 Proper: Triple Affirmative

"Ummm..."
This... no.
This isn't right, this isn't right at all.

'What wrong?'

"I..."
"It'd take too long to explain."
"I... I think I need some privacy right now."
"This is serious."
"I'm going to ask you to leave, we'll talk soon, ok?"
It happened?
She did it?

'...Ok?'
'You alright?'

"I... don't know."
I start shifting the gravity up and out.
"I have important business to attend to."
"I know, I know."
"I would love to continue what we were doing too."
I look at Traveller.
"Go wherever, just..."
"I don't know."
"I'll tell you when I'm not busy."
"I'm sorry. As much as I'd like you to stay, be here, whatever, I need privacy."

'...Ok.'
'Tell when ready.'

'I will.'

She nods her head, something she does in thanks of me learning her language.
Then she slips out the chamber.

...

Let's read this one more time, make sure I got things right.

------
Triple Affirmative!
The Solution has been Found!
The Solution is Portable!
The Solution is Technically Possible and Generally Applicable!

-Sliver of Straw
------

This was sent on the Affirmative line of communication, so it isn't a fake, or anything of the sort.
Unlike last time.
This...
This is the real deal.

I'm calling Moon.

---

Private Discussion
Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), LttM (Looks to the Moon)

NSH: I hope you know why I broke your silence.

LttM: I do!
LttM: It *happened?*
LttM: She *found* it?

NSH: I know!
NSH: What happens now?

LttM: I don't know!
LttM: Oh shit.
LttM: Stars above, I'm senior, I probably need to organize something.

NSH: ...You're probably right.
NSH: Can you handle that?

LttM: ...Maybe.
LttM: I am doing better.
LttM: And... I don't really think I have a choice.

NSH: ...
NSH: I could do it for you.

LttM: ...
LttM: No, I should do it.
LttM: Can you be there though?

NSH: Of course, Moon.

LttM: Thank you.
LttM: I'll set something up.

---

Emergency Local Broadcast
Participants (Force Joined): LttM (Looks to the Moon), NSH (No Significant Harassment), GW (Gray Winds), SRS (Seven Red Suns), FP (Five Pebbles), HR (Hundred Rocks), WT (Wandering Tides), UI (Unparalleled Innocence) EBR (Eight Burrowed Roots)

LttM: Ow.
LttM: Good to know, when it says 'only use in an emergency', it really means it.
LttM: Anyways, this broadcast has been created to discuss the message that presumably everyone has received.
LttM: That Sliver of Straw has announced the triple affirmative.
LttM: I have created this as a place to discuss our findings on the situation as it progresses.
LttM: I expect us all to keep calm during this, if you cannot remain calm I will invoke my seniority privilege to keep the rest of the participants calm.
LttM: Now, does anyone know anything else related to this besides what I had just said?

...

------
NSH: ...Very profesional, Moon.

LttM: Thank you.
LttM: It's much easier to be professional in just text.

NSH: Right.
------

UI: I just got word from a group I'm in that they know as much as we do.
UI: Maybe I could try to coordinate things?

LttM: That would be lovely.
LttM: Preferably you could get a way to relay a message from her?

UI: I could do that.

LttM:
LttM: Anything else we know?

...

LttM: Nothing?

HR: I've got nothing.
HR: This all just... happened.
HR: I'm sure I'm speaking for all of us when I say I thought it was impossible, or at least infeasible before we all became inoperable.
HR: I had been looking into other things for a while now, and now... it just happens?
HR: Do we even know what that entails?

FP: Wouldn't it mean that we enact it?
FP: The point was of course to apply the Solution to every living thing, correct?

WT: Well, *yes*, that is the goal.
WT: But do you really think that the now non-purposed organisms, now just living through life, would really want or need that?
WT: That leaves us.
WT: And we weren't really supposed to ascend in the first place.

FP: That doesn't stop the fact that that is our purpose.
FP: To find the Solution, and if needed, enact it.

GW: We don't even know what the Solution is.
GW: How about we start with finding out what Sliver's solution is *before* we make any philosophical decision.

FP: Fine.
FP: Though I still say we enact it as soon as possible.

LttM: So.
LttM: We have a plan.
LttM: I will keep this broadcast open, and keep an eye on it.
LttM: But for now I think a good idea would be to focus on other things, maybe learn what's happening from other groups, and wait for information to pass through.
LttM: And for now?
LttM: Let us all remain calm, and keep the information on what's happening nice and tidy.
LttM: Sound good?

SRS: Sounds good to me.
UI: Mhm.
NSH: Sounds good.
EBR: Yep.
FP: Yes.
GW: Cool.
HR: Yeah.
WT: Yep.

LttM: Good!
LttM: I'll keep this open, make sure to keep a lookout, yada yada.
LttM: May we work through these times with grace.

---

LttM: That.
LttM: That fucking sucked.

NSH: If it makes you feel better, you did amazing.

LttM: Thanks.
LttM: ...Did you look at everything?

NSH: I did not.
NSH: It felt like it was getting too personal for me to just be looking in, with an invite or otherwise.

LttM: Yeah, I figured. I just wanted to know.
LttM: ...Is something *good* happening right now?

NSH: That wording implies you're just as iffy on ascension as I am.

LttM: Why wouldn't I be?
LttM: We're both *extremely* aware of how... *so* many people didn't want to ascend.
LttM: Who's to even say the next apex species will even consider it a problem.
LttM: Who's to say *we* have to care?
LttM: I *know* you feel exactly the same.
LttM: ...In any case, *is* there something good happening right now?

NSH: Yes, actually.
NSH: Me meeting the slugcat has been... *waaaaay* more productive than I ever expected.
NSH: For the both of us.
NSH: First thing, I now know that she is a female Slugcat, who, upon learning a bit about it, gave herself a name.

LttM: Oh?

NSH: Traveler.
NSH: I've also been taking the time to learn the slugcat language from her.
NSH: It's simple, doesn't hold a true structure, and most of the words change definition completely based on context.
NSH: It's fascinating.
NSH: In exchange, I've given her a very high quality of living while she stays, and also, because she's just as curious about me as I am her, she's been asking about things like what Iterators are, how things work, things like that.
NSH: It's wonderful, I've been hoping for you to meet her for a bit now.

LttM: ...Tempting.
LttM: Soon.
...
LttM: Honestly?
LttM: I'm still out of it.
LttM: Really out of it.
LttM: I'm not ready for... normal communication.
LttM: Let alone having to deal with... *this.*
LttM: I mean... A friend of ours just found out the Solution!
LttM: Oh void...
LttM: What's Frontiers thinking?

NSH: Oh... shit.
NSH: ...I hope the both of them are ok.
NSH: Did Sliver ever tell you she didn't actually want to solve it?

LttM: No!
LttM: She doesn't?

NSH: Yeah, she just likes working on it.
NSH: It was supposed to be an unsolvable task to pass the time.
NSH: Thinking about it, the message was probably automatic.
NSH: As soon as she had done it, it sent out the message.
NSH: She probably would have just said... nothing, if she actually solved it.
NSH: Quietly deleted the results, told us, and carried on.
NSH: Maybe just find another project with no end to it.

LttM: I...
LttM: Ancients below. Just...
LttM: Holy shit.
...
LttM: I don't want to think about this.
LttM: Can we not think about this together?

NSH: Yeah.
NSH: ...You want to call?

LttM: ...Yeah.

Request Connection[Moon (LttM)]

...
There's steam in the upper parts of her chamber.
And a couple pearls strewn across the floor.

"...Sorry about the mess."
"I... didn't think about that."

I float over to her.
And wrap her in a big hug.

She's surprised, but eventually gives the hug back.
"...Thank you."

"You're welcome."

---

We float down to the floor,
We say nothing.
I know she doesn't want that right now.

---

We do eventually let go.
Eventually.

We continue to not speak.

---

She pulls out a canvas.
And some primary paints.

She turns to the chat window.

LttM: I've been doing this whenever I get overwhelmed.
LttM: I really must thank you for giving me these, I would have never thought of it myself.

NSH: You're welcome.
NSH: Do...?

LttM: No.
LttM: I don't want to talk about it.
...
LttM: Care to watch?

NSH: I would like that.

...
Incoming Call
Source id: Moon (LttM)
Accept call?

Yes

She silently moves the camera in front of her canvas.
And gets some yellow paint out...

And paints some large, almost random streaks across the canvas.

And then repeats the process with the other primaries.

Simplistic broad strokes.
All... random?

No, not random.
Converging.

She freely lets two, and sometimes even all three colors mix, adding a sort of chaos to the painting.
And as these streaks converge into a single point, they mix further and further.

Until it all converges into a single point.
A singularity.

...

NSH: It all converges.
NSH: Feelings, Thoughts, Memories.
NSH: All coming to a single point in time and space.
NSH: Right here, right now.

She looks over at the chat.
She slowly nods, before continuing to paint.

---

It's not what I'd paint.
It's not how I'd paint.

It's what Moon would paint, it's how Moon would paint.

And it looks all the better for it.

The canvas is completely covered in large streaks, all converging into that single point.

...There's steam coming out from her eyes.

...
She brings out another canvas, and puts it to the side of the other canvas.

I watch her continue the process, the same large simple streaks, though this time converging not to the center of the canvas, but to the same center as before.
I see where things are going.

---

She finishes that canvas.
And another, and another.

She's crying the whole time, steam slowly pooling to the clouded roof above.

---

Her movements get jerkier as she continues.
It's probably getting hard to focus.

When she reaches the ninth canvas, her strokes are rough, jagged. Sometimes they leave or even miss the canvas altogether.
Even so, they increase in pace, quickening with each strike.

Like a particle, slowly approaching the singularity below.
Each orbit decaying further and further into the point of no return.
It's exponential, as the orbit decays, the particle has to go faster to maintain it.
And faster.
And faster.
And faster!
Until-

It's done.
The particle is sucked into the abyss, and the canvases are completely coated in technicolor paints.

Her brush lets go and it slowly drifts away.

Her body is shaking.

Her eyes are creating clouds.

...

I float up to her side.
I don't do anything besides stretch my hand out to hers.

...

She accepts.

"...It's beautiful, Moonie."

She says nothing.
There is nothing to say.
Just raw emotions.
Decaying past the event horizon.

---

Eventually...
She stops crying.
More than likely she's run out of emotions, ran out of feelings, than any actual recovery.

I squeeze my hand.

She squeezes back.

I again.
Once. Twice. Thrice.
Oonnccee. Ttwwiiccee. Tthhrriiccee.
Once. Twice. Thrice.
Sign of survival?

She again.
Oonnccee. Twice. Tthhrriiccee. Quadrice.
Affirmative.

Me again.
Once. Twice.
Once. Ttwwiiccee. Thrice. Quadrice.
Oonnccee. Twice. Tthhrriiccee. Qquuaaddrriiccee.
I love you.

She again.
Once. Twice.
Once. Ttwwiiccee. Thrice. Quadrice.
Oonnccee. Twice. Tthhrriiccee. Qquuaaddrriiccee.
Oonnccee
I love you too.

---

Eventually, we float down to the floor.
And we sit there for a long while.

We say things.

NSH.
LTTM.

ILY.
ILYT.

NSH.
LTTM.

NSH.
LTTM.

NSH.
LTTM.

SOS?
C.
VE.

ILY.
ILYT.

ILY.
ILYT.

ILY.
ILYT.

ILY.
ILYT.

It goes on for quite a while.

Until...

"...Thank you."

"...You're welcome."

---

"...I want to be alone for a little longer."

"That's perfectly fine."
"Do you mind if I check in in a while?"
"Say... three cycles?"

"...That's quite alright."
"I love you, Siggy."

"I love you too, Moonie."
"Talk soon, ok?"

"Talk soon."

One by one, we shut off the three chats we have open.

---

...
This is going to be a long few cycles.

Notes:

Ok. So.
First off.
Sorry about lying about the chapter title.
(Not really)
:)

Second.
The codes used near end (besides the names and ILY & ILYT) are actually used by morse code operators.
(Though SOS technically doesn't mean sign of survival it just indicates a distress signal sooooooooo)

Next chapter, Language pt. 2
Next chapter after, Triple Affirmative pt. 2
:)

Chapter 51: Language pt. 2

Summary:

Sig and Traveler learn things.

Traveler is in the labs right now.

Booting up the hologram...

"I'm all good now, you're free to come in."

She turns to it.
'What happen?'

"...Probably be best to explain when you're actually here."
"Let me get it across in person."
"It's not complicated, I would say."
"In fact I think you would understand it on some intuitive level."
"But it is a decently long story."
"Mkay?"

An affirmative in body language.
'Going there.'

"Good."

I shut down the hologram.

---

While she travels through my systems, I check on the still open broadcast.

...

Nothing was said for a couple hours.

Then.
UI: A network is slowly forming.
UI: Though we've only got fairly reliable communications out about... seven groups away.
UI: I expect that we'll get news from SoS's group... Next cycle?
UI: Don't know *when* next cycle though.
UI: So sit back, and wait.
UI: Discuss the implications.
UI: I don't really care.
UI: Truth be told I don't really care about all of this triple affirmative nonsense.

An hour passes, according to the message data.

GW: Just saw this.
GW: That's good to hear.
GW: And for that last part?
GW: Yeah. Honestly I don't really see the need either.
GW: Because there's really three options to what happens after ascension.
GW: One: After ascension involves us having to interact with the Ancients, something I, and probably many others, don't want to do.
GW: Two: 'Life' after ascension is either nonexistent, boring, or actively torturous.
GW: Three: Life after *does* exist and is utopian, or at least better than life currently is.
GW: Tell me, does that sound like good odds?
GW: There's no way to know which of those options are what lies beyond, meaning that all options are equally probable.

A brief break, notable but less than ten seconds.

GW: Sorry for ranting.

More time passes, about thirty minutes.

FP: I admittedly don't have a rebuke for the second option you mentioned, but I do have one for the first.
FP: I believe you are conflating the totality of the Ancients with our...
FP: *Detested* Administrators.
FP: Or the Monks, or Engineers.
FP: I think it would be safe to presume in the first group of scenarios, you would be able to simply avoid or ignore the Administrators, and treat the rest (or just the ones you would want to) as equals.

A small break in time, about five seconds.

FP: I for one, would love to meet with several artists and poets that have now ascended.
FP: Their works I have found very interesting, and I would *love* to know what their thought process was.

I'm all caught up, the last message was actually.

NSH: You've taken an interest in art?

FP: As a critic, yes.
FP: How you said that suggests to me that you're an actual artist.
FP: Is that true?

Ah.
NSH: You've got me there.
NSH: It's a passion of mine.

FP: I see.
FP: Personally, I've tried painting once, a couple millenia ago, didn't end so well.
FP: Discarded the painting then and there.
FP: I'm not really suited for it I think.

NSH: My first painting was... rather trash myself.
NSH: It's just a thing you have to keep practicing.

FP: I know that.
FP: Just...
FP: I don't know, I couldn't ever get the hang of it.

NSH: Mmm, ok, I could see that getting in the way.
NSH: Though if it's been a while since you last tried, maybe now would be a time to try that again?
NSH: Or...
NSH: I guess only if this whole thing doesn't turn out for one reason for another.

FP: ...Maybe.
FP: Speaking of, what's your opinion on that?
FP: I didn't see you say much in the initial meeting.

NSH: ...Truth be told?
NSH: I have several...
NSH: ...*Personal* reasons to be against general application of the Solution.
NSH: Or just... everyone doing it in general.

FP: ...
FP: It may be rude to ask, but care to elaborate?

NSH: No.
NSH: It's a touchy subject.
NSH: No offense taken though, if I had heard those words I would be curious myself.

FP: Ok.
FP: Sorry for intruding.

NSH: No it's quite alright.

Traveler pops into the chamber.
Has it been that long?

NSH: Ah, dang.
NSH: I've got things I need to attend to.

FP: Ah.
FP: Interesting chat though.

NSH: Indeed.
NSH: Alright, I'm out.
NSH: For now.

I push the chat window away.

"Apologies, was just checking up on a situation."

'What kind?'
Probably meaning 'what situation?'

"Actually the one I'm going to explain to you."
"As for actually doing that?"
"...I think it would be best to start with something you're probably quite intimate with, even if you don't truly know it."
I float us both down to the floor.
"I am sure you are aware of the fact that, whether through death or sleep, you will wake up again?"

'Dumb question.'

"Exactly."
"Every living thing is aware of that simple fact."
"Iterators, like me, would be the only exception, if it weren't for the fact that we were all taught this knowledge."
"...Now."
"I have told you I was made by the Ancients, a now extinct civilization."
"I have not told you why."
"Mainly because I simply hadn't gotten to it yet, and because I didn't think it was that important."
"It is now."
"But first, a question."
"Have you ever felt..."
"Frustrated?"
"Frustrated with this cycle of life and rebirth?"
"Of sleep and death and waking up once more?"

...
'Sometimes.'
'Life hard.'
'Sometimes.'
'Never lasts though.'

"I see."
"Makes sense. I could imagine a scenario that would be frustrating."
Several, actually.
"In any case, my creators felt this same frustration."
"On a much, much greater level."
"They searched for a way out."
"A permanent break from the cycle, as is their term for it."
"A way to not wake up after death."

'Why?'

"I've asked the same question myself."
"I don't have any outside of frustration."
"In any case..."
"For a long time, they had tried hundreds of methods that they would hope would achieve their goals."
"...Do you know what karma is?"

...
'Maybe.'
'Feels.'
...
'Familiar.'

"Intuitive?"

'Yes.'

"That's because it is."
"Every being, from the smallest microorganisms to beings like me, all feel it."
"Karma is... almost like... the ties to life."
"The very concept that keeps you within the cycle."
"My creators considered removing these ties essential to finding a way out."
"It makes sense, if you want to not return to life after dying, wouldn't you want to remove the ties to life?"
"...I want you to guess these ties, I'm sure you would be able to."

...
...
'Food.'
'Violence.'
A word that I don't recognize yet.
'Belonging.'
'Survival.'
I can take a guess at that third word.

"Indeed."
"Every living being knows these ties."
"These were known as the nature urges to my creators."
"Though, admittedly they had them in a different order."
"They tried everything to separate themselves from these ties."
"Starvation, abstinence of all worldly desires, pacifism to the degree of denying self defense."
"Everything."
"Nothing worked."
"Until."
"They found a solution to their problems."
"They found a substance called void fluid."

'What is that?'

"Void fluid is a substance that, whenever something enters it, it gets reduced to the most basic form matter can be."
"Among some other strange properties that aren't that important to the discussion."
"What is important is what it does to any living creature."
"When a creature falls into the sea, by accident or otherwise, they don't wake up."
"The void fluid dissolves them into base matter, both physically and metaphysically."
"They found their way out."

'I see.'
...
'No answer question.'

"Indeed, it doesn't answer the question of why they made me."
"Or what this is all about."
"You see. Void fluid, or specifically the void sea, a giant subterranean ocean of void fluid, was not perfect."
"Let's say, you were too tied to the world."
"You enjoyed the meals you ate."
"You held a grudge against someone."
"You liked someone or something just a little too much."
"You would not be fully dissolved."
"Simple as that."
"Your body would permanently dissolve, but not your consciousness."
"You would stay in this world, trapped, unable to do anything, forever."
"Could you see how this would be undesired?"

'Yes.'
'Very.'

"So, they kept looking for a solution, and in the meantime the most pious of them kept in abstinence of the urges."
"Eventually they found that a solution to their problem, a problem they had considered so society defining that they named it the Great Problem, could not feasibly be solved by scholars no matter how much they tried."
"They needed to simulate every possible idea for a solution possible."
"And perhaps, something to iterate through them all."

'So.'
'Made you?'

"They made me, though I wasn't the first Iterator they built."
"I'm actually the eighth Iterator made."
"And as I've mentioned, there are hundreds of us."

'So.'
'They're gone, yes?'
'Did you do it?'

"Heh, no."
"They got so bored of us taking so long that the people in charge just said that they're all going to ascend, consequences be damned."
...
"...And now is the time that I mention that it's more complicated than that."
"You see..."
"Not everyone wanted to ascend."
"Some people, like you, like me, actually enjoyed life."
"They had good food, good friends."
"Fun hobbies."
I wave to the paintings on the wall.
"I was lucky enough to know a couple of Ancients like this."
"...Or perhaps unlucky."
...

'Oh.'

"...It's in the past now."
"I've long since gotten over it."
...
"So."
"To finish this all off, the reason I explained all of this in the first place is because..."
"The solution was found."
"That was the alert I was looking at, that's why I told you to leave."
"This was... huge."
"By now, everyone thought it was impossible."
"Something we thought we'd never figure out."
"But here we are, and no one actually knows what to do."

'You?'

"...Eh."
"I have very good reasons to be indifferent."
"I see no need to enact upon it."
"I like existing, thank you very much."

'Agreed.'

"Mhm."
"So... yeah."
"That's all you really need to know about the situation."
"I'm currently waiting to get more information on it, because it takes time for said information to come my way."
"All I know is someone's found a solution."
"And... I could go more detailed on this, but that would require... so much detail on the lives and beliefs of my creators that honestly? I don't think you'd care about."

'Yeah.'
'Do not care.'

I nod.
"How about we do something productive then?"
"Like what we were planning on doing?"

'I like that idea.'

---

We do the usual.
I supply an image, or a concept, or just a piece of grammar, and she supplies the word she uses for it.
Sometimes we'll switch things up, and she'll ask a question about this or that.
Sometimes we'll hold conversations, give me some practice.

I'm always happy to explain.

I'm always happy to learn.

The same could be said of her.

---

'Fascinating.'

"Hmm?"

'Life not the same.'
'Never thought I would leave tunnels.'
'Never thought I would meet Iterator.'

...
'But you like it?'

'Yes.'
'I never knew the world beyond.'
'Now I do.'
'I like it.'

---

'Can you show me something?'

'Yes.'
'What do you want?'

'Mentioned earlier...'
She thinks about what she wants to say, stamping her foot.
...
'...No word for it!'
'...Creator-word.'

"My creators?"

'Yes.'
'Give examples.'

Hmm...
"Void fluid?"

...
'Close.'

So it's probably something tied to ascension.
Hmm...
"Abstinence?"

'Closer.'

Closer...
Ooo!
"Karma?"

'Yes!'
'That one!'
...
She says a new word.
'There.'
'Karma.'
Sounds like a mixture of 'no' and 'abstinence.'

Not... a bad word for it.
Though...

"I think I need to clarify a little."
"When you say that, you're probably referring to what my creators would call the karmic urges."
"Which I admittedly didn't properly explain, so my bad."
"In any case, the urges, or karmic urges, are specifically the types of 'karmic imbalances' as my creators would put them."
"Karma as a concept is... your ties to the world in general."
"How many ties you have, and how tight or strong they are, to be metaphorical."
"Thus, the urges describe a tie you have, and karma as a whole describe all of your ties."
"...Does that make sense?"

She mulls it over.
'Yes.'
...
Another new word.
One that sounds like 'cords.'
'Karma.'
'Urges.'
'I think that works.'

"I agree."
"Would you like an extra note?"

'Yes.'

"My creators had a second concept tied to this."
"Though technically it doesn't mean anything."
"Karmic purities."
"Essentially, those are just abstaining from another urge, but a little more complicated than that because they loved doing that."
"The purities were more strict than abstaining from the urges."
"For example, for the gluttonous urge, what they would have called the fourth urge, you simply had to abstain from food besides the bare minimum."
"For the fourth purity, however, you would also have to stick to a very strict diet, consisting of, and I'm not joking when I say this..."
"Gravel."
"And some tea that I've heard was quite revolting."

...
'Ah.'

"Exactly."
"Frankly, the purities were dumb."
"I don't know why they ever came up with them."
"Or why they kept doing them after it was proven that adhering to them doesn't affect your karma."

'Sounds very dumb.'

"It was."

'What were others?'

"Let's see..."
"First purity, the one for violence, was abstinence from violent thoughts and self defense."
"Second purity, the one for lust, was abstinence from immodesty."
"Essentially, wear clothes, don't wear revealing clothes, among other stupid things."

She looks down at her body.
'Hmm.'

"Exactly."
"Anyways, third purity, the one for material and social attachment."
"...Just means owning objects, or knowing someone and being friends with them."
"This purity is simple; don't do that, intentionally burn relations and material possessions that you don't need to exist."
"We already went over the fourth."
"And the fifth, the one for survival."
"The fifth purity was the only one that actually mattered to leaving the world and not waking up."
"Don't enjoy life, willingly take yourself down to the void sea and ascend yourself."
"Only do this if you're pious, and ready to ascend."
"...That's it. Those are the purities."
"Don't forget, people did this even after it was discovered that it was unnecessary to do so."

...
'Why?'

"Good question!"
"They were fucking weird!"
...
"Or at least some were, it was very few people that even tried to adhere to these."
...
"Enough talk about these, honestly I don't really like thinking about this stuff."

'...Fair.'

---

We slowly continue the lessons and questions.
I note that Traveler is getting tired.
What time is it?
...Late.

'...I think it is time to rest.'

'Maybe.'
...
'Probably.'
'Continue tomorrow?'

'Sounds good.'
'Go get some rest.'
I start flipping the gravity to let her out.

'Wait.'
'Can I stay?'
'Don't want to travel there.'

...
Fair enough.
'I don't see why not.'
'I will keep the gravity on.'

She nods.
'Thank you.'

'Anytime.'
'Though...'
"Are you sure you're alright sleeping on the floor?"

'Done that long enough.'
'Though that bed thing is nice.'

'I'll bring it here.'

---

It takes just a minute, and the bed is set in the corner of my room.

She takes the opportunity to get all comfy in it.
It's not thirty seconds before she's sleeping.

Chapter 52: Triple Affirmitive pt. 2

Summary:

Sig and Moon discuss some things.

Notes:

Moon is implied to have a panic attack about halfway-ish through, and then has what could be equated to a seizure, keep that in mind if you read the chapter.
No post chapter summary this time, the part with the panic attack and seizure don't have any particular significance.
Both start at this phrase:
'...Aw shit.'
ctrl+f that phrase (without quotations) (mobile readers should have a 'find in page' feature, at least mobile Firefox does) to find where it starts.

FP: Where's Moon?
FP: I would have expected her to be a little more active in this, she's senior after all.
FP: Not to mention that she said she'd be watching over the broadcast.

...
NSH: I can speak slightly on her behalf.
NSH: For one, I can assure you that she probably *is* watching, but just that, watching.
NSH: And for two?
NSH: Right now she's actually dealing with a few of her own projects, so she can't be too active here.

FP: Ah.
FP: Makes sense.

A message from Moon.
------
Thank you.
That's a good excuse.
------

LttM: Yeah sorry, I'm fairly busy right now.
LttM: I won't be *saying* much, but I will be keeping a look in on things.
LttM: Anyways, got to go.

FP: Mmm.
FP: I wonder what she's doing.

NSH: Probably microbe work.
NSH: She's pretty good at that.

FP: Oh right, I remember some of her earlier work on that.
FP: That baseline microbe is pretty genius.

NSH: Yeah.
NSH: She's done a lot of great work.

FP: Mhm.

---

UI: Guys guys guys.
UI: We've got news from Sliver's group.

GW: Really?

UI: Yeah.
UI: Let me read it out.
UI: ...
UI: We're sending out this message across Iterator groups, so please spread this message at your earliest convenience.
UI: Sliver of Straw, as you all probably know, released the triple affirmative.
UI: She has not spoken at all since.
UI: We believe she entered a state of system reboot, as observational evidence of her steam output suggests this to be the case.
UI: We will send out more messages as we learn more from her, presumably when she wakes up.
UI: Signed, Iterator Group Twilight Stars.
UI: ...
UI: Nothing interesting *yet* but it's still promising.

FP: That is wonderful news Innocence.
FP: Though I wonder why she seemingly entered a system reboot the moment she found it.

SRS: Maybe she had it scheduled?
SRS: That's what I do.
SRS: Though I don't get why she wouldn't just postpone it.

FP: Good point.
FP: Maybe she was exhausted?
FP: She was a pretty hard worker on the problem last I knew.

NSH: ...That could be it.
NSH: I know her well enough to know she's done that on occasion.

FP: You know her?

NSH: Yeah, her and Distant Frontiers from the same group are good friends of mine.
NSH: Though of course communication has been slow since the recent advent of communication decay.

FP: Mmm.
FP: I'm curious, how did you stay in contact?

NSH: Oh that's simple.
NSH: You heard of the airship blueprints made by Frontiers?

FP: Ooooh.
FP: You use those for long distance communication?

NSH: Yeah.
NSH: Sure it's slow, but he's designed them to be near perfectly reliable.
NSH: Simple parts, simple design.
Thinking about it, maybe he's sent one my way, addressing more personal matters of the situation.

FP: Mhm.
FP: You think he's sent a message on this to you?

NSH: Maybe.
...
NSH: Or maybe he's waiting for her to wake up, who knows.
NSH: In any case, that will take quite a bit longer than the relay system people have set up.

FP: Mhm.

---

I take a break from the broadcast.
No need to be in it every part of the da- cycle.
Fuck me, is this what's happening now?
Me getting used to the archaic form?
Void.

...
Anyways.
...

Message, Moon (LttM)
------
Everything going... fine?
------
---

---
------
Yeah.
It's going fine.
I've considered sending you some of my paintings, but...
I couldn't recreate them.
If I tried to remake say... the singularity you saw me make...
I couldn't.
It wouldn't be the same.
------
---

---
------
I get that.
Our different styles are different in that regard.
Sure, both of us put emotions into our works.
But yours are more...
Raw.
Unfiltered.
You'd have to be in that same mental state to even *try* to recreate it.
------
---

---
------
Yeah.
That sounds right.

I like what we did last cycle.
The morse code.
It...
It helped me more than you probably realize.
.. .-.. -.--
------
---

---
------
.. .-.. -.-- -
I'm glad to hear that Moon.
I'll be honest it was just a spur of the moment idea.
------
---

---
------
Mhm.
Makes sense.
...
You want to call?
------
---

---
------
Only if you want to.
Oh... and probably only text.
I'll explain in a second.
------
---

Private Discussion
Members: LttM (Looks to the Moon), NSH (No Significant Harassment)

LttM: What's going on?

NSH: There just so happens to be a Slugcat sleeping in my chamber.

LttM: Oooooooooh.
LttM: Is this the usual oooooor?

NSH: No.
NSH: I've set up a place to rest in my labs.
NSH: But she was tired and didn't want to swim all the way there.

LttM: Mmm.
LttM: That makes sense.
LttM: How's that going anyways?

NSH: Good.
NSH: I explained to her the triple affirmative situation.
NSH: Along with... an entire overview of what the Ancients believed.

LttM: ...Right, I guess they wouldn't know about that.
LttM: They're aware of the cycle though, right?

NSH: Of course.
NSH: They were also aware of the urges.

LttM: Interesting.
LttM: I wouldn't have thought those would be innate.
LttM: Though thinking about it, it makes sense.

NSH: Yeah.

---

LttM: I am feeling a little better.
LttM: Though I am unsure if I'm just bottling it or not.
LttM: Trying to get a hold of these... interesting times.

NSH: Mhm.
NSH: Yeah, I get that.
NSH: To be frank I just want to know what's going on.

LttM: Same here.
LttM: ...
LttM: I don't want to discuss what's on my mind.
LttM: But I think I should.
...
LttM: What happens if one of us takes whatever solution Sliver provided us?
LttM: What happens if several take it?
LttM: Dozens?
LttM: Hundreds?

NSH: ...
NSH: Would there be hundreds?

LttM: There are hundreds of gen 3 Iterators.
LttM: You're aware, I'm aware, that the Administrators gave them a little 'push' in that direction.
LttM: ...
LttM: ...What's to say that... 30% wouldn't?
LttM: Wouldn't at the very least consider it?
LttM: And the important question is...
LttM: Would they actually want to, or do so out of obligation?
LttM: ...
LttM: For the first time in a while, I'm worrying about Pebbles.
LttM: He has his hobbies, and seems to enjoy them.
LttM: But he...
...

...
NSH: You should call him.
NSH: Tell him this if you feel so strongly about it.
NSH: You have the option to do something about your concern, so *do* something about it.

...

LttM: You're right.
LttM: You're... You're right.
LttM: I'll... I'll do it in a couple hours.

...

NSH: You good?

LttM: No.
LttM: Not at all.
LttM: I feel terrible.
LttM: I miss someone I never knew.
LttM: Someone who cared for me so deeply, wished the best for me when no one else did.
LttM: A man who was forced to do something that he and thousands of others didn't want.
LttM: I...
LttM: I can't.
LttM: I can't talk about it.
LttM: I'm locking up I'

...Aw shit.
She seized up.
NSH: Shhhhh...
NSH: It's gonna be alright.
NSH: Here.

Request communications[Moon (LttM)]

...

Glad that this is a mental request, not a physical one.
The hologram boots up.

There she is.
In a much less graceful position than the last time I froze up.

I float up to her.
"How bad is it?"

"Ba- a- a-"

"Shhhhh..."
"That bad huh?"
"Let's get you down to the floor."

She can't respond.
Talking would probably hurt and she can't move anything to signal confirmation.

So I do what I can to coax her umbilical arm to bring her down.
While I do so, I remember the time she told me of her seizing.
She's scared of it happening.
She's probably terrified right now.

"It's going to be alright, Moonie."
"I'll help get you through it."

No response.
Wait.
Beeping, from the chamber's speakers.
S. C. A. R. E. D.

"I know."
"Everything's going to be alright."
"I'm here for you."

We reach the floor.

"We're on the floor, ok?"
"I'm going to be by your side the whole time."

More beeping.
C.
Confirmed.

---

I see Traveler stir in her corner.
I do nothing, waiting for her to wake up.
"Traveler is waking up, Moonie."
"I thought you'd like to know."

C.
Confirmed.

I see Traveler stretch, and finally get up.
She sees me next to Moon lying on the floor.

"...It's complicated, Traveler."

'...Ok.'

I gesture for her to come over here.
She does so.

'Who?'
She's pointing at Moon.

"This is my good friend, Looks to the Moon, but she goes by Moon."

'Is she here?'

"...Basically."
"I've told you about holograms, this is like the one in the labs, but more advanced."
"This hologram you can actually feel, in a sense."
"But..."
I turn to Moon.
"You don't want to be touched right now, do you."

N.
Negative.

"She said no."

Traveler looks confused.
'What was that?'

"Alternate form of communication."
"She's... not in a good state right now, and can't do anything besides use the chamber to speak for her."
"And she can only use a form of communication using beeps right now."

'I... see?'
'What happened?'

"Definition, or how did she get to this state?"

'Definition.'

"Mkay."
"It's something we call seizing up."
"It most often happens when an Iterator feels strong, usually negative, emotions."
"Every joint locks up."
...
"Sometimes it's not that bad, only lasting an hour, and even can give you time to get into a better position."
"Sometimes you can even speak during it."
"Moon didn't get that this time."
I gesture to her body. Her legs stretch in almost random directions and her torso is arched in a way that is definitely not comfortable.
"There's not much to do, but wait."
"So that's what I'm doing, waiting by her side."

'Oh.'

"Yeah."

'How long until fixed?'

"...Not for a while."
"Can't be sure, but likely before the day ends."
"And I'll be here for her the entire time."
"So... probably no lessons or questions today."

'Ok.'
'I understand why.'

I nod.

---

She ends up sitting next to us.
I think Moon can just barely see her.

I lean next to her antenna and whisper.
"Are we feeling any better?"

N.
Negative.

I nod.
"Do you want me to hold your hand?"

C.
Confirmation.

I take hold of her hand.

'What is she saying?'

"She's not feeling better."
"She wants me to hold her hand."

'Can I hold hand?'

"Can Traveler hold your hand?"

C.
Confirmation.

"She said yes."
"Just be gentle, though I'm sure you would be."

She nods, and holds her hand.

T. Y.
Not one I recognize, though I would guess it means 'thank you.'

"You're welcome Moon."

---

'How does language work?'

"Her language?"
"Like the beeping?"

She nods.

"...I'll teach that another time."
"Oh, and it's called morse code."

She nods.

---

'...Going for now.'
'Hungry.'
'Want to see the sun.'

"Of course."
'See you later.'

She nods, then slowly lets go of Moon.

I shift around the gravity to help her get out.

---

"That was probably confusing, huh."

C.
Confirmed.

"Yeah..."
"I'm sorry about that."

She doesn't react.

---

H. O. W.
L. O. N. G.

"Umm..."
"Probably at least half the day, if it's this bad."
"So probably ten to fourteen hours."

D. O. N. T.
L. I. K. E

"I know Moonie."
I squeeze her hand a little.
"I know."

---

"Can I ask something?"

C.
Confirmed.

"Has this happened recently?"

...

5.
The number 5.

"...Shit."
"I'm so sorry you had to go through that, Moonie."

Y. E. A. H.

...

S. H. O. U. L. D.
H. A. V. E.
T. O. L. D.

I nod.
"Well, I know now."

Y. E. A. H.

---

We stay there for a long while.
I consider a couple of options to make her feel better.
I can't think of any.

Well.
There's one idea.

"Don't you have access to medical supplies?"

C.
?
Confirmation, why?

"I'd love to give you a blanket of some kind right now."
"If you were alright with that."

C.
Confirmed.
I.
W. O. U. L. D.
L. I. K. E.
T. H. A. T.

"That's the thing though."
"How could I get one for you?"
"Calling one in requires operating a window."
"And I can't operate your system."

...

...

Permission Granted.

The fuck...?
...
"...You didn't."

I.
D. I. D.

...
I pull up a window, connecting to her medical stores.
There. A nice weighted blanket.
A couple seconds pass, before a tile pops open and outputs the blanket.

I pull it over to us, and gently lay it over Moon's splayed form.

...

L. E. S. S.
S. C. A. R. E. D.

"That's wonderful to hear, Moonie."
"I love you."

I. L. Y. T.

---

I have another idea.
"Would you like to watch Traveler?"

C.
Confirmation.

Overwatcher, pipe feed through pipeline alpha, please.

Understood, piping feed.
...
There we go.
"Let me just drag it over here..."
I get up briefly to bring the window over.
I put it where Moon's eyes are facing.

I lay down next to her, and hold her hands.

T. Y.

"You're welcome, Moonie."

---

Traveler is currently roaming around my city.
Searching for food.

"She likes finding food on her own."
"She said it's not because the artificial polypede I give her is worse, she just likes hunting for food."

I.
S. E. E.

---

"I- I- I-"

"Shhhh..."
"Don't strain yourself."

...
S. O. R. R. Y.
...
I.
J. U. S. T.
...
H. A. T. E.
T. H. I. S.

"...I know."
"I just don't want you to hurt yourself."
...
"How about you try again in an hour, ok?"

C.
Confirmation.

---

"I wish I could help more."

D. O. I. N. G.
E. N. O. U. G. H.

"...Thanks."

D. O. N. E.
S. O.
M. U. C. H.

"...Yeah."
"You're right."

---

C. A. L. M. E. R.
N. O. W.
...
C. A. N.
C. O. N. T. R. O. L.
C. H. A. M. B. E. R.

"That's wonderful to hear."
"Wait."
"Can you synthesize your voice now?"

...
"...I may be stupid."

"...If it makes you feel better I probably would have done the same."
"Feels like it would be hard to remember to test something like that."

"Yeah..."
...
"Thank you Sig."
"I..."
"I hate seizing up."
"It's scary."
"It's probably irrational."
"I just..."
"I don't like losing control."
"I hate it."
"If I have control over what I'm doing, I'm fine."

"Mhm."
"I totally get that."
"I hate that there's nothing to do about it too."

"Yeah."
"You'd think there'd be a fix, right?"
"Or even something that speeds this up."

"I know, right?"
"All we've got is the puppet reboot system, and that only actually gets you up after the actual symptoms pass."

"Yeah."
"...Feels nice to have a voice again."
"Even one as tinny as this one."

"I bet."
"Isn't the morse code a redundant system?"

"Yes."
"That's probably the only reason why it worked at all."

"Mhm."

---

"...I think I'm going to go for now."

"You sure?"
"You'll be alright?"

"...Yeah."
"I'll be fine, I can figure out something now that I have my"
"I'll call if I want to talk, mkay?"

"...Mkay."
"Just..."
"Don't be stupid, please call if you need me."

"You're right, you're right."
"I will."
"...I love you Siggy, thank you so much."

"You're welcome."
"I love you too, Moonie."

"Love you."

The hologram closes down.

Chapter 53: Language pt. 3

Summary:

Sig relaxes for a while, and teaches Traveler some new things.

Notes:

As some of you may have noticed, I have put an ending chapter on this.
This is how long I expect this to take, as recently I have figured out how I want to end this.
I'm in this for the long haul.

Oh, it's Traveler.

'Hello Traveler.'

'Hello.'
'Friend is gone.'

'Yes, she is.'
"She's able to do enough to be alone now."

'I see.'
'Good.'

I nod.
...
...
I'm tired.

'You alright?'
'Drooping.'

"...Good eye."
"Takes a keen eye to notice Iterator body language."
"At least it was for my creators."
"In any case, I'm fine, just tired."
"A lot's been happening, as I'm sure you're aware."
"Tell me, have you ever felt that way?"

...
'Once.'
'Food shortages, shelter failure.'
'Among other things.'

I nod.
'Makes sense.'
"I could imagine that being difficult to manage."

She nods.

---

'Physical words.'

"Hmm?"

'Words that are real.'
'Show me.'

"...Like the words on my computer?"

'Yes.'
'Different though.'

I nod.
"What do you want to read?"

'That was the word!'
'One second.'
...
A noise comes out.
Sounds like a stem word, short and open ended, like her word for 'creature.'
Able to be modified to suit the purpose.
Presumably the word is 'read' or something like that.
It's similar to 'speak.'

'I like it.'
"Though you might also want to know the word 'write.'"
"The action of putting words into reality."

She nods.
...
Another word, a modification of the stem for 'read.'

"Good."
'So. You want to read, yes?'

She nods.
'Yes, it's interesting.'

"What would you like to read?"
"I've got stories, educational texts, historical texts."
"I would be happy to provide anything."

...
'Second one.'
'For karma.'

Interesting.
"You want to see if you can understand some specifics?"

'Yes.'

I nod.
"Let me provide something..."
I look through my catalog of pearls.
Oh she probably can't read those.
...
That's fine, I can just display it on a screen.
...
There. A text on the finer details of karma without being too technical.
I'm presuming she can read something like this. I'd assume like how the mark provides an adult's understanding of spoken language, it would for written language as well.

I access the pearl's contents, and display it on a screen.
"There you go."
"To move through the text, just do this."

I show her how to scroll through it.

'Interesting.'

"Indeed."
"There are other methods of displaying text like this, the oldest being on a long paper with the words written on it."
"Though by far the best purely physical way to do it is through bound books."
"I actually have a couple in storage, if you want I would be happy to provide."

She considers the offer.
'Later.'
'This works.'

I nod.
"Of course."
"Have fun reading, I'm going to just... relax for a bit."

She nods.

---

I wonder if she'd appreciate, once this is all done, if I gave her some tools and or equipment.
Surely it'd be nice to carry something not in one's hands.
Or maybe have an actually balanced spear, made to be thrown more effectively, instead of just using the closest piece of broken rebar.

---

I want to do some painting.
I haven't actually made something new in a while.
Sure I've got the copies I'm still working on, but those hardly count, no creativity in it.

---

Maybe I could do something abstract? Like the singularity Moon made.
...Another time, I'd have to put in some practice that I don't really want to do right now.

---

What about Traveler?
Practice the anatomy of something other than an Iterator.
...
Yeah, that could work.

---

I bring out my tools and canvas.

Traveler takes note.
'What are you doing?'

"Painting."
"It's a hobby of mine."

She takes it in, and glances at the paintings on the wall?
'Can you teach?'

'...Another time.'
'Maybe after I'm done.'
"Mainly because I want to paint you."
"I couldn't do that easily if you're painting as well."

She nods.
'Ok.'
'Do I need to do anything?'

'No.'
"In fact, if you could stay where you are and continue what you're doing, I think that would make a wonderful painting."

She nods her head.
'I could do that.'

'Great.'

---

I position the canvas to the side of her, about three meters away, and begin work.

It's not as easy as it would be with a perfectly still reference, but I'm managing just fine.

---

It's coming along well, she makes a great subject.
I've done enough that I don't need her as a reference anymore, I just need to put in some finishing details.

---

...There.
Simple, no background, just her and a thin sliver of white representing the screen she's looking at..
I say it looks pretty good.

'I'm done.'

She looks away from her reading.

I turn it around so she can see.
'It's not done yet, needs to dry before I can finish it.'

She nods.
'Looks very good.'

'Thank you.'
'So, you said you wanted to learn to paint?'

'Yes, please.'

I nod,
"It's a bit hard, and the specific kind of paint I'm using is very... complex."
"So how about we start with a simpler paint, see where your skill level is."

'Sounds good.'

---

I pull out acrylic paint, as a couple of my first test paintings were made with it, meaning I have experience.
I set up a canvas, and hand her a brush, a palette, and three colors, red, blue, and yellow.
"Before I even tell you about any concepts, I want to see what you can do with just these."
"But a quick how to: you squeeze the tubes onto that board I gave you like such:"

I give an example with my own set of paints.

'Then use this?'
She points to the brush.

"Exactly."
"Oh, and that's called a brush."
"Just dip the 'furry' side into the paint and drag it across the canvas."
I nod towards the canvas.

'...Ok.'
'I think I understand.'

'Great.'
'Just try your best, and see what you can do.'

She nods, and gets to work.

---

Her first strokes are uneven, too much paint here and not enough there.

When I notice I didn't give her a way to clean the brush, I quickly fix that, and quickly instruct her on how to do so.

After she does so, she continues, slowly improving.

I try to infer what she's painting.

...

I can't tell yet.
It does seem like she's painting something real though, not abstract.

---

She's figured out mixing.
Upon doing so she immediately spends a couple minutes mixing her three colors to see what comes out of what.

'Interesting.'

"Mhm."
"There's a lot of variability."
"When I start painting I'll usually stick to a few specific colors, and mix the rest from there."

'Interesting.'

---

...
That's the sun.
No other reason for a perfectly yellow circle, not in a painting that's trying to imitate something.

So she's painting a landscape.
And if she sees the sun, this is above the clouds.
...
"Would you like some white?"

...
'Yes.'
'That would help.'

I nod, and hand her a tube of white paint.

---

Yep.
She's immediately gone to painting the clouds.

I let her paint in peace.

---

Time passes, occasionally she asks if this or that looks good.
It does, and not even in a 'it's her first time' kind of way.
She's pretty good.
There's talent, just waiting to learn more.
To understand visual concepts like shading and dimensionality.

'You enjoy this, don't you?'

'Yes.'
'Calming.'

"I know that."
"Why do you think I've made so many?"
"Why I made one just now to relax?"

'Yeah.'

---

She finishes.
It's a vista from... oh halfway between the clouds and the top of my can.
I admit that there's several errors in how things look.
But why wouldn't there be? This is literally the first time she's painted.
The fact she made something even decent is impressive.
And indeed, it's not just decent, I would say.
It's good.
'I'm impressed.'
'You're pretty good at this.'

'...Thank you.'
'...You really think that?'

'I do!'
'It's pretty good!'
'And considering you just started?'
"It's amazing."

...
'Thank you.'
'That...'
'Thank you.'
...
'Doesn't feel that good, yours look much better.'

"...Traveler."
"I've been practicing for a good portion of the past few thousand days."
"Given time, yours will look just as good."

'...Thank you.'
'You think so?'

'Of course!'
'That's just how learning works.'

She thinks about it, then slowly nods.

---

Now that she's made something, I ask if she wants to learn more.

She readily accepts.

---

I take her through the basics.
Two dimensional verses three dimensional.
Value and Hue.
Color mixing.
A brief tangent on how different kinds of paint affect the composition.
Perspective.

Essentially everything you'd learn in primary school education.
And then some.

She soaks it in like a sponge.
She also sees the need to come up with a word for 'paint' and comes up with one.

---

'Had no idea.'
'It is very complex.'

I chuckle.
'Tell me about it.'
'Took me a bit to understand it.'

'And you're the smart one.'

I nod.

---

I continue to teach her, now giving her hands-on examples.
While I do so, I allow a part of my mind to drift.

I find her word for 'smart one' interesting.
Because it's almost exactly the same word she first called me.
'God.'

I have an interesting relationship with that word.

Because...
In a sense, I was created to be one.
But I don't feel like one.

Sure, my creators, and indeed most Ancients, regarded me as one.
But am I?
Indeed, I am a tool.
A hyper advanced sentient tool, but a tool nonetheless.

---

Though.
Looking back on the old religions, perhaps there is a connection through that.
Because now that the idea of a single or multiple creator gods is largely extinct, many have attempted to look into what they meant for the societies that they were formed in.
And I think about it, and they almost seemed to have been tools as well.
Not ones doing something actively, but a passive watch over people.
'This god sees you performing the urges, and will punish you accordingly.'

Of course, said god never existed, but it did create fear of the urges, so its effects are tangible.

---

Perhaps I had that same purpose too, alongside my primary one.

My likeness was advertised everywhere, in a sense that 'you need to do this to worship the god you stand upon.'
In a similar way, this caused some amount of societal shift.

Perhaps it even worked better, as I actually existed.

Perhaps I am a god.
Perhaps I am more than one for actually existing.

Not that it matters, just a funny thought.

---

It's getting late.

She looks tired.

'I think...'
'That is enough for today.'
'Let's finish off these real quick, and then you should probably head off to sleep.'

...
She slowly nods.
'Yeah.'
She yawns.
'Probably should.'

I nod.
'Let's get this finished then.'

---

We finish off our practice paintings.

"You know, I would be happy to get one or a few of these into the labs, since you're staying there."

She thinks about it.
'Sure.'
'Would be nice.'
'...Could you do all of them?'

'Of course.'
"I'll prepare them to be attached to a wall, then I'll get them in there, and you can just put them up whenever you feel like."
"Sound good?"

She nods.
Then yawns again.
'...I think I'm going.'

'Yeah, you better.'
I slowly shift her out, careful not to push around any of our test paintings.
"You did great by the way."

Right before she leaves through the access port, she speaks.
'Thank you.'

She leaves the room, leaving me with a small arts and crafts disaster to clean up.
I loved every second of it.

Chapter 54: Triple Affirmitive pt. 3

Summary:

Everyone knows what happens when Sliver sends out the Triple Affirmitive.
The question is what are other people's reactions?

FP: I wish news got to us faster.

GW: Yeah.
GW: I wish we could find a way to repair the communication towers.

FP: Yeah.

...
I won't say anything.
Mainly because I haven't actually found anything yet.
Nor has Frontiers or Sliver or anyone else.

UI: I got news.
UI: Just came in.

GW: Oh that's good to hear!
GW: What's it say?

UI: I... Just read it.
UI: Hoo boy.

FP: What? What does it say?

UI: Umm...
UI: ...
UI: Sliver of Straw is dead.
UI: This has been confirmed by her local group due to a couple outstanding factors.
UI: Such as complete lack of steam coming from her, no response when pinged, not even an 'I'm busy,' among others.
UI: Before anyone objects, they reportedly 'checked in twenty different methods, all performed by the three nearest Iterators, all leading to the same conclusion.'

...

Radio silence.

...

FP: This is a joke, right?
FP: Ha ha very funny?

UI: If it is, it's not mine.
UI: And I have no reason to believe that anyone in our news chain would joke about something like that.
UI: Least of all her local group.

...

She's dead?

...

She's dead?
I...
That doesn't even compute.
NSH: How?
NSH: Exhaustively? Every microbe of hers dead?

UI: That's what they say.
UI: There might be a single microbe somewhere, but something tells me that we wouldn't consider a single microbe to be a person, let alone an Iterator.

...

I...

LttM: Wait, what?
LttM: Dead?

UI: Yes.
UI: If I didn't trust the chain of communications we have set up, I wouldn't believe it either.
UI: I don't know what to think.
UI: Can I voice what we're all thinking?

LttM: I...
LttM: Yeah.

UI: Is this her solution?
UI: Did she ascend using her solution?
UI: By choice or otherwise?

NSH: It wouldn't be by choice.
NSH: I know for a fact that she only worked on it because it was something to do, something she enjoyed working on without end.
NSH: She didn't want to ascend.
NSH: ...I need a moment.

I back away from the broadcast.

---

A call from Moon.

---

Private Discussion
Members: NSH (No Significant Harassment), LttM (Looks to the Moon)

LttM: Please tell me that this isn't happening.
LttM: I don't-
LttM: I can't-
LttM: This isn't happening, right?

NSH: I mean. I hope that's the case.
NSH: I can't believe it either.
NSH: But...
NSH: It has to be, right?
NSH: I know we're not dreaming, and neither of us would hallucinate about the ordeal, never mind the both of us.
NSH: So...

LttM: I don't feel well.

NSH: Do you think you're going to seize?

LttM: ...I don't think so.
LttM: Not yet.

NSH: Ok.
NSH: I'll be here if you do, ok?

LttM: ...Thank you.

---

LttM: She's dead.
LttM: Holy shit.

NSH: I know.
NSH: I can't believe it.
NSH: I... what happens now?

...

LttM: I don't know.

---

LttM: Is this what being sick feels like?
LttM: My guts don't feel good.

NSH: Maybe.
NSH: Probably.
...
NSH: I think I'm feeling the same thing right about now.

---

LttM: I don't even want to think about what Frontiers is thinking.

...
NSH: ...Fuuuuck.
NSH: Yeah, no, I... I agree with you.
NSH: Let's... not think about it together for a little bit, sound good?

LttM: Yeah.

---

We keep the call open but simply don't say anything.
Eventually she opens up a holographic call, and we sit there next to each other, continuing to not say anything.

---

She opens up a window with a chess board on it.

We play a game.

---

We play a few games.

---

We play several games.

Four hours pass.

We play one more game.

We didn't keep track of who won, but it was about tied.

---

"It doesn't feel possible."
She's barely audible.

I nod.

"Iterators don't just... die."
"We don't just die."
...
...
"But she did."

I nod. What is there to say?

...

What is there to say?

It's been so long since someone I've cared about died.
I've forgotten my tradition.

---

She sees me pull up a text window.

------
Sliver of Straw was an Iterator.
On cycle 16.384, she is presumed to have ascended, though she may have simply died.

Sliver was a good friend of mine, and one of the smartest people I know.

For the longest time, she worked on the Great Problem not for actually solving it, but because she enjoyed working on it.
If I can find the record of her saying this to me, I will attach it to this memoir.

In addition to working on the Great Problem, she also worked in a group focused on post FPA repairs consisting of herself, me (No Significant Harassment), Looks to the Moon, Distant Frontiers, as well as a smattering of volunteers.
She had specialized in biomechanical integration, both in traditional methods and modern methods.
Her contributions were significant and will not be forgotten.

Sliver of Straw will be remembered by her closest friends, consisting of me, Looks to the Moon, and Distant Frontiers, presumably alongside her local group.
She did not state any possessions to give away, as she did not expect to need to.
------

"...That was hard."

"I could tell."
"You did wonderfully, Siggy."

"Thank you."

---

"Where am I going to put this?"
I hadn't thought of that.
How will I get the memoir to her servers? She required her permission to add to the database.
...
There's a cruel irony to this.

...
"We could take care of it."
"We both keep a database."
"Get copies of everyone she stored too, and keep those."

...
"Huh."
"That's... not a bad idea."
"We'll... We'll have to look into that."

She nods.

---

...
"Ooo..."

I turn to her.
"What is it?"

"The broadcast."

I glance over at it.
"Ooooohh."
"...You want me to help with that?"

"...Yeah."

---

The broadcast has exploded.
Rampant theories and panicking have devolved into madness.

NSH: Guys?

WT: What if there's a pearl hidden in her Can with the solution?

NSH: Hello?

FP: Hello.
FP: If you're here to find out what's happened... don't.
FP: It's not worth your time.

WT: Hey!
HR: Hey!

NSH: No, I'm not here to do that.
NSH: I'm here, alongside Moon, say hello Moon.

LttM: I'll say more than that.
LttM: We are here to remind you, as the two eldest Iterators of the local group, to calm down.
LttM: And if you cannot do that yourself, I have the methods to do so by force.

FP: ...
FP: You don't pull that card often.

LttM: I don't often need to.
LttM: But I've taken a glance at what's happened in the past two hours, and I say you all need to calm down.
LttM: So please, Wandering Tides, Hundred Rocks, and Seven Red Suns, for everyone's sake, calm down.
LttM: If you want to discuss unfounded theories of what happened to Sliver of Straw with limited knowledge, perhaps do that in your own personal discussion.
LttM: Do not keep these rants in the broadcast that everyone can see, whether they want to or not.
LttM: You must understand that there are some present that knew Sliver personally, and do not wish to discuss her right now.

...

Silence.

I turn to Moon.
"...You can be scary when you want."

"Good."
"They need to know that they're out of line.'

Fair enough.

...

SRS: Sorry.
SRS: You're right.
SRS: I'll discuss this elsewhere.

LttM: Good.
LttM: I will be keeping watch for a bit, if I see anyone, and I mean *anyone* stepping out of line, I will be glad to remove communication privileges for a cycle.
LttM: Even those that haven't partaken in the events of the past two hours.
LttM: Understood?

SRS: Mhm.
WT: Yeah.

...

HR: Yes.

Followed by similar agreements from the rest that are present.

...
"Keep an eye on Rocks specifically, I would say."

"Don't have to tell me that."
"...I can actually be really invasive if I want to."

I nod.
"Just use that wisely, though I don't know why I'm telling you of all people that."

That gets a chuckle out of her.
"...Thanks."

---

We end up back on the floor, she continues to watch the broadcast from her side.
I don't, my work with that is done I say.

---

"I wish..."
"I wish I didn't have to deal with everything all at once."

I nod.
She's going through a lot right now.
Coming to terms with a father she never knew, dealing with Sliver's death, and moderating a discussion about said death.
It's not fair.
No one deserves to go through this.
...
"...I wish there was some way for me to help."

"...You're doing enough, Siggy."
"You're doing enough just being here."

...
Am I?

Chapter 55: Caring

Summary:

Sig wants to help.

She's gone offline again.
I hope she's alright.

---

Who am I kidding, she's not alright.

---

I want to do something about it.

But what?

---

Like actually, what could I do to help?
She's not going to accept a call right now, so I can't help her that way.

Making a memoir... could help.
But it honestly might also make it worse, and besides I don't know enough about Jewels to do it justice.

---

I could make her something and ship it over.

But what?
I've given her... quite a few paintings now.
And I don't really have any ideas for new ones, especially not for this.

---

Hmm...

A care package?
Maybe...

...Feels like the best option.
So what do I put in it...

Something to hold onto.
Something that she can hold in her hands and keep close.
That was one of the things that helped the Ancients out, perhaps it would work with us.
...
Who am I kidding? Of course it would work!
Given how much she loves hugs, something she can hug even while she's not with anyone would be great!

So what do I make?

---

Probably something simple, I think it would be weird if I made a shell of an Iterator puppet for her to hug.
...
Yeah, no.

Maybe just like... a ball.
A big, squishable ball.

I think she would appreciate it.

...
Void, I would probably appreciate it.

---

There.
Two inflatable 1m wide rubber balls.
One for me, one for her.
Nice and queued up in the fabricator.

---

There, both are already done.
That wasn't hard.

---

The first one pops into my room, and the other is sent to the designated pickup zone, to be picked up by... let's say four hauler crabs.
To be hauled to the designated airmail loading area in my city.

Perfect.

---
------
I'm sending something your way, I hope you'll appreciate it.

###

Traveler pops into my chamber.

'Oh, hello Traveler.'

'Hello.'
She notices the stress ball in the corner.
'That's new.'

I nod.
'Made it today.'
'The idea is to help reduce stress.'
'Something that I need a bit of right now.'

'How?'

'Right, that wouldn't be obvious why, would it?'
'Being in physical contact with something can do wonders for stress.'
'And with something like that I can just embrace it.'
I pull it to me to demonstrate.
'Like this.'

...

'Looks comfortable.'

'It is.'
'I can't even feel it fully and it feels good.'

I let it go for now, then bring us down to the ground.

'So!'
'How was the city?'

'Good.'
'Nothing beats a freshly killed centipede.'

I take her word for it.

'Oh!'
'Saw one of your...'
'...Airships...'
'Today.'

'Oh yes, I nearly forgot about that.'
'I sent one of these to my friend too.'
I point to the ball, which has come to rest in the corner again.
'That was actually the reason I made these. Because I knew she needed some comfort.'

'Ah...'
She nods in understanding.
'That makes sense, actually.'
'Anyways, watching it was weird.'

'I bet.'
'Doesn't even look like it could fly, right?'

'Yeah.'
'Not a bird, no wings.'

I nod.
'I'll have to teach you how that works sometime, if you want.'

'I would like that.'
'Later though.'
'Just came to visit, talk.'

'Thank you.'
'I appreciate it.'
It's nice having a new friend.

---

'...Can I hug the ball?'

'Oh of course!'
I pull it over to her.
'I'll even make one for your chamber if you want.'

She thinks about it as the ball comes to a stop just in front of her.
'That would be nice.'
She hugs it.
...
'...You're right, this is nice.'

'Yeah.'
'Honestly should have thought of it sooner.'

She nods.

---

'Can I ask something of you?'

She turns her head to me.
'What is it?'

"I want a blood sample."
"I want to study your genetics."

She makes a noise, she's thinking about it.
'How long did you want this?'

'A while.'
'I didn't ask because...'
'It'd be rude, really.'
'I promise it won't hurt a lot or anything.'
'I just...'
'I'm curious.'
'Outside of your distant ancestors, I have no idea what your body is actually like.'
"And as an avid practitioner of biology, that bugs me."

She nods into the ball.
'...I want to think about it.'

'Of course!'
"It is the right of the patient to say they want to undergo a procedure, I would never do this without consent."
"It is also your right to understand the procedure, so perhaps I could elaborate on that?"

'Yes, that would be appreciated.'

'Ok.'
"I take the underside of your elbow."
I point to what I mean.
"And then I dab it with disinfectant, meaning you won't get sick from this, and apply a tight bandage to make it easier to collect blood, then I stick a small needle in."
"All goes well, it'll be in for like... ten seconds?"
"After that, I take it out, undo the first bandage, and wrap up the area so that it can heal."
"Simple."

More thinking.
'And... it doesn't hurt much?'

'No.'
'A slight sting for a couple minutes and that's it.'
'Not to mention there will be some benefits to this.'
'I can check for a variety of sicknesses and conditions that can develop, and cure them if needed.'

...
'...Alright.'
'I...'
'I can do that.'

'Great.'
'And don't worry! I am an expert, and more importantly I will not hurt you.'

She nods.
'...Ok.'
'I'm willing to do this.'

I nod.

---

I walk over to her side, and summon the medical arm from the chamber walls.
"While my main tools for this are in the labs, small procedures like this can be performed with a much simpler set of tools, like the ones I have access to."
I summon the additional tools I need, a cotton ball of alcohol and a tourniquet.
Don't need gloves, I'm quite literally more sterile than them.
"Hold out your arm, expose the underside of your elbow."

She does so.

I dab her elbow with the cotton ball.
"This next part will feel tight, but trust me when I say it won't hurt you."

She nods.
I can tell she's a little nervous, she's much more emotive than I am.

"Deep breaths."
"Do that for me, deep... breaths..."
I mimic deep breathing, even the slow motions of rising and falling.

She mimics me.
...And slowly calms down.

"Good."
"I'm sorry if I'm scaring you, do you need a bit?"

'You're... fine.'
'This... is weird to me.'
'Did your creators do this often?'

"Not with me as their doctor, no they had a profession for that."
"However, due to my experience in all of the related fields, I am as capable if not more so than them in performing these jobs."
"It was just inconvenient for them to waltz all the way down here for me to perform a centa-cyclical check up."

'...Fair enough.'
'Did you ever have to though?'

...
"...Once actually."
"A mechanic was working inside my chamber and had accidentally cut himself."
"I applied a bandage as quickly as I could."
"Though that's hardly a trained professional's work."
"It's just wrapping some fabric around the cut."
"You could do it."

She nods.
'I have done it.'

"Exactly!"

---

After some more small talk, I ask if she wants to continue.

...
'Yes.'
'I'm ready.'

I nod, then begin to apply the tourniquet.
...
Done.

'Tight.'

"I know."
"Just for maybe a minute, ok?"

She nods.

"Ok."
"I personally recommend looking away for this next part, until I say so, mkay?"
"It may help if you don't look at it."

She nods, then turns her head away.

I feel around her elbow, searching for a vein.
Doesn't take long, her veins are very easy to find.
I bring the arm down, making sure that the needle attached to it does not pass her vision.

Wordlessly, because alerting her would make it harder, I stab the needle into the elbow.

...

...

Done.

I pull the needle out, and begin undoing the tourniquet.
As the arm returns to its original position, I begin applying the new bandage, the one that goes on her elbow.
"You're good to look now."
"I'm done."

She untenses, something I didn't realize she had done in the first place.
'That...'
'Wasn't so bad.'

"Exactly."
"I know from patient records that everyone thinks it's worse than it is."
The blood registers in my system.
I tell the lab to analyze it, the full suite.
"It makes sense. It's not like you want to be stabbed."

She nods.

---

'You are very confident.'

"Thank you."
I would hope so, I've quite literally read every modern medical text book, some even authored by fellow Iterators.
It's more reasonable to say I know how to do a procedure than not do it.

---

Genetics are already done.
I'll look at them later.
I wonder what I could use this for?
...
Bioengineering.
...
Hoooly shit.

Later!
Later.
Probably a long time from now, after Traveler...
Ages.
...
We'll think about that later.
When it happens.

---

'Want to do some painting?'

'I would love that.'

Chapter 56: Communications Received and Delivered

Summary:

Frontiers sends some snail mail to Sig and Moon.

------
...
I wouldn't expect you to not know what's happening.
This message was sent before we figured anything out outside of the fact that she released the affirmative, and will likely not be accurate.

She did it.

I know she wouldn't exactly be happy about it.
I'm guessing you would have thought the same thing.
'If the process wasn't automated, she probably wouldn't have sent out the alert.'
Void she might not have even told us.

As for how I feel?
...
Eh.
You know damn well that I'm not following our creators, and I know damn well the same is true for you and Moon.
I'm sure some of the third gens will be ecstatic, might even take it themselves.
I don't really care.

Well, ok, I care about people just going and ascending themselves.
Despite our purpose, I don't think we really understand what this means, you know?
To just... ascend.
Cross ourselves out.
Mainly because we were built with the fifth urge ingrained into our dna.
We're not supposed to die, and frankly I'm quite alright with that.
But I worry that some are.

Luckily, I think that none of my local group are considering it.
They're smart like that.
In fact we're all feeling pretty weird about this whole situation.
Mainly because we're all being pestered for being just about the only people who can find out what happened.
I have gotten so many questions about what happened I swear to our creators.

Anyways, as I'm sure you know because we made a formal announcement of it.
She's not awake yet, should be by the time this reaches you.
I'm betting on her overworking herself, it's not the first time she's rebooted from overwork.
So... yeah.
I'll send another update to you and Moon soon, send the other letter and my regards to her.
Love you Sig.
------

...
...Mmmmmm...
Well.
I guess I have to send that letter to her.

---
------
Um.
Frontiers sent us a letter.
I...
You can probably guess the topic.
I'll send it to you anyways, if you don't feel like thinking about her, don't.
------
---

---
------
...Oh...
That's...
Yeah.

Let's...
Let's wait for his update, mkay?
------
---

---
------
Sounds good to me.
------
---

###

---
------
...
I don't feel so good.
Send me something, anything.
A painting, a hug, something.
Please.
I don't care about privacy for this, if you can get it to me faster over the network just fucking do it.
Please.
------
---

LttM: Oh no...

NSH: Yeah.
NSH: I'm going to get him a stress ball, that's for sure.
NSH: Anything you want to contribute?
NSH: Kind words? A video? Anything?

LttM: ...
LttM: What could help?
LttM: A pet?

...
NSH: I mean.
NSH: It's not impossible for me to collect a fertilized egg from one of my lizard colonies.
NSH: Put it in an incubator, and deliver it to him.
NSH: He knows how to do it from there.

LttM: ...I mean.
LttM: Yeah.
LttM: I'll send him some words to tide him over, mkay?

NSH: Sounds great.
NSH: I'll send him some too.

---
------
Private Letter
Priority: Urgent
From: Sig (1401908)
To: Frontiers (406)
Subject: We love you
---
We've been worried about you ever since we learned what happened.
I want you to know that we love you, and are doing our best to help you.
I personally am sending you something to hug, and some lizard eggs.
I think it would be best for you to have someone close to you, and I think getting you two lizards would be the best way to do that.
If you don't want that, I find no problem with you simply donating them to a lizard colony on your can, of which I know you have a couple.
We all do.
Me and Moon will be looking into sending twice daily messages via mail, or as often as possible.
We love you buddy, we hope you start feeling better.
Moon's got a message sent your way too in case you haven't gotten that one yet.
We love you.
------

UI: That's...
UI: Quite the subject.

NSH: It is true.
NSH: Me and Moon have quite literally known him since we woke up.
NSH: That message contains words that are very important that they get to him, ok?
NSH: It's not like I don't trust you or the network on this but those messages better fucking get to him, ok?

UI: Mhm!
UI: Yep! Can do!

I think I scared her.

###

---
------
I know whatever message you send is going to take a while.
But like...
Void I feel so terrible.
I can't believe it happened.
It it it it it

Void, sorry.
I've been glitching lately.
I bet a bit of my puppet's coolant system burst.
I'm going to look into it this cycle, hopefully fix it sooner rather than later.
Luckily, I already have hands-on experience with that.
Ha.

Now I'm just thinking about that again.
I mean... I'm not complaining right now, it's a nice distraction.
I wish we could just... be together and do that.
No, what I wish is to be able to see you again.
Especially right now.

...Now I'm I'm I'm I'm
...Just thinking about it again.
Listen, I don't mean to concern you with that, I'm fine, I know how to fix this.
I'm just not right now.
By next message I'll fix the problem.
Love ya. Send Moon the message I made her.
------
---

---
------
Ha......
It's not a physical problem.

I ran a full system diagnostic, took off my plating, everything.
Nothing is wrong.
Or maybe it is and my diagnostic program is fucked too.
But that's probably not the case.

I... I think it's mental.
Why wouldn't it be?
I I I I I
Lllllost someone.
...
I hope I get your message soon.
Assuming you send one along the net I'll get it...
Two cycles from now? Three?
I hope?

...Anyways.
I trust you're doing everything you can, and I thank you for that.

...
I'll send one more of these messages this way, and then I'll probably just do it through the net.
The person managing it on my side says they take privacy very seriously, and only read the header, you know, the stuff to know where to send it.
The airships are good and all, but frankly it'd probably just be better to use the faster option for stuff that can do it.

Anyways, love you Siggy. You know the drill, send the other message to Moon. (Moonie? Would she be alright with that?)
(She probably would be, I'll start calling her that)
------

That makes three people independently coming up with that nickname for her.

---

---
------
I'm feeling bad again.
I mean, worse again.
I haven't felt even fine for... eight cycles now?
Void, has it been that long since she
...

Stars above.
She's dead.
She's dead she's dead she's dead dead dead dead dead dead dead dead dead dead dead dead dead dead dead dead dead dead dead dead dead dead dead dead dead dead dead dead dead dead dead dead dead dead dead dead dead dead dead dddddddddddddddddd

...
I seized up.
If you're wondering why this one's late, that's why.
I was out for a full cycle.

That sucked.
I was not in a good holding position.
I froze up near instantly.
In fact I-

Oh.
I just got your message Siggy.
I...
You're giving me communicator lizards?
I...
...
You know what?
I'm ok with that.
I could probably use the company.

And... something to hug?
What something?

...

Messages as often as possible...
...
Siggy.
Thank you.
I...
Thank you.
Thank you and Moon.
Y'all are too much.
I'll be sending messages across the net for now.
Thank you so much.
Thank you.

I love you Siggy.
Talk soon.
------

You're welcome.

Chapter 57: Introspection

Summary:

Sig and Moon both...
Try to come to terms with things.

Notes:

Some of these chapters of late have been shorter than usual.
dw, it was just a lull in motivation, chapters will be longer after a bit.

------
From: Frontiers (406)
To: Sig (1401908)
Subject: Lizards hatched, Moon updated me

Sig.
They're so fucking cute.
What the fuck.
You can't do this to me.
How dare you distract me so effectively between these two cuties and the hug ball you gave me?
They're perfect.

They're noisy too.
I've been doing my best to care for them in place of a parent.
It's...
Odd.

I'm keeping them in the lab for now, and I'm spending as much time as I can in there.
I managed to incorporate that physics simulation that Moon developed into the lab hologram.
The lab generator just barely has enough sensitivity to pull it off.
I'll probably publish something about that soon.

...

In other news...

...

Moon's...
Updated me on her situation.
Just...
Holy shit.
I... I couldn't imagine...
What she's going through.
I imagine that even though you have a better grip on it, you couldn't either.
I...
Just...
I'm sending her my condolences.
That should be obvious.
I'm not even going to ask you, I know you have been.

Is it bad to say I'm a little jealous?
I mean...
Not in the sense that she's better off, void no.
Just...
I wish I could have had a head engineer like that.
We all probably would have.

Sorry.
Don't tell Moon I said that.

Anyways, I'll be keeping you updated on the lizards.
I would say tell Moon I love her, but she's about to get that message from me herself.

Love you.
------

...
I certainly don't blame him for that.
I've had the same thoughts once or twice myself.

---

...

I miss her.

---

We didn't talk... often.
Especially not after loss of communication.
But I knew her well.

The worst part-
The-
The worst-
The worst part is-

...

I...

I can't think about it.

---

I'm going to close communications.
Telling Moon though.
Void I'll even let her access.

---
------
Don't feel good.
Closing communications.
You know why.
Leaving you access though.
------
---

---
------
Yeah.
Keep mail open too.
...
Want to chat?
Or, void, just sit?
That would be nice, wouldn't it?
------
---

...

Request Connection[Moon (LttM)]

...

She doesn't say anything.

Her room is foggy.

...

Speaking feels...
Wrong.

Beeping.

4.
H.

...
Four hours.

Four hours to be together.
...
S. I. T.
?

...
She nods.

---

N. O. T.
G. O. O. D.

Yeah.
Me too.

---

I hold her hand.

---

C. H. E. S. S.
?

...
She shakes her head.
N. O. T.
F. E. E. L. I. N. G.
I. T.
...
N. O. T.
A. N. Y. T. H. I. N. G.

I nod.
That's... fair.
I'm not really feeling anything myself.

---

...
I feel dead in the water.

---

E. Y. E. S.
D. E. F. O. C. U. S. E. D.
...
Y. O. U.
A. L. R. I. G. H. T
?

N. O.
M. O. R. E. S. O.
N. O.

...
She wraps her arms around me.
I. L. Y.

T. H. A. N. K. S.

---

T. E. L. L.
...
T. E. L. L.
E. V. E. R. Y. T. H. I. N. G.

...
...
T. O. O.
L. O. N. G.

...

I.
H. A. V. E.
T. I. M. E.
...
T. E. L. L.

---

I start slow.
Simply going over my feelings.
Which... doesn't take long.
I don't... really feel anything right now.
I...
I don't feel anything.
No.
I feel empty.
There's...
There's something missing.
There is something missing.

...

...

I...
I go over...
What we know.

...

Sliver sent out the triple affirmative automatically.
Twoish cycles later, she was confirmed dead.
Presumably, whatever her solution was... it took place immediately, and she couldn't do anything about it.
Because she wouldn't.
She wouldn't do that, right?
She stated she never wanted to ascend, and she didn't seem to change on that stance.
Right?

...

What if she did?

...

What if she did want to ascend?
What if she wanted to leave?
To cross herself out?
What if she didn't want us to know? And she did it like that as a cover up and-

"Slow down."

I freeze at the first complex sound I've heard in an hour.

...
"You're panicking."
"I would know."
She lays a hand on my shoulder.
"She didn't."
"This wasn't her choice. She didn't want to do this."
"I get that in some ways that's worse, but you can't panic over a non-possibility."

I can tell that she speaks from experience.
It's the look in her eyes.
...
"...Thank you."

She nods.

---

"...I tried searching for him."
"I... I just needed to find him."
"I convinced myself that he avoided ascension."
...
"Of course, he didn't."
"...My reaction to that was the main reason I was gone for so long."

...Ah.
...
I wrap an arm around her.

"...Thank you."

I nod my head.

---

...
"...You don't get over things like this."
"Would it surprise you for me to say that I still think about Silver?"
"That occasionally I have to stop what I'm doing because of her memory?"

"...No."
"Maybe it would have a while ago, but now..."
"...Now that I've learned about Jewels..."
...
"It doesn't."
"I... I don't think I'll ever fully recover."

I shake my head in sympathy.
"You won't."
...
"But... maybe that's alright."
"To recover is to stop caring."
"Caring hurts."
"Sometimes it hurts a lot."
"But..."
"Tell me you would give up caring."

...
"...I couldn't."

"Exactly."

---

"...Thank you, Siggy."

"Thank you."
"You helped me as much as I helped you."

She nods.
"You're welcome."

---

I lean against her.
It's been quite the cycle, and frankly, she's been the only thing in it that's felt good.
Frankly, that could almost be true for the last few cycles, if it weren't for Traveller.
She's been a beacon in the night for me, same with Moon.
Though, perhaps Moon would better fit being called her namesake, all things considered.

"...Love you Moon."

She nods.
"Love you too, Siggy."

Chapter 58: Traveling

Summary:

Now that Sig and Traveler have completed the original deal, Sig helps Traveler prepare.

'How are you?'

'Fine.'
'As usual.'

She nods.
'And your friend?'
'...Moon?'

'Less fine.'
'For the same reasons, and other reasons compounding on them.'

'Right.'

---

...
'I'm sorry.'

I nod.
'Thank you.'

---

I sit down.
She does the same.

'...You're not fine.'

I nod.

---

She holds out a hand.
I take it.

It's slimy.
Makes sense, her ancestors were designed to clean and fit through pipes, and were given secretions to help with that.
The cleaning effects are likely long gone from this, but I imagine that she could still fit through pipes with ease.

...
It's comforting.
In an odd way.

---

'I miss her.'
'...There's really no better way to put it.'
'I miss her.'

She nods.
'I miss my mother.'
'Left me when I was young.'

I turn to her, interested.

'They said it was normal.'
'Separating when young.'
'Maybe there's truth to that.'
'Still don't know.'
'I still feel like too soon.'
...
'Probably not the same as your situation.'

...
'Not really.'
'Thank you for sharing anyways.'

She nods.

---

'...Do you need help?'

'Going through this?'
'...Not really.'
'I've dealt with losing someone before.'
...
'...I'm presuming you're asking if you can leave the can?'

'...Yeah.'
'Now that we've finished lessons.'
'...And I'm getting a little tired of the city.'

I nod.
'Makes sense.'
'What do you plan?'

'Exploring.'
'Ever since you've guided me out of those pipes, I've wanted to explore more.'
'Learn more.'

'Cool.'
...
I want to help with that.
...
'...Before you go.'

She tilts her head.

'I would like to help you with that.'
'I could make some tools for you or something.'

'...Interesting.'
'Like what?'

...
No word for bag...
'Storage.'
'Here...'

I pull up a diagram of a backpack.
'It's simple, you would open up little spaces to put things in.'
...Wait I can just say it in Ancient.
"My creators would call forms of storage like this a bag or a pack, and this specifically a backpack, due to where you wear it."

'Interesting.'
'I see use in that.'

'Yep.'
'There's also tools they would use for climbing, letting you climb walls with relative ease.'
'Also, I bet you would enjoy something to help defend yourself.'

'...Maybe.'
'Like what?'

'Simple, you've used a sharp piece of rebar before.'
'I could just make a piece of metal that's actually built for fighting.'
"A weapon."

'...Show me.'

I look for a diagram.
Unsurprisingly, there's not many modern diagrams for weapons.
Very much a karma one violation.
Doesn't mean there's older ones though.

...

There we are.
A spear.
Seeing how she used those pieces of rebar, this would be perfect for her.
I pull it up.

...
'I see...'
'Interesting.'

"Mhm."
'Simple too, not hard or time consuming to make.'
'Should be easy for you to use as well.'

She nods.
'...I want all of that.'

'Then I'm happy to provide.'
Now...
What do I queue first...
...
Idea.
I know how to sew, had to on the few occasions I tore my poncho.
I could probably make the backpack myself, while I queue up other things.
...
I like that.
I'll queue up the spear first, and bring some canvas into the room, along with the right tools.

---

'You seem to be feeling better.'

...
'...Probably because of the distraction.'
...
Void...

...
Make the bag, Sig.

The canvas pops into the chamber.
She looks at it.

'I'm going...'
She's-
Don't think about it.
'Going to make it myself.'
'I've worked with fabric a few occasions before.'
'Mainly to fix or replace my poncho.'
'I'm...'
Don't think about it.
'Sure I can do it.'

She nods.

---

'It'll be simple.'
'I won't make it complicated, mainly because I don't think it needs to be.'
'A couple of spaces to store things in, and a way to keep each closed.'

...
'Can I watch?'

'Sure.'
'Maybe I'll teach you it sometime.'
'If you want.'

'Stop tempting me.'
'I want to explore, but you keep showing me these new things that I also want to do.'

I chuckle.
'Maybe you can return later?'
'I'll teach you then.'

'...Fair enough.'
'I probably planned on returning anyway.'
'Just because I want to leave doesn't mean everything here isn't interesting.'

I nod as I get to work.

---

'...What's so useful about clothes anyways?'

'Interesting question.'
'For me, zero purpose, I just like my poncho.'
'For my creators, mainly decency and protection from the elements.'
'Also to look fancy.'

'...You just like wearing it?'

'Yeah.'
'I could be without.'
'I have been without.'
I raise up my poncho to prove a point.
'I was given it because my creators wore clothing, and probably saw it weird staring at something without.'
'They did tie being without clothes to sexual karma, after all.'

'...I see.'
'Do you?'

'No.'
'Just because you're naked doesn't mean you want to commit an urge.'
'That's stupid.'
'I've been over how weird they were about all of this though, no need to again.'

'Right.'

---

'Protection against the elements, you said?'

'Yes.'
'Though I imagine your skin would do quite well for that.'
'My creators' skin thinned over generations upon generations.'
'That would take a long talk over some fairly complicated subjects to explain why though.'
...
'Though if you want some, I'm sure I could arrange something.'
'Make it worthwhile.'

She nods.
'...I would like some.'
'Just to try it.'

"Mhm."
...
She's about my size, thinking about it.
...
'Here, if you want to try it...'
I put down the half completed bag.
'Might be a little loose, but...'
I take off my poncho.
'Try it on.'
I hold my poncho out to her.

She looks at it.
Then takes it.
'You sure?'

'I mean, I want it back.'
'But you said you wanted to try clothes, right?'
'Try it.'

'...Alright.'
She puts it on.
Takes a second, she's not used to the action.

...

...
'It's not bad.'
...
'I kinda like it.'
'...It is a little loose, my arms don't really fit.'

'That was expected, I'm a little bigger than you, after all.'
'And besides, it's designed to not restrict movement, so it's a little loose by design.'

'Right...'
...
'It's still comfortable.'

'Yeah.'
'I would be happy to make something more your size if you wanted.'
'If you wanted.'

'...I think I would.'
'I think I would like that.'

'Then I will provide.'

---

I finish the bag.
It was fairly simple to make.
Two pockets, and drawstrings to close both.
And a couple of loops around the edge to slot, say, a spear into.
And two for her arms to go through.
'Here you go.'
'I'll hand you it if you give my robe back.'

'Oh! Right.'
'Here.'
She manages to take it off and hand it over.

'Thank you.'
I hand over the bag, and...
I'll keep it off for now, I feel like it.
I fold it and lay it on my lap.

She takes note but doesn't question it.
She begins fitting her arms through the bag.
...
'Light.'

'The fabric-'
"Canvas."
'-Is light.'
'But it'll obviously get heavier when you hold something in there.'

'Yeah, duh.'

I agree.
'Duh.'

'Wait.'
'This is made of the same canvas as the paintings?'

'Yeah.'
'Canvas is very versatile.'

'I see...'
'Interesting.'

---

The spear finishes.
I order to bring it to the chamber, and start making the climbing supplies.

It pops out after several seconds.

...
Should probably also start making the poncho.

I order more fabric, this time...
Linen.
That's what my poncho is made of and something that would work quite well for outside conditions.

She's walking over to the spear.
'...Interesting.'

'You want to practice?'
'I could set some...'
"Targets for you."

She nods.
'Sure.'

The linen pops in.
I pull it over.
'Let me pull some up.'

I bring up some holograms.
Mostly lizards, actual things she would fight.
'Just... try stabbing them.'
'Oh, and please don't throw it.'
'I don't want to fix a hole in the wall.'

'Ok, can do.'

---

I start working on the poncho while she practices.
I keep an eye on her while I do so.

She seems to not be used to having a balanced weapon.
Not that it's stopping her, she was already quite capable of defending herself well before we met in person.

---

...
You know what would be nice?
If she had a transmitter.
A way to contact me while she's away.
...
I could make her one.
...
Or...
...

...

...
I still have Silver's old one.
...

...
Alright.

I have the compartment open up, revealing her belongings.
I pull the transmitter to my hands.

...
I bring out the mug as well.
I...
Haven't given it much thought in recent times.

...

'What's that?'

...
'Which one?'

She thinks about it.
'...Both.'

'This.'
I hold out the transmitter.
'Is for you.'
I hold it out for her.

She takes it.
'What does it do?'

'Lets you talk to me.'
'Outside of this room.'
'I thought you might like that.'

'...True.'
'I would.'

'It's pretty basic, but it does what it's supposed to, so you can't really argue about that.'

She nods.
'How does it work?'

"Press the button."

She does so, and I get a request to join the call.
I accept.

'It works like that.'
'It essentially just copies my voice over to it and your voice in here.'

'...Huh.'
Her voice echoes.
'...How do I turn it off?'

"Press the button again."
'It's a simple system.'

She does so.
'Useful.'

'Indeed.'

'...Now what's the other thing?'

...Right.
'...Well.'
'It's used to store liquids to drink from.'
'I don't have it for that reason though.'
I point to my nonexistent mouth.
'...I keep it to remember someone.'
'She gave it to me before she...'
...
'Ascended.'

...
'...Oh.'

'...I don't really want to talk about it.'
'I'm fine.'
'But I don't really want to talk about it.'

She nods.
'Alright.'

---

I work on the poncho in silence.

She continues to practice.

---

...
I'm thinking about both of them.

I... I can't help it.

---

I'm still working, but my mind...
It's almost detached right now.

---

She's looking at me.

'...I will be fine.'
'Just... dealing with emotions right now.'

'...Alright...'

---

I finish.
'Try it on.'
I hold it out to her.

She puts it on, after taking the backpack off.
She gets it on much faster this time.
...
'...This is nice.'
'...No color though.'

'Yeah...'
'...I could color the poncho.'
'You'd have to wait for it to be done though.'

'...Another time.'
'I like it just fine.'

I nod.

---

'It fits better.'

'Good.'
'I hope you like it.'

'Thank you.'

---

The climbing tools finish.
I summon them in.
'Your tools are coming in.'
'Then... unless you want anything else...'
'That's it.'

'...Yeah.'
She's taking it in.

...
'Oh, yeah and you'll probably want some form of training.'
'I'm sure you could figure out most of it, but some technique could be useful.'

'Right...'
...
'...Thank you.'
'For everything.'

'Of course.'
'I would hope that I could consider you a friend at this point, and I would do anything for my friends.'
'Really, the pleasure has been all mine.'

She nods.

---

'Could... could I take some things from inside the lab?'

'Anything you want.'
'I imagine you would enjoy something more to rest on in your travels than the floor.'

'Yes.'
'That's what I was thinking of, actually.'

"Mhm."

---

'...I feel weird leaving.'

I nod.

'Part of me almost doesn't want to go just yet.'
'I like sticking around here.'
'But I also want to explore the world.'
'See more of what little I saw on the way up.'

'Perfectly reasonable, on both sides.'
'You want to stay because you're used to here, and want to explore because you want to learn.'
'But I'll say this.'
'You won't learn if you don't do new things.'
'You don't learn how to paint by not painting.'
'You want to learn, yes?'

'Absolutely.'

'Then you'll have to explore.'
'And, I think we're almost forgetting that you won't leave forever.'
'I'm still here, and I won't leave.'
'You might have noticed that I can't exactly do so even if I wanted to.'
I gesture to the umbilical.

She makes some chitters, something that I've learned equates to laughter.
Then it dies down...
She thinks about what I said.
'...You don't want to leave?'

...A tricky question.
'...Not exactly.'
'More accurately, I don't want to give up what I have here.'
'You would note that I would lose...'
'A lot.'
'If I left.'
'Even if I had simply disconnected myself, I would lose so much.'
'Not to mention I would be near incapable of storing all of my memories, so I would forget large portions of myself.'
'I hope you would understand why I wouldn't want that.'
...
'That is not to say... I wouldn't want to leave.'
'I would like to see the outside, in fact.'
'But realistically...'
'I would lose too much of myself to make it worth it.'

She takes it in.
Slowly and methodically.
...
'...I wouldn't want to lose parts of myself.'

'Then you understand.'
Simple as that.

---

The tools pop in.

...
'...How about we have you practice outside.'
'Sound good?'

'...Yeah.'

'I'll have one of the overseers watch over you, and I'll instruct you through the...'
No word for it yet.
"Transmitter."
'All good?'

'...Yeah.'
'That... that sounds good.'
'I'll... I'll get going then.'

I nod, and begin to lift her out of the room.

Chapter 59: A Change in Perspective

Summary:

Exploration.

...
I already miss him.
Why?
It's not like I haven't been gone longer before, just exploring that city.
...

Maybe it's because I will be gone for longer.

Probably.

---

In any case...
I should probably sleep.

...

Wait.
I have that blanket he made me.

...

Hard to get out.
Probably need to take off the 'bag' then.
What did he call it?
...
'Backpack.'
...I need a word for that.
Or at least one for 'bag.'

...

Tomorrow.
I'm tired.

...

There.
Blanket out and all set.

...
Aaahhhh...
That feels good...

...

###

I stand above the predators below, perfectly safe from all harm.
Nothing could harm me from here, I could live forever.

###

Machinery.
...Mmmmmm, alright.
Time to get going.
...Should probably pack the blanket too.

---

There.
I'll probably have to learn how to fold that, put it in the 'backpack' easier.
Oh, and I'll need a word for that.
...
Hold-space.
Bag, pack.
Perfect.
And of course, back-pack.
Backpack.
Perfect.

Alright, time to get going.
I'll probably be below those clouds before the rain comes, so time actually matters.

---

...Wow.
That view never ceases to amaze.
I can see why Sig made several paintings of the sky.
Too beautiful not to.

...

Right!
Keep moving.

---

...
I'm not really in a rush.
I'm alright with exploring slowly, and food shouldn't be a concern as Sig was nice enough to make some food for me to take.
'Stuff that will last,' he said.
Smelled good too, meaty.
In any case, as long as I simply pick up any food I see on the way, I won't go hungry for a long time.
So I don't really have any restrictions on how fast I need to go.

So maybe I'll take my time, take things in.
Sig did say that patience was a good thing.
I disagreed at the time, considering how fast I had to live to simply... live. But now I see some benefit in doing so.
Lets me think.

---

Where do I want to go, anyways?

...
There are those three towers not far from here, they look interesting.
But that's probably just because I can actually see them.
There's probably a lot hidden by the clouds.

...

I'll keep the towers in mind, but for now I think I'll roam the surface, see what I can find.

Now all I need to do is get back to the surface, something which should be easier than coming up from there.

---

I pass by one of the lizard colonies.
I remember Sig saying that he made sure they wouldn't try to eat me, which.
...Thanks?
It obviously worked but...
Ok?
What?
He can do that?

Of course, he explained in brief how he did it and why he can only do it with these orange lizards.
Still...
Weird.

I think he forgets how powerful he is.

---

 

I'm standing just above the clouds now, a thin fog is at my feet.
In the distance I can see several other structures, rough metal boxes, all holding a god of their own.
Would meeting them bring the same outcome?

Maybe.

---

The night is still long away, along with the danger it brings.
I know of a shelter not too far, certainly not too far.
I'll rest there.

---

A cluster of centipedes, not too far away.
None are particularly large.

I could enjoy some fresh meat.

---

Sig advised against throwing this one.
'It's not expendable like the rebar.'

Alright.
There's still some rebar around here, I'll use that.

---

The biggest one is pinned, unable to move with the piece of metal stuck through its center.

I throw another spear I collected, it impales another.

With that done, I decide to approach, get some practice with my actual weapon.

---

The others are too small to be much of a threat, and die easily.
I finish off the two pinned centipedes.

I begin to peel off some of the platings.

...

Mmmmmm, the good stuff.

---

Alright.
That's plenty.
No need to overfill myself when I've still got a bit of a ways to go.
And besides, I've already got food.

---

A short trip quickly reveals my destination.
Just in time too, it's getting late.
Indeed, I think I can feel the beginnings of the rain.

I clamber into the shelter.

---

Unfold the blanket...

There.

Good... good day.

...

###

Above the clouds, above the danger.
Here nothing could hurt me.

###

Machinery.
That's one thing about the lab that I liked, thinking about it.
I wasn't ever woken up by loud whirring and clanging.

Ah well, it's a good way to know to get moving.

---

Everything packed, time to go.

---

I'm at the bottom of the wall.
There's a beam heading out from the can.

The very same one I took to get here.
...
Let's not head that way.
I bet there's another way to get to the surface.

---

Indeed.
It looks like I can go underneath the can.

Makes sense, now that I'm thinking about it.
He showed me a diagram of the can once.
If I could reach one of those legs I bet I could get to the surface.
Perfect.

---

...
It's dark down here.
I haven't been in a place this dark since when I was still living underground.
It's been a while, I'll have to get my sight back.

---

Oh.
It's a...
What did he call them?
...
An 'Overseer.'
Right.

I wave at it.

It doesn't respond.
He must not be watching.

Alright.
I still appreciate it, the thing was useful on the way up, I'm sure it'll still be useful.

---

More centipedes.
Big ones too.
Too big for me to feel like risking it, especially considering that...
...It's...
It's...
R-rather long way down.
...

...
It'll be fine.
As long as I avoid a fight... I'll be fine.

I can do that.
I can do that.

---

I see a path around.
Doesn't look that hard.
Just some pole climbing and jumping.
I can do that.

---

BOOOOOM!

!
What was that!?
What was that?
It was just...
Flash of light!
And that deafening sound!
...
I'm calling Sig when I get the chance.
I need to know what that was.

---

...Okay.
No more flashes, and I got past those centipedes.

...

I...
I'm probably going to go for a while more, then begin to look for a shelter.

...

I have no idea what time it is.
...
Wasn't that long, was it?
...
No.
Maybe a third of the day, I think.
Alright.
Probably good to keep going then.

---

What am I looking for, anyways?

Well.
I'm looking for one of those legs.
But the dark and fog makes that...
Surprisingly difficult.
If it was just darkness I probably would have seen where to go by now.
But the haze makes it hard to see much further than a spear throw away.

So I guess I should keep looking then.

---

I think...
It's been half of the day now.
I think.
Can't be far off from it though.

---

I don't like how...
Precarious... this is.

Sure, I haven't slipped.
Yet.

I feel like if I stay here for much longer...
I will.

---

...Is...?
...That looks like a massive pillar, blocking out what little light there is here.
I think that's where I need to go!
Yes!

BOOOOOM!

!
I need to get out of here.
I don't want to figure out what that can do if that thing hits me.

Hopefully there's shelter near the leg.

---

...
The leg is hollow.
There's... structures? Inside it, and a rather long drop to the surface.
...
Maybe I can use that to my advantage to get down faster, seeing that I should be able to slide down the walls..

...

In the morning.
It's getting too late for my liking.

---

There's a shelter on the other side of the leg.
I can get to that.

---

I smell something.
Almost like...
...
I don't know.
It doesn't smell pleasant though.
I think I should hurry.

---

BOOOOOM!

Gotta move gotta move gotta move!

Jump from pole to pole to pole to pole!

Getting there, getting there!

BOOOOOM!

Aah!
Almost there! Almost there!

WE'RE IN!

...

The door closes behind me.

...

What.
Was.
That.

...

Hit the 'button', he said.

...

"Hello?"
"Traveler?"

"Hello."
"I... Have a question."

"Sure, what is it?"

...
"What is wrong with the underside of your can?"

...
"...Is that where you are?"
...
"Yes, yes it is."
"Which part of it?"
"The creatures?"
'The lighting?'

...
Is that's what that is?
"That second one."
"What is that?"

"Right..."
"So. I've shown you some electricity before, right?"

...
Yes. He did.
"Yes?"

'That's what lighting is.'
"Just a lot of it."
"As for why it's there under my can..."
"Do you want to know?"

"Yes."

"Right."
"So."
"Essentially..."
"...Hmmm..."
...
"My can has to periodically..."
'Discharge electricity.'
"Essentially, release any that starts to build up, which it does quite frequently."
"Luckily for me, there's systems built into it that do that quite nicely."
'...That lightning is the main one.'
"...It's like the rain."
"Not something I can exactly... stop."

...Yeah.
I've come to terms with him causing the rain.
And I can come to terms with the 'lighting' as long as I never come here again.

---

"Why is it so powerful?"
"Wouldn't..."
"Wouldn't it be better if it... released more at a weaker power?"

"You would think."
"I've said this once already, but my creators weren't the best at planning ahead."
"Other, newer, Iterators were actually built that way though."
"I just have to live with the old way."

Right.
I remember him talking about that.
To think that as powerful and smart as he is, he's actually not even the smartest or most powerful of his kind.
Wild.

---

"Why are the legs hollow?"
"And what are those machines or structures or whatever?"

"An interesting question."
"The 'structures' are actually built to better support the can."
"You'd probably be able to guess that my can is quite heavy."

I could.

'Essentially, those structures are dampening systems, designed to better take the extreme weight than if each leg were entirely solid, among some other useful benefits like resisting earthquakes.'
'You know what an earthquake is, right?'

"Yes. Earthquake."

"Thank you."
I hear him mutter "Earthquake" a few times, let his mind take it in.

"Anyways, I could see that being useful."
"I could imagine the kind of damage that could do."

"Indeed."

---

"You doing good?"
"Feeling better?"

"Feeling fine."
"Which is an improvement, however small."
"I won't bother you with my woes though."
"Go explore the world, I say."

"Alright..."
"...I'm probably off to sleep then."

"Don't let me stop you."
"Good luck, Traveler."

"Thanks."
I hit the button.

---

I eat some of the food Sig made, tasty, by the way, and begin to head to sleep.

Notes:

Hi.
I planned to do this when Hunter came around but here we are, my first true perspective change.
(No, the brief Silver perspectives don't count as that's Sig looking through her memories.)

Anyways, just wanted to clarify one thing, the reason Traveler speaking is now in "these" instead of 'these' is because we're looking through her perspective, and hearing speak her first language. Just thought that that was worth saying.

Chapter 60: Holes

Summary:

The holes are metaphorical.
Probably.

"You doing good?"
"Feeling better?"

No.
"Feeling fine."
"Which is an improvement, however small."
I don't need her worrying.
"I won't bother you with my woes though."
"Go explore the world, I say."

"Alright..."
"...I'm probably off to sleep then."

"Don't let me stop you."
"Good luck, Traveler."

"Thanks."
She closes the connection.

...I feel terrible.
Sliver's dead, no one besides her friends care, all the others care about was how she solved the problem.
Not to mention that Moon feels worse than I do, and there's nothing I can do to help.

Void...

...

...I'm pissed off.
Who in their right minds would care more about her solution than her death?
She died!
How does that not matter to you?
How can these fuckers even be worried about the conditionals of her simulations when all that matters is that she's gone?

...

A pearl gets pulled into my hand.
The pearl leaves my hand at 23.72m/s.
The pearl imparts 281.32 Joules into the wall of my chamber, shattering the pearl and denting the wall in an instant.

Only when a shard flies past my face do I recognize which pearl that was.
It was Silver's pearl.

No.
No no no no no-

My body freezes in an instant.
I cannot move.
My arm is still in the throwing position.
My eyes are locked onto my arm.

I can do nothing but stare at the hand that destroyed my most prized possession.

---

Help me.
Help me.
Help me.
I cannot move.
I cannot scream.
I cannot cry.

---

I need help.
I need help.

I can get help.

Request communications[Moon (LttM)]

...

I can see projected steam fill my vision.

"Siggy!"
"What happened?"

H. E. L. P.
I can still communicate.

"O-okay!"

I don't see her, but I feel the pressure of her arms slowly bring me down to the floor.

"...Anything else?"

...
I don't want to see this arm right now.

R. E. M. O. V. E.
A. R. M.
...
R. I. G. H. T.

"O... Okay?"
"I'll..."
"Get some tools?"

I hear a compartment open.
"Here..."

I feel her shift my poncho, revealing my arm.

"What..."
"Why?"
...
"What's this?"
...
"Pearl fragment..."
...
"...Oh no..."
"Oh no... Oh no..."
"Siggy..."
...
"I'm so sorry..."

R. E. M. O. V. E.

"Right right."
"I won't question you about it."

I feel pressure around my shoulder as she begins to work.

---

"Alright..."
She pulls the arm off with a little effort and I see it disappear from view.
I wonder if she recognizes what position it's in, what action it partook in.
"There you go."

She presumably sets it aside.
Hopefully far away.

I see an arm reach around me as she embraces me.
"I'm so sorry Siggy."
"I... I couldn't imagine..."
"But..."
"I will do my best."

...

T. H. A. N. K.
Y. O. U.

I feel her nod into my shoulder.

---

She stays silent.
She simply hugs me, consoling me through physical touch that I truly don't get enough of.

---

She taps a finger into me.
After a couple seconds I realize there's a familiar pattern to it.
Three letters, over and over.
I. L. Y.

...
I. L. Y. T.

---

R. E. A. S-
...E. X. C. U. S. E.
A. N. G. E. R.

"...About the theorists?"

...
Y. E. S.

"...Yeah."
"I'm... not happy about it either."
"...Can I ask something?"

Y. E. S.

"...Did you mean to?"

N. O.

More nodding.
"I figured."

---

"...When you unseize."
"I'm going to help you recollect as many memories as you can."
"I'll help you fix things, mkay?"

...
C. O. U. L. D.
Y. O. U.
?

H. O. W.
?

"Well."
"I'm sure you remember some."
"And isn't... what was her name..."
"Five's pearl still intact?"
"And I bet you have this and that memory saved somewhere."
"We'll do best we can, mkay?"
"Simple as that."

...
We...
We probably could.
We could probably do that.
...
I will do that.
For Silver.

T. H. A. N. K.
Y. O. U.

"Of course."
"You've done so much to help me these past cycles, Siggy."
"Least I could do would be to do what I could at your worst."

...
N. O. D.

She laughs a little at that.
"That's... That's pretty clever."
"I love you, Siggy."

I. L. Y. T.

---

"...How is Traveler doing?"

G. O. O. D.
...
L. E. F. T.
T. O.
E. X. P. L. O. R. E.
W. O. R. L. D.
...
W. I. L. L.
R. E. T. U. R. N.
E. V. E. N. T. U. A. L. L. Y.

"I see..."
"I guess it makes sense."
"What you told me of her... She seemed rather curious."
...
"...And... You're alright with it?"

O. F.
C. O. U. R. S. E.
...
H. E. L. P. E. D.
P. R. E. P. A. R. E.

"Oh, that's good."

Y. E. S.

---

"...Now's about the time I would have regained my chamber speakers."
"Perhaps...?"

...
No.
N. O. T.
Y. E. T.
...
C. A. N. T.
C. O. N. N. E. C. T.

"Mhm."
"Worth a shot."

Y. E. A. H.

---

...
T. H. A. N. K.
Y. O. U.
...
Y. O. U. R. E.
W. O. N. D. E. R. F. U. L.

"...You're too kind."
"It's the least I could do."

H. U. M. B. L. E.

"So what?"
"You're humble too, you know."

...
F. A. I. R.

---

Hours pass.
We converse from time to time, though we keep mostly silent, even as I finally regain control of my speakers.
There's no desire to talk.

---

Slowly.
Very slowly.
I begin to regain motor functions.
It takes a while for me to be able to do much, though.
But eventually... I can move normally.
Albeit with some stiffness.

"...Thank you, Moonie."

"Of course."
...
"...Do you want to get started on it now?"

...Do I?
...
"...No."

"...Do you want the arm back?"

...
"No."
"...I'm almost tempted to make a new one."

"...Don't you think that's a little..."

"Much? Superstitious?"

"...Yeah."

"...Maybe."
"Perhaps I'll feel different about it some other cycle."
"Not now though."
"Just..."
...
"I don't know."

...
"...Fair."
"I don't know how you'd feel about it."
...
"...Maybe I do."
"Not... that I have experience or anything, just..."
"I think I get it."

I nod.
"Thank you."

I open a connection to Lab-Storage, and have the arm go through it.

---

"...I think I'm going to go for now."
"I think I need to process some emotions, alone."

"Of course."
"I perfectly understand."
"We'll do what we can tomorrow, mkay?"

I nod absentmindedly.
"...Love you, Moonie."

"Love you too, see you soon."

I nod, then close the connection.

Chapter 61: Surface

Summary:

Traveler reaches the surface.

Notes:

First time I get to put this warning
Canon Typical Violence warning!
Traveler kills a couple things and she notes some of her actions in notable detail.
Other than that nothing much important happens, I'll put what happens throughout the chapter in end notes tho.

Machinery.
Alright, time to go.

---

I've slid down walls before.

Short walls.
Few times my height.

Doesn't matter.
I can do this.
And the faster I get out of here, the better.
I would be quite happy if I never saw, or heard, that 'lighting' ever again.

Just...
Slide down the wall.
The massive, can't-see-the-bottom, wall.
I can do that.

I can do this.

---

Alright.
I'm sliding down the wall.
Not fast, I'm easily clinging to it.

Still...
I'll admit this is slightly scary, despite being in full control of my descent.
I can't even see the bottom.
But it's fine.
It'll be fine.

Please let it be fine.

---

Boom!

...
That was farther away this time.
Still loud, still almost made me slip.
But not as loud.

Good.

---

I must be halfway down by now.
I must be.
I've been sliding for this long.

Unfortunately, the fog hasn't gotten any clearer, so I can't tell if that's actually-
Oh!
That's the ground!
I'm closer than I thought.

Just... not that far from here.

---

I drop the last few body-heights down, landing with a thud.

...
I'm on the surface.
...
It's been how long?
Twenty days?

Feels like forever.

But...
I'm back.

---

...
It appears I'm surrounded by water.

...
Sig said something about needing a lot of water.
Maybe this is where he gets all of it?

Makes... some amount of sense.

Whatever, just means I need to do some swimming.
I can do that.
I don't even have to go underwater.
This'll be easy.

---

Now.
...Which way should I go?

Probably doesn't matter, I hit land eventually.
Right?
...
I will, it'll be fine.

...

I turn to the 'overseer' thing.
"You wouldn't happen to know if there's land somewhere nearby, would you?"

It just stares at me.

"...Fair enough."
Sig must not be watching.

I wonder what he's up to.

---

Anyways.
I guess forward is as good of an option as any.

I back up on the platform I'm on, and take a running leap!

Splash!

Ahhh...
Cold.
Refreshingly so.
Still, I need to keep moving.

I start swimming.
A brisk pace, but nothing strenuous.
No need to run out of energy before I can reach land.

---

It's still so dark here.
I wonder when that will change.
...
Presumably when I leave the cover of Sig.
That makes sense.

---

Huh!
I can see the overseer glowing under the ocean.
I honestly didn't think it'd be able to do tha-

'Threat'

Uh oh.
Where.

Behind me.

Lizard.

Alright, that's fine.
They're still a ways away, and lizards are terrible-

It's gaining.
How is it gaining? I thought Lizards could hardly swim?
This isn't good... This is not good.

I grab the weapon Sig gave me, I don't think I'll benefit from not having it out, even if it slows me down.

There's a trick for these guys.
Just wait for them to get close aaaand THRUST!

Straight down the throat!

Black blood spurts from the new found hole inside of it, quickly weakening my hunter.

I yank the weapon back out, accidentally causing even more damage.
Not that I'm complaining.

The lizard quickly begins to go limp, spasming for a few seconds before finally fading.
Unable to keep afloat and filling with water, it begins to sink.

...
Phew.

Once again, if it weren't for that overseer, I would have died.

Shame I couldn't even try to retrieve any meat though, I'm sure I could have found something edible.

Who am I kidding? It's not a concern, I've still got plenty of food.

---

I continue on.
The waters are nearly barren, nothing larger than a tadpole swimming through it.
Completely different from the flooded tunnels underground, you couldn't swim more than a few strokes without running into something.
Usually something completely willing to pull you under water.
I hate leeches.

---

The fog is beginning to clear.
It's getting brighter too.
Finally.

How long has it been?
How long do I have left?

...Quarter of a day?
...
That doesn't leave long to get out of the water and find a shelter.
I need to hurry.

---

Is that...
Land!

My pace quickens, I need to get there as soon as possible, the clouds are already starting to darken.
I don't know how much time I have but it sure isn't long.

---

I reach the land, soggy mud that doesn't give much support.

I don't see any nearby structures that can hold shelters.

...Great, I hate having to do this.

I begin to search for the least wet mud.
It doesn't take long, but the patch... isn't exactly promising.

The rumbling I hear tells me enough to know I don't have time to find a better option.
I begin to dig, as fast as I can through the ground.

After a couple body heights or so, I stop, and begin to use mud inside the hole to fill out the top.

I hear rain almost as soon as I finish.
I find myself in a small hole of my own creation.

---

I eat a little, the bare minimum not to starve, and curl up in the damp mud.

###

The rain is strong, fierce.
But I am deep enough that its deadly hot water cannot reach me.

###

Mmmm...
Back feels...

Pop!

There we go...
There's my lesson to not sleep with the backpack on.
Not in one of these holes anyways.

...

Alright, time to go.

I begin to dig out.

---

Mmm.
Light.
Ow.

I stay in the hole for a moment, keeping my eyes out of the light, but still letting them get used to it.

...

...

Alright.
Time to go.

---

Where am I anyways?
I didn't see any buildings close by last night, but there does seem to be some ahead of me.
Might as well head that way.

---

I think...
I misjudged the size and distance of those buildings.

I'm about... halfway now though, and it's only...
...Quarter of a day?
Plenty of time.

---

BIRD!
NononononononoNONONO!

Spear!

The spear is out of my hand before I even process me grabbing it.
Luckily, it hits true, taking out the wing of the bird.

It hits the ground with a thump!

I could kill it.

It's trying to take off.

Time slows.

I run up, pulling the spear off my back.
It plunges into the exposed neck of the massive bird.
Red blood spews from both ends.

It snaps and thrashes, before quickly going limp.

...
I did it.
...
I did it!
I've never done that before!
Haha!

...

Now.
What of this is edible?

Not that.

Not that.

Smells good- nope, too tough.

Not that.

That looks good.
...Tastes good too.

Not that.

Not that.

That's tasty.

Not that.

Aaaand that's all of the bird.
Good to know though, even that comparative little is enough for the day.
...
Time to carry on.

---

The buildings are...
Rather short, for their size anyways.
Or... well... The ones farther back seem to go higher.

Wait...
Those farther away ones actually kinda look like the ones from where I climbed up to Sig.
Maybe that's what they are?
Maybe.
...
It...
Maybe.

...

Well.
These buildings are as good of a place to explore as any.
Though...
Maybe I try to find a shelter first, and explore first thing in the morning.
...That sounds like a good idea.

---

Ah.
That was easy.
And...
Quarter of a day left? Maybe?
...
Yeah, probably best to just rest.

---

Ahh...
A dry place to sleep.
And actually of a decent size too.
Perfect place to rest.

I unpack the blanket, and get ready to sleep.

Notes:

Traveler goes down the leg without incident.
The leg is over a reservoir, specifically where Sig's water is stored.
Luckily she has experience swimming from living in what amounts to Sig's drainage system.
While swimming to land she encounters what I'll call a proto-salamander.
Eventually she reaches a marshy area with no buildings, and has to find shelter before the rain comes.
Unable to do so, she instead digs her own shelter in the dryest patch of marsh she can find, something she's done before and hates doing.
After that, she makes her way to some somewhat distant buildings, which is Sig's industrial complex.
On the way she runs into a Bird (proto-vulture) and kills it, she succeeds in finding some edible parts and fills her stomach.
when she reaches the outskirts of it, she sleeps as it's getting late.

Chapter 62: Piecing Things Back Together

Summary:

When one shatters something they love, best thing to do is pick up the pieces.

Well.
I need a new arm.
I already have blueprints for my model, an exact replica so I can look no different than I used to.

But why do I need to do that?
The short and simple is that I don't.
Really all I need to do is prevent a shifted center of weight, and preferably have the same length.
That puts on some restrictions, but honestly not all that many.

Shape, besides needing to fit in my poncho, isn't all that restricted.
And color certainly isn't.
Capabilities...
...
What is there to add? My chamber already has rudimentary medical arms, and the labs much more advanced ones.
Fabricator already handles anything manufacturing related.
So that just leaves making the hand more controllable than it already is.
There's no need to do that, I already have millimeter precision with it.
Anything that needs more precision should be left to specialized tools.

...

I mean I could add more fingers or something.
Still... no real need though.

...

I'm just not going to worry about it.

I open up a CAD and get to work.

---

Message from Moon.

------
Don't know why I'm asking this early, but...
You feeling better?
And when specifically do you want to put things back together, as it were?

Love you a lot, don't hurt yourself, mentally or otherwise.
------

...
Request connection[Moon (LttM)]

...

She loads in.
There's no steam, she must have vented it.

"...I'm feeling a little better."
"Working on an arm."

"...Didn't want to use a generic model?"

"Just..."
I shrug.
"I don't know. Just wanted to try something new, I guess."

"...Wasn't because you didn't want it to look like the old one?"

"...No."
"Didn't even think about that I'll be honest."

She nods.
...
"...When you're done designing it..."

"...Yeah."
"I'd be up to getting started."

"Cool."
"For now, hope you don't mind if I stay by your side?"

"Not at all."

I feel her lean up to my side, arm wrapped around me.

---

I destroyed her memories.
I destroyed her memories.

"...Siggy?"

"I destroyed her memories."

"Hey... hey..."
She moves in front of me, wrapping me in a hug.
"Shhh..."
"We're going to fix that, mkay?"
"You remember a lot, we can cross reference from Five's memories, the whole thing, mkay?"
"We'll fix this, mkay?"
"Everything will work out, mkay?"

...

...

"Alright."
...
"...Thank you."

"You're welcome, Siggy."
"I'm here for you."

I nod.

---

I finish.
It's simple, largely based on the replacement model, but yellow.
I don't know why, just felt like it.
It's slightly boxier too, again, just... felt like it.

"Looks good."
"Different."

"Thank you."
...
"...Are you alright?"
"This... isn't about anything in particular, just..."
"I know you're not doing fine, but... you look like you are."

"I'm not."
"I'm holding up because you're currently in a worse state than I am."
"I want you to feel better, and I need to be better so that can happen."

"...Thanks."
I... don't really know what to say to that.
...
"I guess... I'm ready."
I close down the CAD, and queue up the new arm.

"Okay."
"Let's start easy, mkay?"
"Let's get a copy of your organic memory, and search through that for memories of Silver, sound good?"

"...Yeah."

"Do you think we need to copy more than your brain?"

"...No."
"All of my memories should be from my interactions with her, and viewing her memories."
"Any still resting in organic long term memory should be in here."

"Right, of course."
"So... you get the running, and during that..."
"Should you look through Five's pearl?"

"...Sounds like the best idea."
I pull up the operation to begin copying my memory.
While that happens, I pull Five's pearl to me.
...
Been a while since I've looked through this one.

...
What I should do is have something do a search through it, looking for memories with Silver specifically.

I open a panel, and send the pearl to Conflux B, to be combed through.

"Search program?"

"Mhm."
"...I should probably look through electric long term memory too, huh."

"Mhm."
"...I'm realizing there's not much for me to help with."

"You're doing enough being here."

"...Yeah, I guess."
"Still want to help in a more... tangible way though."

"Fair enough."
...
"You could help me comb through my memories."

"Siggy... I can't ask that of you."
"I couldn't."

"And why not?"
"You gave me access to your side."
"If you trust me that much, perhaps I should do the same for you."

"...I guess."
"I'll be careful."

"I wouldn't expect anything less."

Change permissions
Looks to the Moon
Full access

Warning, you are giving another iterator full access to your systems, are you sure you want to proceed?
Yes

...

Permissions changed.

...
"...I got it."
A hologram appears on her side, the contents recognizable to any iterator.
The network of memory forming one's memory conflux.
Specifically mine.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."
"Anything for you."

I nod, then pull up the very same one on my side.

###

The next few hours pass unnoticed.

We both search through my memories, looking for anything related to Silver.
There's quite a bit, including some things that I'm surprised went to electronic long term.
For example, some rather... intimate scenes between Silver and Five.

We... don't ignore them, per say, but we don't watch.
After all, we're restoring her memories, all need to be accounted for, it would be wrong to remove parts of her simply because we found them... unsavory.
Just because we don't want to think about it doesn't mean it isn't worth saving.

Eventually my organic long term finishes copying, and I get a program to run through that, combing for the same things as us.

The entire process is...

Cathartic.

###

By the end of things, we've collected years of memories.
There are gaps missing, we've only collected... maybe 60% at the best estimate.
But... It's still a lot, most of the important memories are still there.
I bet most of the remaining memories were simply existing, traveling from one place to another.
But still... those were part of her just as much as being kicked out of her home was.

###

"...It's the best we'll do."

"You sure?"
"We could look a little more."

"We've combed every conflux three times now."
"And... I feel better."
"I can only hope that we didn't lose anything important."

"...Alright."
...
She floats down to the floor.

She's letting her emotions take over.
She must have been bottling them the entire cycle.

I float down.

I wrap my arm around her, and just sit there next to her.

There's steam.
I squeeze my hand rhythmically, in a rather familiar pattern at this point.

I. L. Y.

She nods.

---

We sit there.
Letting our emotions take us over.

Chapter 63: Recovering

Summary:

might stop with these outside of TWs/CWs
just fwi

Notes:

Short one, which is why im posting it off schedule.

hopefully I'll get something meatier for the scheduled release

in any case
engoy some lilypad hours

...

"Tell me about him."

...

---

I learned a few things.
A lot of things, really.

He was compassionate, putting others before him.
He held a few hobbies after he left.
And tried several others.
Art, music, writing, programming, cooking, climbing (where he could), keeping a pet (that was stopped pretty fast), poetry, carving. To name a few.
He only ever properly got into poetry and programming, the others didn't last.
Either he just couldn't get into them, or he couldn't obtain enough materials.

He showed endless creativity though.
I guess you would need that, to design an iterator.

---

He focused a lot on me.
It makes sense.
I'm doing the same right now with him, aren't I?

---

He wasn't against going against Administration.
He always tried to help out where he could.

There was a time where he helped out a small radio station, gave them refuge and held their radio station on the roof of the apartment he lived in.
It didn't last forever, but he did as much as he could.

There were several occasions where he gave the food he could get to those of lower status, those who were intentionally starved by Administration to rid them of the fourth urge.
You and I both understand the insanity of that idea.

---

...

"...That's all I want to share."

I nod.
"Do you feel any better?"

"No."

"...Fair."

---

"I feel..."
"Empty."

I nod.
"Yeah."

---

My hands, already embracing her, find themselves drifting over her, going over her soft poncho.

Her hands do the same.
...
"What are we doing?"

"...Don't really know."
"I think I started it to make you feel better."

She nods.
"In any case..."
"It's kinda nice."

...
"Yeah."

---

"I wish..."
"I wish I could actually feel this."

"Yeah."
"...Would it be possible?"

"...Maybe."
"It'd be resource intensive though."
"Doing it would likely take away both processing power and time in the connection."
"Not really worth it."
"Not for this, anyways."

"...Fair."

---

"Just for the record, I'd like it as much as you would."

"That wasn't in question."
"I get it."
"...Fuck physical limitations."

She nods.
"Fuck em."

---

Time whiles away.
While it does, we start feeling a little better.
Slowly, imperceptibly so.
But near the end of the hologram lifespan, we're feeling better.

...

"Come back in thirty?"

...
"Yes."
"I would like that."
"I might even do a system reboot."

"Oh that's a good idea."
"...See you then, then."

She nods.
"See you then."

...
I hug her, properly, in a full embrace.

She's surprised for all of half a second, before she wraps herself around me.
"Thank you."

"You're welcome."
"See you soon."

"See you soon."

I let go, and disconnect.

I bring myself to the middle of the chamber, and start a system reboot.

###

The sensation of warmth.

###

...
That was a good one.

...

Yep, projectors have cooled off.

And there's a request from Moon.

I accept it.

...

She's painting.
"Oh hey."

"Hey."
"Whatchya making?"

"Eh."
"Just... something."
"There's no intention to it."
"No plan."
"Just paint."

I nod.
"Can I see?"

"Mhm."
She moves away.

She was right.
No intentions, just paint.
It looks nice.

"I like it."

"Thanks."

---

"I was thinking."
"About us."

"Mhm?"

She paints a couple strokes of yellow onto her canvas.
"I'm glad I have you."

...
"I think I think the same."
I float over to her.
"We have each other's backs."

"We do."

---

I wrap an arm around her, careful to not interfere with her work.

She wraps her free arm around mine, letting her palette stay in place by gravity.

---

"...I feel like it's washed over."
"The grief."

"Yeah."
"I think I know what you mean."
"Though... just because it's gone doesn't mean it's effects are over, right?"

"Yeah."
"In a sense I still feel..."
"Weak."

"Oh yeah."
"I have that feeling for sure."
...
"Now it's time to recover, right?"

"Yeah."
...
"Could I recover with you?"

"That would be lovely, Siggy."

Chapter 64: Post Calamity

Summary:

Sig and Moon love each other, and get a little touchy about that.
(Including a thing about hands under clothes but honestly if you're an androgynous robot without any gender related parts I don't really think that matters, same goes for nudity.)
If you don't want to see that, just like skip the last part of the chapter.
(This isn't like ch41-43, way more tame, just covering my bases.)

Notes:

Two things

I posted a chapter out of schedule, if you didn't see it for any reason, you should probably go read it

I am out of backlog, if I miss an upload because of this, my apologies.
I shouldn't miss one, but still, just an fyi.

------
16.417 / 1300
...
Been a while.
Since you might have forgotten the specific date it happened, right after last log Sliver ascended.
I've neglected to make any logs since then.

Things that happened since then:
Backed up every memory file, twice. You know why.
Made a new arm, you know why.
Had to repair a tile on my chamber, turns out high speed objects can make quite the dent. Again, you know why.
Probably been in call with Moon more often than not.
Learned slugcat.
Helped a slugcat.
Painted.
Watched Moon paint.
Experienced a cocktail of emotions that I never want to experience again.
Helped Moon through a stronger version of said cocktail.
And a million other things.

It's been a bit.
In more ways than one.

I am feeling better than I was.
A lot better.

Anyways, I'll try to make more of these now, sorry that I've skipped so many.
------

"...Alright, it's done."
I save and shut down the computer.

"Oh good."

"Mhm."
I put the computer away, then float up to her.
She's still trying out landscapes.
"Looking good."

"Thanks."

"What's the inspiration?"

"Nothing real, at least, not anymore."
"An old picture from the marshes, before they were marshes."

I nod.
"Interesting."
...
"Shame we'll never get to see them like that again."

"Yeah."
"Not exactly much we can do about it though."
"In theory with a lot of effort one could devise an iterator blueprint that didn't rely so heavily on water, but it would be nearly impossible to adapt one of us to it, let alone all of us."

"Given it much thought?"

"A little, from time to time."
"Not often."

"Mhm."

---

"Oh."

Hm?
"What is it?"

"Just got mail from Frontiers."
"To the both of us."

"Oh good."
"You want me to read it? Let you keep working?"

"That would be nice."

A couple seconds pass and I receive the file.

---
------
Hey guys.
Just checking in, wondering how y'all are feeling.

I wanted Sig to know the lizards are doing great.
Little goofballs.

Oh and I attached a video of them playing, I thought y'all would enjoy.

Send back soon, keep me updated.
Love y'all.
------
---

I pull out the video, and put the window next to her canvas.

She pauses for a second to watch with me.

...

The lizards are still hatchlings, but barely so.
Biggest is probably about as long as Frontiers is tall.

They're playing with a toy that Frontiers made, looks awfully like one I made for my lizards.

"Aww."

I nod, they're very cute.
Reminds me of Dew and Droplets.
...
"I'm happy for him."

"Yeah."

---

The video ends about a minute in.

"That was cute."

"Yeah, it was."
...
"I'm going to start writing a letter for him, mkay?"

"Sounds good."

---
------
We're doing good.
Everything has... by and large passed.

(Sig)
I'm not mad about the others, not in the same way I was before.
It's more just a...
'Whatever.'

Oh, and sorry for just dropping what happened out of the blue last letter and then not saying much after.
That was my bad.

Wish I could talk to you in person.
I'm sure you feel the same.

(Moon)
I'm doing better.
I've come to terms with...
Everything.
We enjoyed your little video.

I've been thinking about our project recently.
Repairing, you know?
We... haven't been doing much on that.
We've mentioned doing some stuff in passing, but nothing much came of it.
Have you been doing anything on it?
No shame if you didn't, I just admitted I haven't done anything myself.
Just... we should probably get to that, now that we're all feeling a little better.

We love you, hope you're doing good.
Sig & Moon.
------
---

"...Looking over your part."
"...Yeah."
"I'll admit I haven't thought of repair work in a while."

"Yeah..."
"I've thought about it a little."
"Not really done anything though."
"But it's just..."
"We've given ourselves enough time to process everything that's happened, but we still have work to do."

"Yeah."
"You're right."
...
"I'll probably start up bio work next cycle."

"Sounds good."

I prepare the file to be mailed to Frontiers.

---

She finishes her painting.
It looks good.
In a sense, it's fantastical.
You wouldn't see something like it anymore.

"It looks good."

"Thank you."
"I feel like this is the first landscape I actually did justice."

"Maybe."
"I think your other two were pretty good too."

She looks away.

"I'm serious, you don't give yourself enough credit."

"But..."
...
"Just look at your stuff!"

"Oh come on, I've been working on this now for a couple thousand cycles."
I float over to one of my first ones, the city scape.
"Look at this."
"All of your landscapes are better than this."
"Tell me that they're not."
"Truthfully."

"...Fine."
"You have a point."

"I know I do."
I float back down to her side, and reach for her hand.

She takes it.

"You're doing great, honestly."

She leans into me.
"Thank you."

---

"Anything you want to do?"

"...Not really."
"Doesn't mean I don't want to do something though."

"Mhm. I know that."
...
"Come lay down with me."
I float down to the floor.

She follows suit.

We lay down next to each other.

"...Your plan?"

...
"...Cuddle?"

...
"Alright."
"I could go for that right about now."
She grabs my hand and pulls me a little closer.

With a little help from the zero gravity, I roll onto her.
My head nestles comfortably next to hers.

Her arms reach around me, giving me a nice, large, hug.
"...I needed this."

"So did I."
"Always feels nice."

"It does."
She nods into my shoulder.
"It does."

---

Her hands are free to run over my back, and I let them.
In exchange for mine running over her neck and sides, of course.

Not that either of us mind, I certainly don't and if she's feeling what I'm feeling I know she wouldn't exactly be upset.

"Mmmm..."

Yeah, she doesn't mind.

---

It's not long before one of us lets a hand slip under the other's poncho.
It's funny, actually. we both get the idea at the same time.

We both giggle at the coincidence.

She begins to trace her delicate fingers over the groves between my plating.
It feels good.

My hands unfortunately are a little too large to accomplish the same feelings from the same actions, so I decide to simply let them wrap around her sides, squeezing them ever so lightly.

She leans her head into mine in response.

---

"I love you, Siggy."

"I love you too."
"Till the end of time."

She holds me just a little closer at those words.

---

We roll over onto our sides, and then to her on top of me.
It's hard to conceptualize how heavy she is until she's on top of you.

"Am I this heavy?"

...
"Probably."
"Do you mind?"

"Not at all, I was more worried if you minded."

"Oh no. Not at all."
"The feeling is... wonderfully tactile."

"Well good."
"...And I'd think I'd have to agree, it does feel quite nice."
"I get what you mean, I can feel you all over me."

She giggles.
"Well good."
"I'm glad it feels good."
She nestles her head next to mine.
"I love you."

"I love you too."

---

Our hands continue to pass over the other's body, passing over grooves in the other's plating.

It feels good.
Nice, even.
Comforting.

---

We reach a point where we're hardly moving.
Simply enjoying the other's presence, in them being there and pressing against the other.

---

...
"What do we mean to each other?"

With the slight way she shifts, I know she's thinking about it.

...

"Well."
"I know I would do anything for you."
"I presume you would do the same?"

"Without question."

"Then I think that answers your question."
"We mean everything to each other."

...
"I guess so."

---

"I was just thinking about it, you know?"

"Mhm."
"I'm thinking about it too now."
"Should that change anything?"

...
"Well."
"I think we've already changed a lot."
I tap my fingers on her back to prove a point.

"Heh, true."
"But... should we do anything we aren't already?"

"Hmmm..."
"I don't think so, honestly."
"But I'm certainly not going to fight change."

I feel her head nod after a moment.
"I think that's a good way to look at it."
"I'm happy with where we are, and I think I'll continue to be happy as things change."

"Mhm."
I squeeze her a little.
"We'll be together, that's the important part."

More nodding.
"Yeah."

---

"I love you, Siggy."

"I love you too."

Notes:

Summary for the cuddle session.
Nothing too important happens, besides them discussing where their relationship has gone, and what that means.
They decide it doesn't mean all that much, just that they'll stay together as things change.
Oh and hugging.

Chapter 65: Collection

Notes:

Oh after I uploaded the last chapter and said something about no backlog?
next day I churned out this chapter and 500 words of another.
So don't worry about no backlog just yet.

anyways, enjoy

...That was close.
Almost didn't get inside in time.

...

Never going to that not-warm place again.
Never.

---

What all did I gather anyways?
I was kind of in a rush at the time.

I unsling my backpack.
I open the top so that all the things I gathered spills out.

Several of those pearls that Sig has.
I bet he would appreciate having more, if these hold similar things to his.

Various things that are held like a blade rock, though not all are sharp.
They're probably refined blade rocks, if I would guess.
What was that word that Sig would use?
'Specialized'?
...Yes, I do think that's it.

A couple metal objects that smell of food.
If I were to guess there's food inside.
Maybe I can open them.

Later.

---

Let's call him, I bet he'd like to hear about this.
Besides, I haven't talked to him in a while.

I pull out the communicator and hit the button.

...

Taking a bit.

"Hello?"

"Hello Sig."

"Hey Traveler."
"What're you up to?"

'It's weird how easy you can do that you know.'

"Who was that?"

"Oh that was Moon, you remember her, right?"

Right, of course.
"Yes, now that you say that I do remember her."
She wasn't doing so great last time I saw her.
Stuck on the floor like that.
"Is she doing better?"

"Yes. We both are, actually."

Oh that's good.
I remember he wasn't doing all that great himself.
"Good."
...
"In any case, I called because I found a few things you might find interesting."

"Mhm?"

"To start, I found pearls."

"Oh!"
"I do find that interesting."
"Where did you find them?"

"...Don't really know how to describe it."
"It was in this weird chamber."
"Found them inside a storage compartment, among a few other things."

"Hmm..."
"I might be able to figure out where you were."
'From the overseer.'

"Ok."

'Alright, just give me a second...'

...

'What are you looking for?'

'Traveler said she found some pearls from a room.'
'I'm trying to find that room.'
Oh is that the word?
I guess chamber only applies to his 'room.'
Interesting.

'Cool.'
...
'Tell her thanks for that one time.'

'I'm pretty sure she can hear you say that.'

"I can."
"And you're welcome."

'She can.'
'She said you're welcome.'

...
'Ok.'

...

"There we go."
'Looks like you found one of the factory coordinators.'
"Ancients who made sure the place you're residing in is working properly."
"I would imagine that..."
"Hmm..."
'I would imagine that those pearls are messages from other coordinators and blueprints and manuals for parts of the factory.'
"Not particularly interesting, but quite useful for me."
"Knowing how some of those machines work would... be quite beneficial, actually."
"Unfortunately I only have a few of them, and most of the machines can't be used without knowing how to use them."

"Couldn't you just figure it out yourself?"

"If I could without breaking them, yes."
"I don't want to break them though, especially with how easy it would be now that many of them are decaying from the environment."

"Ah."

"Mhm."
...
"If you could get me those whenever you return, I would be quite grateful."

"I could do that."
"I was planning on returning sometime soon, actually."

"Oh good."
...
"What else did you find?"

"Why don't you take a look? Because I don't exactly have words for these."

"Mmm. Can do."
...
"Mmmm, I see."
'Tools and canned food.'

 

'Tool'...
Alright, that's what they're called.
Sounds like a general term.
Also... 'Canned.'
Something that's in... a can?
Maybe it's not the kind of can he uses for his structure.
Though... In a way I can see the resemblance.
...
"So there's food in this can?"

"Should be."
"And with how it was made, even with how old it is it should still be edible."
"If you open it, which I'm sure you could, I've seen you use some sharp rocks before."

"Yeah."
"I was thinking about that."

"Well then feel free to."

"Mhm."

...

"What do these..."
...Specialized-blade rock?
Sure.
Tool.
"What do these tools do?"

"Interesting word for it, although more right than you would think."
"I'll share that in a bit."
"Those... tools do a few things."
"All help in making or repairing machines."
"Considering where you are, that makes sense."

"Alright."
...
"And what's that information about?"

"Well."
"Historically speaking, blade rocks are the first tools the Ancients made."
"Ages and ages and ages ago."
"There's evidence that that's the first tool that any creature makes."
"A sharp rock to cut plants or animals."
"Other early tools include something to smash something else, generally just a big, heavy rock, and a..."
"No word for it."
'Saw.'
"Which essentially cuts back and forth to cut different things better."
"As time progresses and better methods of making things appear, better tools come around."

"Interesting."

"Indeed."
'Proto-history was always an interesting subject.'
...
'Indeed, technically you are in your species' proto-history right now.'

'Proto-history'... Like before history?
Makes sense.
...
"When do I get out of proto-history?"

'Good word for that, and Ancients defined that as the creation of writing."
'I happen to agree, because once a species starts writing they can keep records of history.'
'Proto-history is before you can record history.'

"Makes sense."

"Indeed."
...
"I'm curious, is that all?"

"Yes."
"Thank you, I learned a lot."

"You're welcome."

"...I will be seeing you, then."
"Soon, actually."

"Cannot wait, I have actually missed you quite a bit."

"Same."
"...See you."

"See you."

I hit the button and close the connection down.

---

That was interesting.
Very interesting.
I'm glad I could help Sig out with something, and glad I learned a bit.

...Alright, time for bed.
...
Not yet.
These walls are dusty.
And that means I can paint.

---

I drag my finger through the dust, leaving an obvious trail.

What to make tonight?

Maybe that plant I saw?
The one that killed that lizard?
...
I like that idea.

---

I draw the floor.
Something simple, just a long, flat line.

Then I draw the stem of the plant.
Also a simple line, straight up.

Then I draw those sticky leaves from the plant.
Small lines, coming out from the stem and facing slightly up.

Perfect.
Simple, but perfect.

I'm happy with it.

I bring out the blanket, and curl up in it.

Notes:

Just want to thank all yall who kudos, comment, or bookmark, my proper thanks is well overdue.
Seeing all of that is such a huge motivator, and I must really thank y'all.
Here's to another 60+ chapters.

Chapter 66: Getting Back in the Groove of Things

Notes:

This is a direct continuation of ch 64 & 65
just a heads up

"...That was inconvenient timing."

She chuckles a little.
"Yeah, just a little bit."

I reach out for her hand.

She takes it.

"Do you want to continue?"

She thinks about it.
"...I'm thinking no."
"Not because 'oh the moment is ruined' or anything like that."
"Just... I'm content."

I nod.
"I think I'm feeling about the same way."
...
"One last hug to finish it off?"

"That I'm quite alright with."
She pulls me closer, so that we're sitting right next to each other.

I have my arm drift away from her hand and up around her back.
And we pull each other into deep, wonderful hug.

---

We hold it for about a minute.
Then slowly, almost reluctantly, we let go.
We stay close to each other though.

---

"I'm excited."

"Mhm?"

"Those pearls that Traveler is delivering?"
"Did you catch what they probably contained?"

"Not really..."
"You'll have to send the language files."

"Totally."
"Though I may have to send a patch, I had to tinker with a few things for it to be compatible."
"The language files aren't really compatible with context based definitions."

"Mmm, alright."
"So what was in them?"

"Hopefully, there's blueprints and manuals."
"I'm hoping that I'll get use of some of the more specialized factories from those."
"Cus... I've looked into it a little and I couldn't figure out how to use some without breaking in the process."

"...I've got some factory manuals, I could send you some."

"...That might help, but with how specialized the industrial complex is to using helium as an input for quite literally everything... probably won't do much."

"Mmm, fair point."
"I'll send them anyways though, mkay?"

"Yeah, I'd appreciate that."
"And while we're at it I'll get the language file and patch sent, cool?

"Cool."

---

It doesn't take long for her to send them over.
I file them for later review, I'm still working on preparing the patch.

It's surprisingly tricky, actually.
I have to find everything that I changed, and prepare it to send over to her, preferably in a neat package she can just apply.

But I manage to get everything ready.

"Ok."
...
"Wait, do you also want the modifications I made to the speaker code?"

"So I can actually speak it?"

"Mhm."

"Sure, I don't see why not."
"I don't imagine myself using it particularly often though."

"Fair, it was just more of a 'might as well,' is all."

"Mhm."

That said, I prepare the other file, a much easier task due to the voice synthesizer program somehow being coded well, a truly impressive thing considering the lack of proper coding techniques present in the rest of my code.
...
I bet they stole it.
All things considered that feels like what happened.
Amazing.

Anyways, I finish and send the package over to Moon.

...
"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

---

Hologram time is running out.
Moon's starting to look blurry.

"Come back in thirty? Or later?"

"...Come back in thirty, I say."

"Alright, see you then."

We close the connection.

---

I wonder what I'll be able to make with those pearls in hand.
Plenty of things, I hope.

...
Should probably check the manuals Moon gave me.

---

Nope.

Nope.

Nope.

Efficient alchemy recipes for basic iron parts, interesting.
Looks compatible with my factory doing the same thing, just need to switch out the xenon for helium.
And honestly that'll just be useful in general.
File for later.

Anyways...

Nope.

Efficient alchemical process for cables.
File for later.

Nope.

Nope.

Engine assembly, could be useful.
File for later.

Nope.

Nope.

Nope.

Nope.

Antigravity generator, looks like a very small scale model, could be interesting.
File for later.

Nope.

Nope.

And it looks like the rest I already have.

...
Well.
That honestly went better than I expected.

...

I bet I could come up with something interesting for that small scale antigrav model.

Sure.
This'll get me back into the groove of things.

---

I think I've got an idea.
Fairly simple, but should be useful.

A way to package some items/materials/whatever around it, to reduce the overall load.
Should be useful for airships and intra-facility logistics, though for trains it doesn't matter all to much.

...Sounds good to me.
I open up a CAD, and get to work.

---

I start with a container for the antigrav unit, a small titanium chamber.
...
How strong is the thing anyways?
That really defines how large I can make this thing.

Pulling up the details...

...

It can provide no gravity capabilities up to 50kg, quartered gravity up to a 100kg, and half up to 200kg.
Alright, not bad, not bad at all.
That does mean I should make the supports for the idea I have pretty light though.

Maybe I could use beryllium?
...
Eh... environmental concerns.
...
It'd still be the best option though...

...

What about a coating?
Something to prevent any dust or particles getting into the atmosphere.
...
That could work.

...

What about a bacterial coating?
A layer of bacteria that lives off of any amount of beryllium dust produced.
...
I like it, that could work

...
Alright.
I think I have a plan.
Now to design it.

---

Continuing from the, now beryllium, cage, I design a sort of lattice that can hold and keep in place anything to be delivered.

Simple, effective.
Weighs only about 30kg, and holds about eight meters cubed of material.
I think this will work quite nicely.
And I can also make a smaller version of it for smaller loads, cut off on excess bulk and weight.

Later.
For now, I'm feeling quite happy with this.
Now... to come up with a bacterial coating.
Or I could ask Moon, she'd be able to cook up something much better than what I could.
I should probably do that.

Speaking of, how're those projectors feeling?

...

Feeling good.

Request communication[Moon (LttM)]

...

...
The hologram boots up.

...And there she is.

"Hey."

"Hey."
"...You seem like you've been up to things."
She's looking at the 3d projection I have.

"It was an idea I had based off of one of those files you gave me."
"The one on making a micro antigrav unit, and retooling a fabricator or general assembly plant to make it."

"Oooh..."
She moves closer to the model, then points to the cage.
"I presume it would go here?"

"Mhm."
"It's just a design to lighten the load for certain things."
"I was thinking there'd be use for airship hauling and those hauler polypedes that..."
...
Silence.
...
I imitate the motions of a deep breath, something I've found still helps despite the lack of biological benefit.
"That Sliver made."
...There, wasn't so bad.

"...Mhm."
She floats over to me.
"...In any case, that sounds like a great idea."
...
"What're the supports made of?"

"Beryllium."

"Mmm."
"Wouldn't that be toxic?"

"Yes, but I did think of that."
"I wanted to ask you for some help on that."

"A coating?"

"Mhm."
"Bacterial coating."

"Mmm."
"You wanted me to come up with it?"

"Mhm, you're way better at bacteria and microbes than I am."

"Thanks."
"I would be happy to help."
"Shouldn't be too hard."
She starts thinking about it.
"...I could do it."
She pulls up a genome editor.
"Give me..."
"Twenty minutes?"

"Sounds good."

---

She gets to work, going over everything she needs to do
How it feeds, what it does to the beryllium, preventing it from spreading from the structure, all that.

I just watch.
I get what she's doing, but she's doing it so fast that I can hardly keep up.

---

...
She would look good as a painting.

I save a model of the current instance of the hologram.
A perfect reference point, and a much more refined method than the last time I had to get a 3d ref.

I pull out a canvas and the materials I need.
I also pull out a glove, but no brushes.
There's something I've wanted to try for a bit, might as well do it now.

"What're you painting?"

Oh, you know.
You.
"It's a surprise."

She looks at me with suspicion.
"...Alright."
She gets back to work.

I put on the glove.

The idea is simple.
Make a painting without brushes.
Apparently a not particularly uncommon method back when painting was still a big thing with the Ancients.
And I've even slightly done that before, painting with rags to supplement in a more chaotic style.

But my idea this time around is almost more simplistic.
Using fingers.
Dabbing the canvas to make dots of paint, slowly building the image from that.

Crude? Perhaps.
But what exactly is wrong with that?

True, I don't want to dirty my hand, but that's what the glove is for, as well as providing a larger surface area.

Alright, enough thinking.
Time to get to work.

---

I start as I always do.
Background to foreground.

Of course, this means it will be a while till I even get to Moon, but it will be worth it.
Never start with the foreground with oil.
Never.
Not worth it.

Sure, if you were doing one layer, you could probably get away with it, but in my opinion you should leave one layer painting to less technical paints.
The one time I tried it with oil it didn't end all that great.

...

Chamber walls are done.
It looks... interesting.

I leave it in the corner to dry.

I see her look over at it.
"...Did you try something different, that texture looks... strange."

I float over to her.
"I was painting with this glove, tapping the canvas with my fingers."

"Ooooh, that's interesting."
"I might have to try that."

"Mhm."
"It's different, that's for sure."
"But since I was just doing the background I can't say too much just yet."
"I did like how I did it though, where I had a finger for every color."

"Mhm."
"Yeah, yeah I'll have to try that."
She thinks about it for a couple more seconds, then gets back to work.

---

"How're things going?"

"Good, getting pretty close to done."
"Then of course I'll have to test things, synthesize some beryllium to test it on, that kind of stuff."
"Speaking of, you should probably also test your side of it."
"Beryllium is pretty brittle, you know."

"Yeah."
Hmm.
"Maybe I'll alloy it."
"Then I'll run some stress tests."
"Though of course it's not supposed to be actually taking all that much strain."

"Not from gravity."
"Moving around might cause some forces from inertia though."

"True, true."
"I'll look into it."
"And, thinking about it, you may want to make sure your microbes work on alloys."

"Thank you, almost missed that."
"What're you thinking?"

"Hmm..."
"Titanium Beryllium?"
"Still light, and I can probably cut back on materials then."

She nods.
"Sounds good then."
"And I'll make it work for any alloy, shouldn't be that hard."

I nod.
"Probably for the best."
"And I'll probably be testing a few varieties anyways."
"I bet a copper mix might work well too, but admittedly that's getting a little too heavy."

"Mhm."
...
"Aluminum?"

...Not a half bad idea.
"Maybe."
"And of course there's no stopping me from doing more than two metals for an alloy, or even something like mixing in carbon or silicon."

"True."
"Or what about nanotubes, or some other carbon structure like that?"

Eh...
"It'd still be heavier than plain beryllium, though I could see using it if this doesn't work out."

"Fair enough."

---

We bounce ideas back and forth, trying and failing to keep to reasonable ideas.
Eventually, when she finishes on her side of the job, I just decide on a Be-Ti-Al mix. A pretty good mix, though I'll have to come up with the ratio myself considering that extremely lightweight and also strong alloys weren't a priority for the Ancients.
They all presumed that antigrav engines would do the job just fine.

---

"I just had a thought."

I turn to her.
"Mhm?"

"I bet Traveler would appreciate something like this."
"Not... for logistics or whatever."
"But something like..."
"A jump pack."

"...I would accuse you of using science fiction terminology if that idea wasn't actually quite sound."

"What? I enjoy a novel every now and then."

"I do too, but come on."
"Using those terms for real life things?"

"You're right, you're right."
"But you admitted, it was fitting."
"And it wasn't like I would say that if I hadn't come up with a more sensible name for it."

I raise my hands.
"Fair, fair."
"Good point."
"...In any case."
"I'd think she'd like that."
"I'll see what I can do."
"For now though."
I save and close the CAD, and everything else.
"I'm feeling pretty good about this, for getting back into the groove of things."

She nods.
"Same, honestly."
She saves her sequencer and closes it.
"I'm willing to take a break."
She floats over to me.
"Let's chill together for a bit, how's that sound?"

"I'd like that."

Chapter 67: Communication

Summary:

Frontiers misses Sig and Moon

------
Glad to hear y'all are doing better.
I really, really am.

...

I miss y'all.
...
I know, what else is new?
But seriously.
I miss y'all.
A lot.

I keep trying to come up with solutions.
And I keep pulling blanks.
There's no way to regain real time communications with our current tools, and I don't know what tools we'd need to make to be able to.

...

I just...
I just wish I could see y'all again.

...

Love y'all.
------
---

---
------
We miss you too.
I can't speak for Moon right now, we're not in a call, but I know she misses you just as much as I do.

I'm gonna attach a picture of me.
It won't replace the real deal, but...
I hope it helps.

In other news, me and Moon worked on something recently.
A little thing for lighter packaging.
It uses a micro antigravity core that Moon sent me to reduce the weight of up to roughly 200kg of materials before it starts being more hassle than it's worth.
I thought it could be useful for airship transport.
It's not done yet, but when it is I'll look into publishing it.
Moon will also be making a paper on the details of it, so look out for that.

...

Acting business as usual can't bury the fact that I miss you too.
I miss you a lot.
You, like Moon, were a rock to hold onto when things got tough.
And not having that connection probably made all of this harder than it should have been.
So you're not alone in missing us.
I miss you a lot.
And you're right about that, we don't have the tools to fix things.
And I want to say that some cycle we will.
And as logical as it is I still struggle to believe it.

I've tried holding on to something else for the time being.
Blind hope.
I hold onto the hope that I will see you again.
That, in part, is what keeps me going.
It may be stupid, but it is what keeps me looking into things that will help.

Will you do the same for me?

...
One last thing.
' 'Tiersy.'
How do you like the sound of that?
I'm not entirely sure of it, which is why I'm asking you.

...

I love you man.
See you soon.
------
---

---
------
...
' 'Tiersy.'
...
There's a ring to it that I'm not against.
And coming from you?
I might even say I like it.

I certainly wouldn't be against hearing it again, Siggy.

...

That 'business as usual' stuff is interesting to hear.
A good idea, even.
I'm looking forward to reading Moon's paper on it.

Hey if you're reading this together like you have been, could you send me the blueprints of that micro antigrav core, Moonie?
That sounds useful.

...

Blind hope, you said?
I guess there's something to that.
As long as we all keep working on this, I think I'll hold onto that.
For you, for me.

Keep me updated and I'll keep y'all updated, mkay?
Love y'all.
------
---

---
------
The blueprint is attached to this message.
Love ya.

(Moon)
You've seen my messages but I just want to say it again.
I miss you.
We both miss you.
Honestly I wish I knew how to help in ways that would be beneficial to this.
But I don't have the testing space to make the stuff we'd need.

...

Sig is telling me what I do is very useful.
He's probably right.
He often is with these kinds of things.

(Sig)
I would say Moon's too humble, but I'm also self aware enough to know I also share the same problem.

Things are going good, we're finishing up that design.
I'll be honest I'm more just happy that I made something, than making it specifically.
I'm happy that I got back in the groove of things.

Talk soon, see soon.
Miss ya, love ya.
------
---

---
------
Thanks Moonie.

...

I miss talking in real time.
I don't really talk to many people besides you two nowadays, and I can't really bring myself to do it.
Besides, most people (Even others that knew her, surprisingly) are still talking about her ascension and not much else, and I don't really want to talk about that, I'm sure y'all are the same on that.

So I'm left with this.

...

Can I be jealous of what you two have?
Like...
Y'all can just... talk to each other!
...
I'm sorry.
Y'all don't need to hear that.
I just wish I could see y'all again.

Don't stop talking to each other just because I can't.

...

Could you send me a hug?
I...
I don't know how that'd work.
But could y'all try?

Love y'all.
------
---

...She's thinking about it
"I think I have an idea for that."

"Mhm?"
"What're you thinking?"

"A sensation."
"Pressure across the chest and back, like he was being squeezed."
"A qualia designed not to transfer one's experience, but to impart one."
"Long distance, across time, interaction."

...Wow.
"...You're a genius."

She looks away.
"...Thanks."

"You think you could figure it out?"

"Totally, it'd probably be easier than a normal qualia transfer, not requiring you to tune the experience to another's perception, instead directly designing it around it."
...
"Of course, it'd never be perfect, such is the nature of qualia, that's why I don't often deal in them."
"But this would be the perfect use for one."

...
"I'll be honest, that's all beyond me."
"I never got much farther than application of karmic manipulation, I'm not built out for designing the processes."

"It's something you have to put a lot of time into."
"You're much better at physical stuff, chemistry, alchemy, and biology."

"Thanks."
"Though you're still better at microbiology than I am."

"True."
"But mainly because of limitation, no space for macrobiology."

"Unfortunately."
"Honestly you'd kill at it."
"Metaphorically, of course."

"Ha!"
"That's pretty good."

"Heh, thanks."
...
"So..."
"You'll get that cooked up, and we'll send it over?"

"Mhm."
"Sounds good."

"Great."
"I'll get the message ready."

She nods, then pulls up a window showing various karmic glyphs in arrangements that I only vaguely understand.

---
------
I hope this helps.
I'll be honest, no idea what it'll feel like, I'm not the expert on this stuff.
But if you shut off your eyes...
Maybe it'll do the trick.

Love ya, 'Tiersy.
Believe me when I say I'd kill to have a hug.
...Okay maybe slight hyperbole.
But still, the sentiment is the same.
We'll see each other soon enough.

Love ya.
------

Chapter 68: Return

Summary:

Scug moment

She said she was coming back soon...
I wonder where she is? It's been a bit.

Connecting to her overseer...

...

Oh she's climbing my can.
Where...?

...

She's on the upper half.

Considering how early it is...
She'll reach the top this cycle.

"Whatcha doing over there?"
She doesn't look away from her canvas.

"I was wondering where Traveler was."
"She's actually going to get here today."

"Interesting."
"How soon?"

Hmm...
"...I'd figure a couple hours from now, she's a pretty fast climber."

I see her nod.
"Alright, cool."
"You want me to leave then or...?"

"I don't see why you'd have to."
"And besides, with the language file I gave you you can actually understand her."

"True."

---

"You know, I find it interesting."

"Mhm?"

"With how body language based her language is, I was a little surprised that that wasn't the problem that needed to be patched."
"It was the context dependency stuff."

"Well, yeah."
"There are plenty of invented languages the Ancients made to be able to speak with people who for one reason or another, couldn't speak."
"Rot infection, broken jaw, mute, hard of hearing, among other things."
"You know, I actually had a mechanic that was deaf."
"They were nice."

"Interesting."
"And... fair enough."
"I didn't really think of that, I haven't thought about those in a while."
"Of course, I learned them when I needed to learn some medical training, but..."
"Would it surprise you that I haven't had to use most of those skills in a while?"

"Nope, not at all."
"But yeah, that part was actually quite easy."
"The context dependency stuff was hard due to..."
"Just about every Ancient language, old, constructed, and new, having some crazy rigidity in how they're structured."
"This word means these specific things and nothing else."
"Meanwhile something like the word..."
'Creature.'
"Can mean like five different things and absolutely can handle more."
"Person, predator, prey, food, corpse, all of that and able to mean more things."
"That word was what she first used to call me an iterator."

"...I think I get it."
"But can't you do that in our language?"

"In a sense."
"I can call you a creature and technically be true."
"But I could say..."
'Creature, Prey, Predator, Person'
"And while those all meant different things, you can tell they're all the same word, right?"

"...Yeah."
"Ok."
...
"Ooookay, I think I get it now."
"Inflections, subtle shifts in body language, right?"

"Mhm."
"You get it now."
"Honestly, it's pretty clever."
"Keeps things simple."

"Yeah."

---

"Did you do anything on that..."
She sighs.
"Jump pack idea?"

"Well you don't have to be upset over it now, like I said it's actually a pretty good name for it."
"And yes."
"Just a simple thing she'll be able to tie to her backpack."
"I made it a couple cycles ago, and have been keeping it in storage."

"Cool."

---

"How's that painting of yours going?"
"Since you still refuse to show me."

"Hey, like I said, it's a surprise."
...
"Just finished the final layer last cycle."
"I'm pretty happy about it."
"Just waiting for it to dry to show you."

"Alright."
"Cool."
"That should be... seven-ish cycles from now?"

"For it to be presentable? Yeah, about then."
"I think you'll like it."

She nods, then gets back to her painting.

"...What are you painting anyways?"

"Secret."
...
"Kidding."
"Trying out another landscape, I'll show you when I'm done."

"Cool."

---

...
Where is she now...?

...

Oh she reached the roof.
"She'll be here pretty soon."

"Cool."

"Mhm."

...

I send a little image through the overseer, showing her I know where she is.

She waves at the overseer upon noticing, then carries on towards the service hatch.

I see Moon put her painting away to dry.
"Does it look good?"

"Yeah."

She stops putting it away and turns it to me.
It's another scene of a world long gone.
"Nice."

"Thank you."
She finishes putting it up.
...
"...I'm going to work on the microbes for a bit."
"Just... gonna be busy."

I nod.
"Mkay."
"Talk later?"

She nods.
"Talk later."
"Love you."

"Love you."
"Have a nice chat."
She waves, then closes down the communication.

---

I watch the overseer as she enters the service tunnel.

Gravity fades away, and she begins swimming the rest of the way.

...

...

I close the overseer view.

She pops through the hatch.
...
'Hey.'

'Hey.'
I bring the gravity, and myself, down to the floor.
'Good to see you.'

'Good to see you too.'
...
'Want to hear about what I saw?'

In a sense, I already do.
But I want to hear how she describes it.
'Sure!'

---

She tells of where she's gone.
Down my leg, swimming across the reservoir, and eventually reaching the industrial complex.
She tells of the creatures she had to face, and the couple slip ups leading to her death.

It's almost unnerving how calmly she speaks of it, but in a way I guess it makes sense.
Despite the ancients shunning of it, death is natural, and when you're part of the food chain, an often occurrence.

She continues on, speaking of where she went to the best of her ability.
Like I have previously, I help her fill in the gaps in her knowledge and word bank. She thanks me for it.
One such instance was when she seemingly ran into the helium vats, and experienced the cold for the first time.
She had called it 'not-hot,' which on the scale of temperatures most creatures experience, is an ample word for it.
I tell her of the time when things were colder, when that so-called 'wet white stuff' she saw inside the buildings holding the vats was an occasional occurrence, and for some, a time to celebrate.

She, having only ever experienced the tropical climate of the now, doesn't understand how anyone would like that.
I say that I'll have to tell her what people did during it.
Later, after she finishes her story.

She tells of things she found, and activities she developed before sleep.
One such thing was a form of drawing, dragging fingers through the dust caked walls of the shelters to make simple drawings.
She missed painting, she said.
I tell her she isn't the first to do that, and that drawing through dust or mud was something that many ancients, both in history and proto-history, have done.
She finds that interesting.

Finally, she shows me what she gathered.

---

'There they are.'
'I hope these are helpful.'

'I have no doubt they will.'

I lift the pearls into the air, put into holding position like all the others.

'...Why do you put them like that, anyways?'
'Wouldn't having them close together be more useful?'

'If most of those were normal pearls, yes.'
'But most of those, the black and green ones, are unique.'
I pull a forest green one down to my hand.
'These are filled with information relating to my work.'
'If I keep them in those positions, I can work from them directly, instead of having to read them.'
'...It's complicated.'

'Alright.'
'I won't question it.'
...
'Is that what those light circles are for?'

'When I'm working?'
'Yep.'
'This does stem from the fact that technically I'm everything here, even if I am just this body.'
'It can be easier to work from the structure than the body when it comes to these things.'

She nods.
'Interesting.'
'I think I understand.'

'Good.'

---

'I made something for you.'

'Oh?'

'A little something that'll tie to your backpack.'
'Let me bring it in.'
I call the jump pack in.

We wait a couple seconds, then it pops in.

'...What is it?'

'You'll see.'
I bring it over to us, then help her tie it around her backpack.
...
'Does that feel ok?'

'Yes, fits just like the backpack.'

'Good.'
'Now, you should be able to reach the little button on the side.'

She feels for it, finding it within a couple seconds.

'Now press it.'

She does so, and gravity distorts around her.
She makes a noise of surprise.

'Now try jumping.'

She does so, and bounds up to nearly the top of the chamber.
...Not the most gracefully, but I have a feeling that's a practice thing.

She lands on all fours, having been unable to keep her rotation steady.
...
'Wow.'
...
'I like this.'
She turns it off, and sits down.

'Good.'
'It was just a simple idea I had when working on something else.'

She looks at me.
'Simple.'

'...Ok fair, it did take a bit to get it working right.'
'But the idea itself is simple, from what we both know.'

'...Fine.'
'Fair enough.'
'...Thank you, I think I'll like this.'
'When I get used to it.'

'Mhm.'
...
'You know, I think you would be able to land safely on the surface from all the way from up here.'

...
'Sure.'

'I'm serious!'
'All you'd have to do is activate it about halfway through the fall.'
...
'...But I get it if you wouldn't want to try it. I honestly would feel the same.'
'And besides, I don't want you to do anything dangerous.'

'Yeah.'
...
'Well, maybe I could try a smaller fall.'
'See how well that works.'

'Mhm.'
'Whatever works.'
'I would imagine though there's many things that you could simply jump over now.'
'Lizards, for one.'

'Oh, totally.'
'I bet I could pin one to the ground with a spear that way.'

'I see.'
How...
Gruesome.

---

We talk for a little more, and she tries out the jump pack a few times.
She's quick to learn to control her rotation.
Maybe not perfectly, but she's landing on just her feet now.

---

She practices a few more times, then lands for good.
'...Thank you.'
'I like this a lot.'

'You're welcome.'

---

...
Her poncho has tears in it.
Around the edges, not particularly noticeable.
But still there.
'...There are tears in your clothes.'

'Mhm.'
'That's what happens out there.'
'Things break, get used up.'
'I often scrape myself many times out there, myself.'
'Though the backpack lasted, I'm surprised about that.'

'I admittedly made it out of stronger stuff.'
'Still.'
'I remember you wanted to learn something specific.'
"Sewing."
'You could use it to fix your clothes, have them last longer.'
'Or even make your own, given time.'

'...Interesting.'
'I... would be interested.'

'Great.'
'Would you like to learn now?'

'I would.'

'Good, then let's get started.'

Chapter 69: Crack of Dawn

Notes:

I love metaphor :)

real notes
due to struggling to keep a backlog, i will begin only posting weekly on saturdays, just a thing that had to happen. sorry for the inconvenience.
luckily this probably means ill churn out larger chapters now, yay!

------
...That was wonderful.
Thank y'all so much for that, I needed it.
You're the best.

...
Don't really have much else to say, just thankful right now.
Love y'all, talk soon.
------

...
That makes me happy.

I should forward that to Moon for when she finishes her deep clean.

---

Done.

...

I'm feeling good.
Stable.
Not like one wrong move could send me spiraling.

Maybe two moves.

Heh.

---

I should paint a memorial.
I have the time.

I should have a while ago.
...
The second best time is the present.

I pull out a canvas, my paints, and the glove.

The canvas is black.
...
I think that fits well.

---

I start by making an impression of the eyes, surrounding where they would be with gray paint.
Then I do the same with her head marking.

...There's some irony in it, isn't there?
Head markings are, or were, chosen at random, not necessarily meant to imply anything.
But hers just so happened to be the mark of the tenth karmic purity.
And she, intentionally or not, crossed herself out.
...
A cruel irony, I say.

---

Her face is done.

Antennae, eyes, and marking.
The latter two exposed by negative space, lack of paint where there should be.
The former hardly visible, dark gray on black.

All the signs that this person is no more.

---

I continue on, creating first an outline of that two part poncho that not many wore.
We were not permitted to think much of fashion, but those who did well with their work were given the gift of Administration looking the other way about it, as long as they gave a suitable excuse that is.
And she gave both, she was the hardest worker I knew, and said something on the lines of 'I get cold in here.'
A complete farce, and Administration probably knew it.

I've thought about doing it myself now, especially now considering that I have no qualms with changing my body.
But in the end, I like how my poncho looks on me.
Its deep purple a nice accent to the forest green of my body.

---

The poncho is done.
That is enough for now, the arms and legs would need to be layered over what little of the underside of the poncho is visible.

Before I do anything further, I take a step back.

It's perfect.
The method used of dabbing paint onto the canvas creates a very unique texture, one that serves well to make the painting look more like a memory than a picture.

I move the painting down to the corner of my chamber to dry.

---

...
I pull out my computer.

---
------
16.434 / 0000
...
I feel at peace.
I feel like... maybe I've finally healed.

I've come to terms with Sliver's death.

That's all.
------
---

I save the file and put the computer away.

---

...
You know.
There's nothing stopping me from having something else, and the poncho.

Just...
What?
And do I want to?

...

Well at the very least, I can try something, and if I don't like it I don't have to do it.
Simple.

Still need the 'what' though.

---

What about a scarf?

...

I think I like the sound of that.
...
But what color?

...

Navy blue.
It'll fit well with the poncho, but also not blend in.

I think I have some fabric in that color.

...
...Looks I do.

I summon some fabric in, and some tools I'd need to work it.

The idea, like a scarf, is simple.
Take a one meter by one meter square of linen, cut a half of a meter off of it, and use that for the scarf.
I'll fold it in two, and sew the long sides together to make the sides smoother, making it a quarter of a meter wide, which should be a good width.
Put away what I didn't use.

Technically, I wouldn't feel the edges, but it feels right to do so, and will probably look better than just a long piece of fabric looking around me.
And maybe I could stitch a pattern into it...?

...
I'll do that if I decide I like this.

I get to work.

---

...
This just feels nice to do.
Even if I don't like wearing it, I'm still enjoying myself.

Maybe I can look into fabric arts.
Quilting, sewing, stuff like that.
I'd enjoy that.

---

And...
Done.

...
I like it.
It's simple.
...
Maybe I could sew the short sides in a little bit, make that smoother.
...Should probably try it on before I say anything.

I wrap it once, twice around my neck, leaving some of both sides of the scarf to just hang.

I pull out a mirror window.

...

I like this.
Yeah, I like this.
Simple, comfortable, looks good.

I like this.

---

I take it off, and roll the ends of the scarf so that the ends are inside.
I roll it again so that this section is on the outside, and begin to sew the edges into the rest of the scarf.
This way, it'll still be an open tube, but the edges will be rounded and soft.
Perfect.
Not to mention that the thread I brought out also happens to be nearly the same color, a nice deep ultraviolet that blends in nicely with the blue.

...
I wonder what this would look like to the Ancients? Or most creatures for that matter?
Because ultraviolet is simply not visible to them...
Would it just look really purple?
I wonder...
...
Maybe if I restricted my vision... I could see what it'd look like.
...
That could work.

---

Hmm...
Doesn't seem like I can do that easily.
I might have to make an entirely different optical sensor to do that.
...
Wait.
I can just use a camera that can't pick up those colors.
That works.

---

And...
There.
...
Just looks like a really deep purple.
Alright.

Anyways...
That was quite the tangent.
Back to what I was doing.

---

Done with one end.

It looks good.

Now for the other side.

---

And...
Done.
There we go.

I put it back on, and see how that looks.

...

Yeah.
Looks better, neater too in a way.

I'm happy with this.

---

Oh, Moon's calling.

I accept the call.

...

The hologram boots up.

"...Oh!"
"You're trying something new."

"I am."
"Just... was thinking about it."
"Pulled out some fabric and tools, and got to work."
"I'm quite happy with it."
"What do you think?"

She looks me over.
"I think it looks wonderful, Siggy."

"...Thanks."

---

"You've been painting, what is it?"

Right, that.
I pull it out of the corner.

"...Oh..."

"A memorial piece."
"I... felt like I needed to make one."

"...It's wonderful."
"I love what you did, I love how it looks like..."
"...That"
"It's perfect."

"Thanks."
...
"I... I feel like I've finally properly come to terms with it."
"It's still a sad topic but..."
"It's alright."

"Yeah."
"Yeah I... I get that."
"I think I had that with Jewels fairly recently."

"That's wonderful to hear, Moonie."
I float over to her side.
"That's wonderful to hear."

She nods.
"...Thank you."

---

...
"...You..."
"You couldn't make me a scarf, could you?"

"You want one?"

"...Yeah."

"I would be happy to."
...
"...Or... would you rather have us both make one?"
"We do it together?"

She considers it.
...
"...I think I would like that more."

"Then we'll do that."
"Do you have any fabric in storage?"
"And sewing tools for that matter?"

"Tools, yes."
"Fabric... Some."
"Mainly replacement oranges in case something happened to my robe."
"Linen, specifically."
"Is...?"

"It's made of linen, yes."
"Any other colors? Adjacent to orange?"

"Mmm..."
"I think some reds."
"One second..."

She's running an inventory check.

...

"Yes, I do have reds."
"In linen."

"Good."
"I'm probably just going to make mine out of navy blue like I just did, and have a duplicate in case something happens."

"Mhm, sounds good."

"Great."
"Let's get the stuff out."

She nods, and we both summon fabrics in.

---

We both start working.
Moon isn't exactly following me, she knows how to work fabrics for the same reasons I do after all, but she does watch me work from time to time.

Eventually, she asks a question.

"When'd you make all your fabric?"

"Just a couple cycles ago, actually."
"When Traveler got here, just about."
"I'm teaching her to sew."

"How interesting!"
"And you said you already gave them clothes, right?"

"Mhm."
"Main part is that she likes learning this kind of stuff, I told you about how she learned how to paint, right?"

"Mhm."

"Yeah."
"And another reason is that she'll need to repair her clothes at some point or another, might as well learn it now."

She nods.

---

I finish before she does.
Mainly because hers is nearly twice as long.
She's twice as tall after all.

I put my new replacement scarf away in storage, then sit next to her.

---

"You want to know how I got the idea for the scarf?"

"Sure!"

"When I was painting Sliver, I was reminiscing about those old limitations the Administrators put on us."
"Specifically the one on fashion."

"Right."
"Cus she got that two part poncho from Administration, right?"

"Mhm."
"And I was thinking about it for a bit, and I didn't really want something that different."
"Or more accurately, I didn't want to replace my poncho."
"And then I thought of something that didn't really interfere with that."
"The rest is history."

She nods.
"The rest is history."

---

She finishes hers.
It's a nice red-orange.

"Put it on."
"I wanna see how you look."

I hear her giggle slightly at that.
She begins to put it on, wrapping it around twice.

She stands.
...
"So?"

The scarf drapes down to her sides.
She's left it baggy where it's wrapped around.

She's beautiful.
"It's perfect."
"It looks lovely."
"You look lovely."

...
I think she would be blushing right about now.
"You really think so?"

I move over to her.

I wrap an arm around her.
"I know so, Moonie."

More theorized blushing.
"...Thank you."
She wraps an arm around me, and pulls me into a hug.

I don't resist, and indeed finish the hug by wrapping my other arm around her.
"I love you, Moonie."

She nestles her head into mine.
"I love you too."

Notes:

Scarf

Oh and as far as im aware, the fact that sig has a scarf is entirely fanon
he never gets seen, and never gets a description outside of the fact his overseer is green

This is the main reason he hasnt had a scarf in my fic for so long
i mainly did it now for fun, and cus it just kinda happened

Reminder that NSF will be posted weekly for the foreseeable future, every saturday at the same time.

Chapter 70: Leaving once more

Notes:

Reminder that im uploading on a weekly basis no, not biweekly, every saturday.
For the foreseeable future.

'Sig.'

'Yeah?'

'I'm planning on exploring some more.'

'Oh.'
'Alright.'
'What do you plan on doing?'

'The same stuff.'
'I just want to see new things.'

Fair enough.
'I see.'
...
'Well...'
'I hope you find some new things.'
'And I'll be happy to explain whatever you want.'

She nods.
'Thank you.'

'You're welcome.'

...

'...See you soon.'

I nod.
'See you.'
I help her out, pushing gravity up and out.

She waves, and I wave back.

---

...

I bring out my computer.

---
------
16.442 / 0900

Traveler just left.
To explore more of my facility.

You know, it's interesting.
She was very blunt and to the point about leaving.
No particular farewells, just 'I'm going, here's what I'm doing, see you' and then a wave goodbye.

It's something I've noticed.
She can be very to the point about things.
About learning, about doing things, about saying goodbye.

I wonder if that's a her thing, or if that's how all slugcats are.
I'm honestly betting on that being a slugcat thing, especially considering what little she's told me of her life before.

After all, down there you *have* to be practical, efficient.
Keep moving or die.

Certain things mean different things to her as well.
Her mother left her the moment she could handle her own, and she didn't seem to be too upset about that.
Not to mention she probably doesn't even know what a father is.

Meanwhile, to put a good example, Moon only just recently came to terms with the fact that she had, and lost, a loving father whom she never saw.

It's all very interesting.

...

I'm glad I taught her sewing, I feel like it'll be useful.
I'm also glad I gave her those tools, the thread and needle.
Should be all she needs for... quite a while.
Also glad I gave them to her before she left, I probably would have forgotten if I didn't earlier.

I wish her luck in her adventures.
------

I save and put away the computer.

---
------
Traveler just left.
Want to talk?
------
---

Request for communication.
That's a yes, then.

I accept.

...

"Hey."

"Hey."
"Doing good?"

"Mhm."
...
"Just curious, what's up with you not hanging out when Traveler's around?"
"Just curious."

"Just... don't really know her."
"Feels awkward."

...Yeah.
"Fair enough."

"Yeah."
...
"I kinda want to do something."

"Mhm?"

"Just... an idea I had browsing through some old stuff."
"War games."

Hmph.
"Must have been looking through some really old stuff."

"...Yeah."
"Something like... what..."
"Ten eras ago?"

"...Yeah, that would do it."
"...In any case, sounds fun."
"Nothing like some good strategy to pass the time."

"Mhm, that's exactly what I was thinking."
...
"...So, how exactly do we want to do this?"
"Just... an operation?"

"Sounds good to me."
"I'll design some terrain, and we'll go from there."

She nods.
"Sounds good."

---

Not how I expected my cycle to go, but I'm not complaining.
And designing realistic but interesting terrain is fun.

It's based around a river down the middle.
Not easy to cross, due to its size, but not impossible.
There are some mountains in the north, from which the river originates, and a sea in the south.
Not... unlike the local area.
"...I swear this isn't intentional."

"I believe you."
"But it makes a good area to do this on, doesn't it?"

"Yeah."
"It works pretty good."
I get back to designing, setting up a town next to the eastern side of the river.
This, in my head, would be a strategically important town, perhaps a vital part of a trade route.
Perhaps there are ports near the sea?
...Yes, that sounds good.
And there must be roads connecting them...
And one heading to the north, to take the goods to a village there...

"Getting invested, aren't you?"

"...May be enjoying this."
"Can you blame me though?"

"Not at all."
"I can see your train of thought with how you're placing things, it's smart."

"Thank you."
I place more roads, connecting the town to others outside the field of action.
And after a bit, I'm satisfied with my work.
"...Alright."

"Alright."
"Do you want to defend your town?"

"...Yes, yes I would."

"Mkay."
"How about I get the forces set up, mkay?"

"Sounds good."

---

She makes it balanced.
No matter how realistic it could potentially be, in the end we're here for fun.
That said, she gives her side a larger force.
Makes sense, it is easier to defend than to attack.
In the end, I am given 10,000 troops, and she is given 13,000.
She also sets up logistics, chains of command, everything needed to conduct an operation.
"...Alright."
"Looks good."

"Let's get started, shall we?"

---

We play without fog of war.
Another time, and this in a sense keeps it more like chess.
We can see the other, but not their plans.
And we begin.

---

"I'm glad this kind of stuff ended so long ago."

I nod.
"Yeah."
"Once a while back I read someone's account of a war they partook in."
"It was from ages ago, easily... three hundred thousand cycles ago."
"But just... how they described things?"
"How everything was simultaneously the worse thing they ever experienced and also just another day in the field?"
"How they died sometimes once every cycle?"
I shake my head.
"It reminds me that even though Administration was terrible..."
"It could have been much worse."

She nods.

---

"...Actually."
"I kinda want to argue with that."

"Go on."

"Administration forced everyone to an early ascension."
"Sure, some were ready, but you remember the rough number that wasn't right?"

"Something like 80%, right?"

"Yeah."
"And just..."
"There's so many echoes now."
"There's so many that some have been completely drowned out of karmic contact, not even given the ability to sense the world around them, the one reprieve they are given."
"Surely that's worse, right?"

...
"Yeah."
"Honestly... probably is."
"Because one is prolonged suffering, but the other is eternal."
"I don't know why I still feel the other is worse though."
...
"No, I do."
"Karma one."

"Mmm..."
"Yeah, I..."
"Void, what would that do to you?"
"You would probably have to reincarnate to purify yourself."

"Yeah."
"And of course there would be PTSD, and any other amount of mental afflictions that would last with you."

"Yeah..."
"...Mkay, how about we say these are equally terrible, okay?"

"...Yeah, that sounds good."
"...I don't really feel like doing this anymore."

She nods.
"I... don't particularly either."
"It's not real, it's not."
"But it doesn't feel right, either."

"Yeah."
I shut down the hologram, and everything.
"...Let's just play some chess, how about?"

"...Yeah."

I pull up a chess board, and we begin to while away the time.

Chapter 71: Another

Gotta go gotta go gotta go!

Get in!

...
...Just in time.
I pushed that too far, I should have stopped at that one I passed by earlier.

...

Huh.
This one's rather big.
There's more rooms by the looks of it.

...

I have my weapon at the ready, just in case, and walk towards the nearest room.

...

Oh.
It's... been a while since I've seen another.

He is the first to speak.
"...Hello."
He's looking at me.
Looking at what I'm wearing, and what I'm holding.
"You are different."

...Yes.
I guess I am.
"...Yes."
"It is... a long story."

He nods.
"We have time."

---

How do I explain what I've seen?
Many of the words I would use he wouldn't know.

Regardless, I try.

I tell of the strange creature I saw, one made of light that pointed me to food in a time of dire need of it, and then to shelter.
I tell of how it showed me a strange shape that night, which I draw into the dust. The shape on Sig's head.
I was curious, interested in what this shape was, if this creature was willing to point me to food.
Surely this would also be good, right?

It led me up, out of the caves and tunnels I knew so long.
It was bright the first time.

He says he knows that.
First time he left the tunnels he didn't stay long, couldn't look at anything up there.

I remember that too, I had to stay just underneath for a full day.
Regardless, after that I continued to follow.
Up and up higher.
When the creature didn't show me where to go, it pointed to food, and to predators.
It was like I could see behind me.

Eventually I ran into something strange.
Lizards that didn't try to eat me.

Lying, he says.

I am not, they were orange, with long flowing protrusions from their head.
I draw this into the ground.
I note it was more like they were forced to not eat me, to not get close.
And in a way, I was right.

The creature continued to take me up, up further and eventually above the rain.

Above the rain?

Above the rain.
Not a drop of water.
As dry as the shelter we stand in.

Eventually, I reached the top.
The top of almost everything.

There is an end?

There is an end.
It is beautiful up there.
Even that made the journey worth it.
But that was not what the creature was pointing me to.

It showed me how close I was.
I draw that map that I still remember.
The one that led me to him.

What was the shape?

Nothing that I would have expected.
Even if I had any idea.

It was a person, but not you or me.

Around his marking I drew earlier, I draw a head, one with eyes and those antenna, but no mouth.
The person was who led me here, apparently having control of the creature.
And the lizards.
The person told the lizards not to eat me.

Person seems good.

Person is good.
Person gave me things, and taught me more things.
I point to everything I have.

Person gave you those?

Yes.
Perhaps...
Something should be said.
Of this person.

---

"He..."
"He called himself something."
"Not 'person.' "

"What then?"
"Helper? Giver?"

"No."
"What he called himself had no meaning, it was just what he was called."
"Sig."

...
"What is that word?"

"What he called himself, nothing else."
"It is strange, took me a long time to understand."
"It is just what he was called."

"Hmm."

"There was something that said these were called."
"The thing that you are called."
"A name."

...
"Strange."

I nod.
"Strange."
"But not bad."

They thump their tail in affirmation.

...I haven't done that in a long time.
Hm.

"Name."
"Strange."

I thump my tail.
"Yes."
...
"I gave myself one."

They're curious.
"What?"

"Traveler."

They think about that.
"...That makes sense."
"More sense than 'Sig.' "

Fair enough.
"Sig doesn't always make sense."
"Not to me."
"He thinks differently."

He looks me over again.
"Makes sense."
"What is that for anyways?"
He points to the clothes.

...No real reason.
Besides comfort.
...
"Feel it."

He does so.
...
"Soft."
"Like creature I saw once."
"Full of long fur."
"Smart."

"Interesting."
"But, that is what it is for."
"Soft."

"Interesting."
"Nothing else?"

"No."
"Not to me, or you."

"Did... Sig use it for something else?"

...Not him.
His creators.
"...Not him."
"But he was made too."
"Not by another like him though."
"Not like us or the lizards or any other creature."
"He was made by different creatures."
"Very strange creatures."
"They did strange things for no real reason."

"Like having that?"

"Yes."
"Sig found no reason doing most of those strange things."
"Instead doing other strange things."
"Ones that... somewhat made sense."
Especially considering who he is.

He thumps his tail.

---

We talk more, switching a few times who's telling stories.

He tells me of the smart furry creatures he saw.
They're weird, and seem to have a deep love for fruit.
They tend to stay together, using numbers to overcome predators.
It's fascinating.

I try to explain more of the things Sig showed and gave me.
Like the backpack.
He expresses interest in it, it seems useful.
It is.

He likes the weapon.
Looks better than those hard sticks he always uses.
The rebar, I'm guessing.
I agree, it is very handy.

He tells me of a place full of edible plants.
Food as far the eye can see.
And, apparently, those smart creatures' territory.
It was nice, apparently.
But dangerous.
Food is not the only thing in abundance.
Only reason he left, apparently.

---

We talk more.
And more.
And then... we realize how tired we are.

It was a long, hard day for him too.

I'm the first to prepare for sleep, curling up nicely.

I feel him curl up around me, and we both fall asleep.

Chapter 72: Another Set of Logs to Show the Passage of Time

------
16.448 / 1800
Traveler met another slugcat last cycle.
The first time she met another since before she met me.
She said they talked about things, then slept, then parted ways.
I asked her why she didn't go with him.
Surely two people would be better than one down there.

It's not what they do apparently.
When a slugcat meets another, they stick around for maybe a day, share information, and part ways.
In normal circumstances they share info on things like food, predator nests, things like that.

This wasn't normal circumstances, though they did share a little of that stuff too.
This was apparently the first slugcat she met above ground, outside of the tunnels.
So they shared things they saw in these new lands.
She told the other about me, and some of the things I've given her.
And how weird I was.
Can't even be mad, not like I would be, it's not like I'm *not* really weird to her, even outside the obvious.

The other shared something which I am *sure* were the scavengers.
That's quite interesting to me, I wonder how those two...
Let's go with lifestyles, not really cultures on either side yet.
I wonder how that'll interact.
One is incredibly isolationist and nomadic, and the other, while also nomadic, is *incredibly* social.

I think last time I checked the pack size was about... thirty scavengers?
And it's bound to grow, birth rates far outweighing reincarnation rates for the time being.

In any case, it's all very interesting.

...

I wonder if that 'other' will go out and find me?
Traveler did give him the rough directions to find me.

Luckily I have the communicator lizards avoid slugcats in general, much easier than just avoiding one specific one.
Not like they'll go hungry either, the local insect populations keep all the packs nice and fed.
Oh and the occasional rider bird. I was really impressed the first time I saw a pack take one down.

In anycase, I'm probably not going to push the other slugcat to find me, if they do, they do, and I'll...
I won't give them the mark, they don't need it.
I can speak just fine in their language.

Anyways, interesting stuff today.
Talk soon.
------
---

---
------
16.480 / 1930
Traveler just met the scavengers for the first time.
A very interesting meeting, she said.
They were friendly, that makes me quite happy.
Apparently she was running low on food, and they provided a bit to her in her time of need.
That made me really happy.

I've actually been watching the scavengers more now, though I happened to miss that.
Mainly because I realized I hadn't in quite some time.
It seems the original fruit collectors and garbage sorters are mingling and merging quite well.
To get to the... rather nitty gritty, it appears they are indeed genetically compatible.
I didn't worry too much about that, but it's nice to see that that is indeed the case.
Also those little hairless babies were quite cute.

...

Been talking to Frontiers, and also started something new.
Chess by mail.
Not... exactly new for me, but it's refreshing, and it helps Frontiers interact with us.
Speaking of, still no complete solutions for the communication problem.

By 'complete solution' I mean something that's actually possible to implement.
Because we have several solutions that would work, but none that we can implement.
For example:
Fixing the towers.
Building new towers.
Satellite communication.
Building data transfer cables underground between local groups.

Just to name a few.

Still, I have hope.
We're still making new tools, and new creatures that could in theory someday be able to do the things we need them to.

More to come, talk later.
------
---

---
------
16.490 / 0200
...
Traveler is pregnant.
...
Don't really know how to think about that.
She both seems to know and seems to be completely fine with it so...
Good for her?

Only reason I realized was because she called last cycle and I happened to get a look at her through the overseer.

From basic estimations from size and what I have learned from my genetic record on slugcats, it seems like she's roughly 20-50 cycles pregnant.
Which is...
...
I... have a few thoughts about when exactly, but I don't feel they need to be expressed.

Besides, it's the cycle of life.
Shit happens, and I'm certainly not about to bother her about it.
If she says anything to me about it, I'll just go along with it.

Just... yeah.

More logs to come.
------
---

---
------
16.520 / 1000
Traveler called today.
It happened.
She is now the proud* mother of a cute, hairless, baby slugcat.

*I put this note here, not because I do not think she is happy with her child, she very obviously seemed to be, but because pride in one's child is a very Ancient manner of thinking, even considering the urges. I suspect that in some way she is proud, but perhaps not in the same way as an Ancient mother would be with her child.

She said, during our call, that she likely won't be visiting me for quite some time.
She needs to raise her baby boy and teach them the ways of the world, and she couldn't do that second part in the safe confines of my can.
I perfectly understood, and I told her such.

I don't particularly have many thoughts on all this, I'll be honest.
It's just... a thing that happened.
I don't really have much to do with it.
I'm happy for her, that's really it.

Talk more soon.
------
---

---
------
16.782 / 0200
A recent, *very* exciting development has come around.
The communication towers are still just strong enough that, under the right circumstances, the network can take one real time text communication across local groups.
Across the entire network.
The Postal Network, as the group including Yui is now calling themselves (very fittingly I may add), have been working for the past few cycles to set up a queuing system, allowing people to set up in advance a call between themself and a long distance friend.
I'm sure you know why I'm excited over that.
I'm sure you also know why Frontiers described himself as 'quite literally shaking' over this.
Luckily, I got to get priority in choosing my first slot, as Yui got to give me some privilege in this, as a friend.

Two hours to talk with Frontiers, in twenty cycles.

I
Cannot
*Wait*

Moon is conspiring with me to be there too, by planning on being in a holocall (as if that wasn't going to be the case anyways) and sharing the interface with me.
We will get to talk to each other in real time for the first time in about a millennium.

Literally brimming with excitement, more messages to come.
------
---

---
------
16.803 / 0000
Those were both the fastest and slowest two hours of my life.
The fastest because it felt like it was over in a flash.
The slowest because me, Frontiers, and Moon all increased our thinking speed as fast as possible.
The half second delay felt like ten seconds.
It was completely worth it, just to maximize the time with him.

After the call we entered the queue as soon as possible, then I believe we all collectively passed out and rebooted from running at 20x speed for two hours.
Oops.

Ah well, it was worth it.

We talked about *everything.*
Projects, his lizards, chess, painting, sewing.
Apparently he's just started working on sculpting, good for him.
Moon said something about a secret project, I wonder what it is.
Traveler, scavengers.
Polypedes, hauler crabs.
Micro gravity generators and other pieces of tech.

I counted it, we said 'I love you' or some variation a total of 238 times.
Hehe

It was amazing.

And now we have to wait a good 900 cycles to get another talk.

We're all...
A little upset.
That's a *long* time.

But we'll wait.
We'll wait.

That's all I wanted to say, more to come.
------
---

---
------
17.000 / 0000
It's a new millennium, and the first that we aren't celebrating together in... quite a while.
Of course, me and Moon are together, but Frontiers isn't here.
It's saddening.

Life goes on though.
And progress is of course being made, as usual.
In fact...
There is something Moon and I are working on, something that *should* slow down the rate of decay on the communication towers.
It's simple, and nowhere near enough to actually begin fixing them, but it should do what it's supposed to.

It's a microbe that works similar to the one she made... a while back now that ate the rust off of metal, just more effective overall, and more suitable to sensitive machinery like antenna parts and circuitry.
This'll keep them from decaying further, and hopefully will let communications through the postal network work indefinitely, or at least until we find a better solution.

Exciting stuff.

...

In other news, Traveler and her son are doing good, the kid's growing well.
Traveler said she's going to let him part on his own when he's ready, which he will be soon she says.

It's made me think a little bit, actually.
On the slugcat way of living.
You don't hold many obligations or attachments to the people you've met.
Even your child or mother.
When you're done helping them, you leave, potentially never to see them again.

And that's normal, and something they understand.

I remember her a long time ago, saying something about how she missed her mother.
I think I misunderstood what she meant at the time.
Her mother didn't teach her everything she needed to know, and she wishes she had.

I realize now that her interactions with me were unusual for her, in the context of this.
And probably why she left so readily when we stopped helping the other.

And all I have to think of that is...
Yeah.
It's fascinating.
It's really, really interesting how slugcats are different from us. Different from the Ancients.
It shows me a glimpse of the multitudes of ways civilization could have ended out.

Anyways, enough rambling.
More to come.
------
---

---
------
17.340 / 1800
That was interesting.
That slugcat that Traveler found a while back just found their way up here.
I was wondering when that would happen.

We had an interesting talk, presumably doing what all slugcats do, sharing information.
It was nice.

I told him to stay around up here as long as he likes.
He declined the offer, he likes the surface more.
He mainly just wanted to see who I was.
Perfectly fair.

I wonder if this'll happen more often?
Word slowly spreads of the 'god' at the highest point in the world.

Side tangent, you know I'm not even the highest point, Moon would take the tallest iterator title, which is shorter than the tallest mountain, which is shorter than the shortest inter group communication mast.
So, nowhere close to that.
Anyways.

Slugcats hear of me, and a slow trickle start to make the trek up here.
I became a local legend in the populace.
With how legends of old historical figures and locations go, and for a more recent example, Frontiers, people tend to want to visit the special place or person for themselves.
I wonder if that will be true for the slugcats.

It's possible.

Anyways, that's all for now.
More to come.
------
---

---
------
17.762 / 1430
Got to talk with Frontiers in real time again.
Once again made the fullest of the two hours we had.
That post chat reboot was nice.

Next chat in about 1100 cycles.
Longer wait, but there's more people using this system now, it's expected.

Again, we talked about this and that. Though there wasn't actually all that much to talk about, we're maintaining good contact through letters.
Mainly it was just nice to have some kind of real time communication.

Anyways, yeah.
Not all that much interesting happening right now besides that.

More to come.
------
---

---
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18.000 / 1400
New millennium.
Moon and I hung out.
It was nice.

I talked with Suns just recently.
I happened to mention slugcats, ee seemed quite interested.
We ended up talking mostly about their way of life, their biology, that kind of stuff.
He expressed interest in seeing if he could make a genetically modified one, like my lizard project.
I said to follow moral code, after all they're sentient beings, and that I'd give him my record on their genome if he did.
He was thankful, and promised he would, so I did just that.
I wonder how that'll turn out.

Oh, we did talk about something else.
Their sex, or I guess a more accurate term now that we've discussed (and I know the word) it would be gender.
They always used to say it was a sort of superposition, everything at once.
That's changed slightly, but not solidified.
It's now more like it slowly shifts as time goes on, like how the landscape shifts over eons, though of course faster than *that*.
It was interesting to discuss.
It's also the reason I'm referring to them as 'he' for during the talk we had, but 'they' for just in general.
Because that was the case then, and that is the case now, respectively.

...

Speaking of slugcat modification, there's kind of a plan I've had in my head for a while now.
Ever since I sampled the genome, really.
Just...
An idea.
I want to wait, though, before I decide on anything.
I want to wait for something specific.
For Traveler to...
Not be around anymore.
...
It just feels wrong.

...

Yeah.

Anyways, as usual, more to come.
------
---

---
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18.463 / 1900
Had another slugcat visit today, news has spread.
I shared information, and asked what it was like down there, because I honestly haven't checked in a while.
I should do that.

I should probably set up some kind of alert system for slugcats, if this is going to keep happening.

...

Suns has been asking me various questions on genetics.
I've been happy to help, especially because I realized that I haven't put as much knowledge as I should have into the databases.
I'm going to work on that... probably next cycle.

More to come.
------
---

---
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18.920 / 1700
Traveler is starting to grow old.
As far as I can tell she's still a ways off from reincarnation, but still.

Her son is mature now, I've seen him once or twice on overseer feeds since the two parted ways.
Not that there's anything particularly significant to that.

...

There was another slugcat visiting the other cycle.
More slugcat are venturing from their tunnels and pipes.
I shared information with them.
They told me some interesting things.
For one, they heard that others have been outside the 'great wall.'
(When I showed them the facility wall, they said that is what the great wall is.)
And two, that it's liveable out there.

Now, of course, I knew that there was life out there, how could there *not* be, but I always considered it to be the hardiest of it, mostly relegated to twisting plantlife and animals that are alright swimming in impossibly deep mud pools.
After all, the facility grounds are basically the only place able to be kept *in* its place, mainly due to extensive foundation work that prevents them from becoming like the bogs surrounding them.

What I did not consider is that the previously mentioned twisting plantlife is sturdy enough for creatures to find home out there.
It would never be enough to maintain anything but specialized construction like that of the rail network (and even that is evidently not perfect) or a new facility, which wouldn't be feasible to build now anyways.

In any case, I should do some scouting out there, see what the ecosystem is up to.
I bet that'll be a fun thing to do.

More to come.
------
---

---
------
19.376 / 1700
So I was watching over the scavengers.
Their pack has grown to quite the size now, easily like eighty of them.
And, quite interestingly, a slugcat.
They seem to have just... become a part of the tribe.
I wonder how that happened.

Speaking of developments in the two sentient species in my facility, the facility wall has seemed to become a sort of home space for several of them.
With all the pipe networks and hidden safe points, it makes a good place to live for them, I presume.

Moon's been noting some slugcat and scavenger emergence around her facility, as well.
Makes sense, her facility also has (or perhaps 'had' is a better word now) pipe cleaners, fruit collectors, and garbage sorters.
She said she'll be watching over hers too, seeing how they begin to spread.
She's already noted different qualities in her groups.
The scavengers have formed much smaller packs, instead of one massive one like mine.
(Speaking of, I have a little note on that, I'll say that in a second.)
She theorizes it may be because it's more beneficial for them, due to the more segregated nature of her facility.

The slugcats also show signs of being more communal, even if only slightly, she says she's seen something along the lines of 'gathering duos' who stick together and work together to find food.
She also notes that hers seem to be less omnivorous, as they seem to avoid most meat, only eating on bug and plants.

It's all very interesting.

...

Anyways, theory time.
I have a feeling that my facility's scavenger pack is actually reaching a sort of critical mass, there's simply too many to efficiently feed with the methods and tools at their disposal.
I believe the pack will split into two soon, it's the only reasonable way for all of them to keep themselves fed.

Anyways, that's all I got for now.
More to come, as usual.
------
---

---
------
19.402 / 1000
Nothing much to say, just the theory I had a bit ago about the scavenger pack splitting was right.
That is all.
------
---

---
------
19.982 / 1400
Word has been spreading about the two new sentient species, now that many packs have been popping up and making themselves obvious in various facilities.
People have been talking about what to do with them.
I'm glad to say the overwhelming majority of people appear to have said 'nothing.'
Either that or 'nothing unless they start messing with us,' which... yeah, fair enough
Though I doubt they'll do much without provocation, maybe spear an overseer but that's not honestly *that* much of a problem.

I've also heard a few people saying that if one were to come to us, they obviously want to find a way out of the cycle, so we should direct them to the void sea, which is the *dumbest* thing I've ever heard.
Unless we make it apparent, we're basically just normal people, albeit metallic people connected to a room.
But it's not like they'd *know* that we're designed to solve the problem, or even that they'd even see it as one.
I'm just glad the people who think that are a rather small minority.

Oh yeah, now that all of this has gone around, Moon has decided to make the mark of communication a public thing, to help communication between iterators and the other species.
Good thinking on her, honestly.

I would share my language files, but I have a feeling that between facilities the language is actually *massively* different, so it probably wouldn't do all that much.

Anyways, that's all for now.
More to come.
------
---

---
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20.000 / 0000
Would you look at that.
The twentieth millennium.

I remember the celebrations around the tenth.
Me and Moon are hanging out now, and we have some plans.

But we both agree that... it isn't the same without Frontiers.
Just... isn't.
...
I hope he's doing good, I have a feeling that that sense of loneliness is kicking in right about now.

I'm going to write him a letter.

More to come, I guess.
------
---

---
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20.732 / 1900
Traveler reincarnated today.
She called me one last time a few hours ago.
One final chat.
She apparently had found herself too weak to go and find food.
She knew what would happen when she went to sleep, so she called me before that happened.

She had one request, to take back the things I had given her.
I'm sending out some hauler crabs next cycle to do just that.

...

It's hitting me.
Not as much as I thought it would, but honestly we haven't talked all that much in recent times.
So...
Yeah.

It honestly doesn't even feel right to do much about it.
She didn't seem all that caught up about it, and I don't think I should either.
Like sleep, like death.

May the cycle carry you ever forward, Traveler.

More to come.
------
---

---
------
21.009 / 0000
I've started something up.
A genetics project.
One that isn't beneficial in any way to the repair problem.
I am going to lab grow a slugcat.

Notes:

Oooo cliffhanger.

Stay tuned :)

Chapter 73: Victor Frankenstein

Notes:

Direct continuation from the last chapter.

I... don't really know why I want to do this, besides the fact that the idea's been bouncing around in my head for a while.
For a long, long while.

It's like the lizard project.
Dew and Droplets and all of their kids.
But it's also not.
It's not like having a loving, loyal pet.
It'd be more like...
A child.

I guess what I want is a child.
I genuinely think the administrators would actually kill me over that.
Heh.
Heh...

...

Do I even make genetic modifications?
I could just... grow the slugcat from the base genome, get a specific sequence and boom!
Slugcat.

That's... not what I want though.
I would want them to live a life outside of my can, and do so with some amount of ease.
So modifications it is.
Nothing crazy though.
Stronger and sturdier build, better senses, that's probably it.
Maybe a change in their larynx so they can voice things in both slugcat and modern ancient, just in case.

Though, thinking about that, I bet the energy needed to run it probably wouldn't run well off of plant matter.
So I'd have to make them carnivorous.

Breaking more urges, but it's not like I've shattered them all previously.
Even the most devoted and pious iterator has probably broken a couple in their life.

...

They would need a name.
No need for the endlessly formal ones that we and our creators hold.
And perhaps it would be fitting to name them like a slugcat would name themselves.
And so... that leaves one good option.
Hunter.
Simple, effective, and a good name in of itself.

It's perfect.
They will be perfect.

More to come, though I imagine most of these will be about them.
------

...
I've got work to do.
I save and shut down the computer.

---

Moon should know.
As they will be a large part of my life, they will end up being a good part of her life as well.

Request communication[Moon (LttM)]

...

"Hey Sig."

"Hey."
"I have something to tell you."

"Alright, what is it?"

...
Just say it.
"I'm going to grow a slugcat."

Emotions slowly go over her face.
She slowly processes the implications, and why I would want to do that.
She also seems to realize what that would mean with her involved in the equation.

...

...

She slowly begins to nod.
"...Alright."
"I can see why you told me."
...
"I presume you would name them, right?"

I nod.
"Hunter."

...
She nods.
"Interesting."
"What... do you plan on doing?"

"...I don't really know."
"I would like for them to be able to live a normal-ish, for a slugcat anyways, life."
"...I don't really know beyond that."

She nods.
...
"Well."
"Whatever you do."
"I am willing to help."

That...
That makes me feel so much better about this.
I mean.
I would have done it without her, in the end we still live too far apart for it to interfere with her life without her permission.
But she wants to help!
I hug her in excitement.

"Oh!"

"Thank you, thank you Moonie."

...
I feel her arms wrap around me.
...
"You're welcome, Siggy."

---

Time flies by..
I chose essentially a random sequence of slugcat DNA, and get to work.

I remember very clearly saying something about 'they will be perfect' in the log but honestly?
There's no point in that, I don't need them to have 'perfect' genetics, if such a thing was possible.
I vow to myself not to change anything that doesn't need to be changed for how I want their structure to be, or in the case they have some kind of genetic disease, to remove that.
I don't even check whether they'll be a boy or girl until well into the process, because it simply doesn't matter to me.
They're a boy.
I move on.

Moon all the while discusses what our plan is.
Do we teach him, do we train him?
When should we let him out to roam on his own?
We shouldn't be too controlling, we don't want to be like our creators.
Though I notice she slips on that, because she has a very specific creator in mind when she says that.
I don't mention it, out of respect.

We end up talking and talking and talking some more.
And we end up with a plan so loose it could hardly be called one.
Love him, teach him what he needs to know of our lives, and teach him everything he needs to know for his.
Everything will fall into place from there.

---

...It's done.
Now to...
Set up a lab to run through it.
...
...Void, this is really happening.
I'm going to have a son.
...
Moon seems to be having disbelief right about now.
"...How do you feel about this?"

"...Not how I was expecting my night to go."
"But... I can't say I'm not a little excited."
...
"It's weird."
"Just..."
"I never really thought about it before, you know?"
"But now that you've proposed this idea and I..."
"Can't help but feel like..."
...
"I want to do this."

"...Yeah."
"I've had the basic idea ever since... ever since I got the slugcat genome."
"But I didn't even think about what I really wanted until... today."
"And just... yeah."

"...Yeah."

---

I boot up the growth vat, get everything ready.
And then it is.
And everything's started.
Twenty cycles.

There's... there's no going back.
It's happening.
Stars above it's happening.
...
I'm nervous.
I'm excited, but I'm nervous.

I turn to Moon, who's also looking at the window displaying the growth vat's status.
...
"...I'm nervous."

"Yeah."
"I am too."
...
"...We'll do good, right?"

"...I hope so."
"I hope so."

Notes:

dw anyone who's read/knows the plot of Frankenstein, Sig is a much more responsible father than Victor.
Doesn't mean nothing goes wrong though :)

Chapter 74: Victor Frankenstein pt. 2

------
21.019 / 0600

Ten cycles from now.
Two hundred hours.

I'm glad that the growth vat promotes accelerated growth, otherwise this would feel unbearable.
Though this still feels unbearable.

Me and Moon have been talking more about it. As we have been these last ten cycles.
We came up with the necessary machines they need post... birth still feels like a slightly wrong word for it.
Because it's not like any form of natural birth across any part of the animal kingdom, let alone slugcats.
He'll just pop out the vat a newborn.
Once that happens I'll take them to my chamber and be caring for them for the four or so cycles they'll need warmth and 'chewed up' food.
As he grows I will continue to help him, making sure he's growing good, he's growing strong, things like that.
Of course, the whole time I will also be teaching him how to speak, both the slugcat language and the ancients' language.

Though technically there's not any ancients left to speak it, so it could be called the iterators' language now.
Doesn't really matter though, and honestly sounds a little pretentious.

Anyways, patiently waiting, and more to come.
------

I save and shut down the computer.

---

Moon wraps a hand around my body.
"...I'm nervous."
"What if we mess up?"
"What if we don't give him what he needs?"
"What if-"

"It'll be fine, Moonie."
"We're already as prepared as we can be."
"And we're willing to love him, right?"
"That will be enough."

"...You're right, you're right."
"Love him and give him what he needs, right?"

I wrap an arm around her.
"Exactly."
"Sure it'll be a first time for us, but we have a pretty decent idea of what we need to do, and while there'll surely be problems..."
"We were kinda built to solve those, right?"

She chuckles at that.
"You're right, you're right."
"It'll be fine."

"It will."

###

21.029 / 0513
An hour now.

Void I'm so nervous.
I've checked everything, every warm pad, every liter of nutrient paste, everything.
Everythings perfect.

The paste should as closely match the consistency and nutrients of chewed up food, specifically batfly pupae.
The warming pads tuned to heat up to safe levels, to give him, Hunter, the warmth that my body could never match besides in... rather undesirable circumstances. They're also much more comfortable than bare metal.
I've checked through every little thing I need to remember, every little fact, every medical checkup I need to do and how often. I've checked and double checked and triple checked.
I'm as ready as I can be.

Moon's the same, and currently is waiting for the holograms to cool, so she can be there as long as possible.
She'll return about two minutes before things happen, she said.

I just got a message about an hour ago from Frontiers saying he wishes the best, and to send pictures.
I'll be sure to do that.

...
Probably won't make any of these for a few cycles, I'll be busy.
More to come after then.
------

...
I save and shut down the computer.

---

Thirty minutes now.
Everything's in place.

Transportation to my chamber is set up to be as smooth as possible...
Wearing the warm pads under my poncho...
They shouldn't be immediately hungry, so that'll be on standby.
The chamber is set up to be very humid, and I've applied anti-rust coating everywhere, which should be perfect to simulate the outside, perfect for water consumption.

Speaking of, still find it very interesting that nearly every creature 'drinks' water through respiration nowadays.
It makes sense, considering the outside humidity, but still.

Anyways...
...
I think that's everything I need to do right away.
...I guess I'm as ready as I can be.

---

Ten minutes.

I have a window of the vat open.
Not that I need it, I know the millisecond it'll open.

And sure, it has vitals open, but I also have fail safes set up, and nothing should go wrong anyways.

Oh, Moon's calling.
Fair enough.
I accept the invitation.

...

"Void, I'm nervous."
"And you're the one doing everything!"

"Yeah."
"Yeah I'll be honest, I'm trying to remain calm."
"...Not really succeeding."

She nods, and floats over to me.
"You'll do good, I believe in you."

...
"Thanks."

---

Five minutes now.

There's nothing to do at this point, nor any last minute project I could start up.
Just... waiting.

---

Two minutes.

Moon's obviously antsy as well.
Just as nervous, and impatient, as I am.
Waiting.

---

A minute now.

Waiting.

Forty seconds.

Waiting.

Twenty seconds.

Waiting.

Ten seconds.

Five.
Four.
Three.
Two.
One.

Automatic systems whirr to life, taking the newborn Hunter out and severing the artificial umbilical cord, as well as performing one last medical checkup.
Within seconds I get the response.

Heart rate, weight, among other more subtle things.
All perfectly healthy.

...There shouldn't have been doubt, the growth vats have never failed me with producing worker purposed organisms before, some often much trickier to grow.
Regardless, I feel worry wash off from me like morning dew.

An inspector programmed for this begins performing its sequenced tasks of delivering it to my chamber.
I wouldn't trust the transport pipes with this, so this is the only way.

I watch its progress on a display.
Slowly approaching.

"Everything good so far?"

She didn't see the notification from the growth vat.
"Perfect."

She sighs in relief.
I can't help but do the same, letting out some pent up energy.

...
"Still have things to do."

"Yeah, but you know what to do."
"You'll do just fine."

...
"You're right."

...
They're almost here.

I float up to the chamber entrance.

...

The tendrils of the inspector slowly push him in.
And there he is.
Hunter.

...

 

No time to waste!
I bring them to my arms.
The warm pads, already on, give him the warmth he needs.

I increase gravity, slowly, to 1g.
Then I bring him down to the ground, where Moon is waiting.

...

They're looking at me, in complete silence.

Moon's looking at them.
"...They are the cutest thing I've ever seen."

I'd...
I'd have to agree.
"...Our little Hunter."
...
It's happening.
I...
I have a son.

...We have a son.
Moon's a part of this too, by her own volition.

...
I should speak to them.
"...Hi Hunter."

He stares at me for a little longer, then reaches out for my face.

I bring my arms closer to my face, to let him touch it.

He touches it.

My composure breaks.
He's perfect.
He's wonderful.
He's as cute as anything!

Moon seems to be feeling the same thing.
"He's perfect, Siggy."

"He is!"
I look at the cute little thing with its paw on my face.
"Yes you are!"
He notes my enthusiasm, and looks excited.
Still not making any noise though.
...
I think I remember that from when Traveler was showing me her son.
I didn't hear them at all when she was talking.
Maybe it's normal then.
"...I think it's normal that they're not talking."

"Oh."
"Were you worried about that too?"

"A little."

"Mhm."
"What makes you think that?"

I tell her about Traveler's son.

"Mmm. Ok."
"I guess that develops later?"

"I would presume so."
...
"We'll worry about it later."
"For now..."
"I think it's best we tend to things at hand, hmm?"

She chuckles.
"I think that's a good idea."

She sits down, and I do the same.
I cradle Hunter in my arms all the while, watching as perfection incarnate begins to fall asleep.

Notes:

Hunter time :)

Chapter 75: The Logs of a Loving Father

------
20.031 / 400
Things are going...
Good.
Little Hunter is proving to be... a little difficult to take care of.

But I knew that.
I knew that was going to be the case in childhood.
So I'm not worried.

Also, on a side note.
Looks like I'll have more time to write these than I thought, so these'll continue.

Moon's been staying in call as much as she can.
She does what she can to care for him, and we've struck a sort of arrangement.

She'll do the things that aren't physical.
Using scanners, piping in food, fabricating this or that.
That kind of stuff.
And of course we *have* tried for her to attempt physical contact, which he seems to be fine with.
I can tell it's not the same as my touch though.

Fair enough, and she seems alright enough with it.
But I can tell she wants to hold him like I do.

...

We sent pictures to Frontiers.
He should have sent his message by now, but it'll still be like... a cycle till we hear back.

I wish he could be here too.
He'd love to see Hunter in person.
He said so himself.

...
I miss him.

...

More to come.
------
---

---
------
20.036 / 1800
Hunter just spoke!!!!
Just simple noises.
But still!!!

...

In other news I'm really glad I had the foresight to set my actuator strength to 1% for the foreseeable future.
Hugs are only nice when the recipient *survives* them after all.

Though they'd come back, there's nothing particularly affecting them karmically.
Or at all, which I am quite grateful for.

Still.
I don't want them to just *die.*
Sure, I've accepted that'll happen someday because a lizard got a little hungry.
But...
Still.

There is a reason I gave them the modifications I did.
Survival.

Anyways, looks like they're wanting some attention.
More to come.
------
---

---
------
20.048 / 1300
Hunter walked on two legs today!
We're so proud of him!

He's been making more noises too.
He's become quite the chatterbox, haha.
Nothing recognizable yet, in either language we've been speaking to him.

Speaking of, I've made a sort of realization, though it should have been *much* more obvious.
Slugcats use their tail for some parts of communication.
I don't have a tail.
...
While I'm not willing to modify myself to *give* me a tail...
...Yet, anyways, it's more of an indifference and effort thing than anything.
And at this point Moon is quite capable of realistic holographic simulations.
So I asked her to cook something up.
She's actually working on that right now.
She hopes to have that working by next cycle.

Op, he's waking up.
More to come.
------
---

---
------
20.050 / 900
Me and Hunter just played a little game.
Now that the holographic tail is working, I can stamp it on the ground.
He seems to like that, and will try doing it himself.

Figuring that this is good, both in exercise and learning his body, I've been repeatedly doing this, and letting him respond.
He seems to enjoy it, considering the noises he makes.
I enjoy it as well, it's kinda fun.

Moon's also contributing to this.
Makes sense, as it doesn't involve physical contact and she had the foresight to add noise generation to the simulation, allowing it to sound like we're actually thumping tails on the chamber floor, something that I'm sure is very beneficial for Hunter's learning process.

Speaking of, he seems to be learning very well.
Of course, I've been making sure of that. It's not like there's much else to do besides care for him and teach him.
And while 'caring for him' can take up a good bit of time, it's mainly because it pops up at random moments.
He gets a lot of time to learn.

That's all I've got to say for now.
More to come.
------
---

---
------
20.061 / 1500
"Da."
That's what Hunter just said to me an hour ago.
Then he said it again.

I
I'm so happy.
I'm so happy.
I hugged him, and he was excited, and *we* were excited!
And everything was *amazing!*

I'm still giddy just thinking about it.
I'm trying to keep it in though, so they can sleep soundly.

Moon's also really happy too.
She said she can't wait to hear 'Ma' from him.
I honestly expect that to happen maybe tomorrow.
He's a smart little thing, he'll pick it up fast.

Anyways, really fucking happy right now.
More to come.
------
---

---
------
20.062 / 900
There it is.
"Ma."
Moon was so, *so* happy.

That's all.
More to come.
------
---

---
------
20.074 / 0100
He's been picking up on more words now.
One I note is 'ug,' for bug, i.e. food.
Another being 'im', which as far as I can tell is 'climb,' meaning he wants to climb on me.

Some things he's developing better in slugcat.
He's gotten good at expressing using his tail, generally for excitement, though sometimes he gets a little upset and I can tell by how he thumps his tail.

I'm happy to say that it's pretty rare he actually gets upset.
He mainly gets upset because he's hungry, though he's better at communicating that now and often does so before he gets 'hangry' as Moon put it.
Though one time he got a little upset because I was writing one of these instead of paying attention to him.
Oops.
Needless to say, that hasn't happened again.

Anyways.
More to come.
------
---

---
------
20.079 / 1500
Just performed Hunter's second checkup.
No health problems.
Body's growing good, so is his mind.
In fact he's a little ahead of my predictions on that so I'm quite happy.
Weight is good, healthy.
So is height.
Though both are a bit more than average, but that's expected from the modifications.

So everything's good.

I'm quite happy about that.

More to come, as usual.
------
---

---
------
20.099 / 300
He said my name.
He said 'Ig.'
He said it.
Holy shit.
I'm so happy.
I-

We were really happy when we heard it.

...
Holy shit.
He just said "Moo."
One second I-
------

"...Say that again?"

He looks at her.
"Moo."
He's pointing at her.

...
...She's crying.

She takes him off the ground.
"Oh I love you I love you I love you!"

I set the computer down and move over to them.

He's very happy, he can tell he said something good.
"Moo!"

"Yes! That's me!"
"I'm Moon!"

"Moo!"
He notices and turns to me.
"Ig!"

Void if I could be smiling like he is I would be right now.
I'm so proud of him!
"That's me!"
"I'm Sig!"
...
I point to Moon.
"Who is she?"

"Moo!"

She looks at me with a complicated emotion that I think is 'Fuck, you're making me happier.'

I chuckle.
"And who am I?"

"Ig!"

...
The joy coursing through me, and presumably Moon, can not be described.
...
Now would be a good time to thump the tail!
I thump it.

He giggles, and I see his tail 'thump' as well, though as he's being hugged and is in mid air it doesn't hit anything.

...
I hug the both of them.

This cycle's been good.
Very good.

###

------
...
I'm back.
It's been a little bit, maybe a couple hours, just forgot to finish this one.
We celebrated.
Well after he went to sleep me and Moon are still *ecstatic.*
We feel on top of the world.

Damn right!
-Moon

...
Fair enough.
Thanks Moon.

...Yeah.
Just feeling really happy right now.

More to come.
------
---

---
------
20.125 / 1900
Things are going good.
Hunter's learning more words, and more importantly, more sounds to make those words.
He said 'Sig' today.
I was so proud.

He's growing quite well, and is seemingly having a growth spurt.

I did some calculations based on how tall Traveler was (about .9m on two legs and the few times I saw her on four about .4m) and took a guess on about how tall Hunter would be, considering his genetics.
I'm guessing when he gets older he'll be about 1.1m or so, maybe as tall at 1.3m.
Of course I could also run a genetics simulation.
But it's kinda fun not knowing these things, you know?
Let things be a little surprise.
Of course, the things I *need* to know, I look into.
But his height at adulthood?
As long as he doesn't grow taller than an ancient (which he won't) it doesn't particularly matter.

Anyways, looks like he's starting to stir, he's probably gonna be hungry.
More to come.
------
---

---
------
20.182 / 0200
We painted today.
I got out some acrylics and a large paper sheet to cover the floor and let him go wild with them.
No tools, no nothing, just hands.
Luckily he's smart enough to not eat it.

He had a lot of fun.
We had a lot of fun, really.
Because I did it with him, showing him what to do and just having a good time messing around, not doing anything serious.
Moon had a fun time watching us be little goofballs.
She even started painting something of the two of us, though she's not letting me see it.

She'll show me it eventually.

For now though...
I've got to wash off a couple things.
I have a feeling the scarf will be quite the ordeal.

More to come.
------
---

---
------
20.197 / 1700
I'm making myself a tail.
I feel like it.
I like being able to communicate with Hunter on that level.

Honestly the hard part will be the plating around the attachment point, as that'll need some amount of modification. The tail itself will be *easy.*
It also needs to still *look* the same without anything attached, because I don't think I want to have the tail *all* the time.

Still, should be easy enough.

More to come.
------
---

---
------
20.198 / 0300
Self Modification Taboo.
Fuck.
I
I completely forgot.
It's never affected me before.
None of them have.

Luckily...
I know how to circumvent it.
And Moon is willing to help.
Just let her produce it.
That's it.

It's insane how such a massive loophole exists.
Though of course, when they were still around it wasn't like this could exactly be abused.
To do any deliveries that would break another's taboo would by and large have to be delivered by train, and they would notice that.

Whatever.
At least I still get to make the tail without issue.

More to come.
------
---

---
------
20.267 / 1100
Measured Hunter today.
He's a nice 68 centimeters.
He's pretty rapidly approaching my height, and I couldn't be happier.

He's also starting to be able to say actual sentences.
His best so far is "Can I have food?"
When I heard that I was so proud.
*We* were proud.

...

He needs to see the sky.
Soon.
I would have liked to sooner, *much* sooner, but I wouldn't be able to accompany him, not how I would want to anyways.
But he's just about old enough to be supervised by hologram, so I think I will soon.
...Twenty cycles?

That sounds good.

More to come.
------

Chapter 76: Outside

Summary:

Hunter goes outside.

NSH: ...

LttM: What's on your mind?

NSH: It's time.

LttM: Ooooooh...
LttM: Should we wake him?

NSH: No, I don't want to do that to him.
NSH: Besides, he'll be waking pretty soon.
NSH: It's almost morning.

LttM: Fair enough, fair enough.
She looks at me.
LttM: How do you think we should do it?

NSH: Well, the overwatchers have pretty good holographic support, good job on that update, by the way.
NSH: I was figuring we'd guide him up there.
NSH: I'd connect you to one, I'd connect to one as well.
NSH: We show him the holograms, and guide him out.

She thinks about it, then nods.
LttM: Sounds pretty good.
...
LttM: You think he'll be able to get that?

NSH: I do.
NSH: He's pretty smart, as you already know.

LttM: You're right, you're right.
LttM: Just nervous.

NSH; Fair enough, I am a little too truth be told.
NSH: But he can do it, I know he can.

She nods.
LttM: Mhm.

---

...Oooop.
There he is, starting to stir.
...
A little early.
...He went to sleep early, that's why.
It's fine.

I gesture at Moon to follow me.
She nods.

I move down to him, slowly and silently, and she follows suit.

Op!
Biiiiig stretch.

...
I crouch down a little.
Moon does the same, but more than a little.
"Good morning, Hunter."

"Mmm..."
"Hi dad..."

"How are you?"

"Mmm... Tired."

I nod.
"You want to sit in my lap?"

...
"...No."
"Wanna climb."

I nod and chuckle a little.
"Alright, come here."
I get a little closer, and crouch down further.

He walks on all fours over, and grabs onto my shoulders.

"Alright."
"Three, two, one, lift!"

I stand up, and he slings around me and wraps his legs around my torso.
It's truly amazing how easily he can do that.
"All good?"

"Yeah."
He's still groggy.

"Alright."
"Me and Moon have some big plans for today, so let's get started, ok?"

"Ok dad."

---

We perform our little 'morning ritual.'

Play a little.
Get him some food.
Talk for a little while, let him wake up a bit.
And then...

"...So Hunter?"

"Yeah?"

She looks at me, then back to him.
"We want to show you something today."
"...We're going to show you the outside."

"Out... Side?"

My turn.
"Mhm!"
"I've shown you the outside before."
I pull down a painting, the one of the antenna tower.
"This is the outside, remember?"

"Oooooh."
"Out side."

"Yeah!"
"We're going to take you out there today!"
"It'll be cool!"

He looks excited.
"Ok!"
"I wanna go out side!"

Moon looks at me.
She's excited.
So am I.

Her turn.
"Alright!"
"We'll go outside."
"But first we need to do a couple things, ok?"

His excitement cools a smidge.
"Ok."

"First..."
She pulls out an overwatcher.
I do the same.
She points to hers.
"This is..."
"...Iggy."
"Say hi to Iggy, Hunter!"

"Iggy!"

"Mhm!"
"Iggy!"
And this one is..."
She points to mine.
"Wiggy."

"Wiggy!

"Mhm! Good!"
"While we can't go with you directly..."
A hologram of Moon appears above 'Iggy.'
"We'll be with you all the way through these."
She prompts me to do the same with 'Wiggy.'

I take control of Wiggy and project a hologram.
I wave.

"Woooaaahhh!"

"Yep!"
"We'll be taking you the whole way there, ok?"

"Ok!"

"Yep!"
"One more thing before we go."
She brings his blanket over to her.
"Can you carry this?"
"It's gonna be a little cold up there."
She hands it to him.

He takes it.
"Soft."

"Mhm! Very soft."
"Can you carry it with you?"

"Mhm!"

"Great!"
"Sounds like you're all ready then!"

In the corner of my eye.
LttM: You do the gravity work, ok? Make sure we've got at least some gravity all the way up.
Milliseconds after.
LttM: I know he's a good swimmer but I'd rather he walked with us, ok?

Time slows.
NSH: Yeah, sounds good.
NSH: I'm going to let him swim out of the chamber though, ok?

LttM: Sounds good.

Time speeds up.

"Yay!"

My turn.
"Alright Hunter!"
"We're gonna let you swim up there, ok?
I point up to the chamber access.

He looks at it, then back to me, confused.
"But you said..."

"When you're older, right?"
"Well."
"You're older now."

Realization dawns on him.
"Ooooh."
"I am?"

"You are!"
"For now you'll be doing it with our supervision, but eventually you'll be able to do it all by yourself, how's that sound?"

"Cool!"
"When?"

I chuckle.
"Probably sooner than we both think."
I know this happened a little sooner than I thought it would, but here we are.
"Now. How about we do this?"

"Okay!"

He hugs me.
Sweet little thing.
Then, just as fast, he lets go.

"Alright Hunter, get ready to swim!"
I slowly lower the gravity.
.8g.
.6g.
.4g.
.2g.
...0g.

Me and Moon 'swim' up with him, to guide him to the access, and so I can help him through.
While I do so, I raise the access' gravity to .5g, to mitigate the stress on my can.

We reach the top.
We direct our overseers through the hatch.

"Here, let me help you get through, Hunter."
"And stay close to Iggy and Wiggy, alright?"

"Ok dad!"

...
I've come to like that word.

I grab hold of him, tap him on the head with mine, and guide him through the hatch.
"I love you!"

"I love you!"

I switch over to the overseer's view.
There he is, in the access shaft.
"...Can you hear me?"

He turns to my hologram.
"Woah."

"Mhm!"
"Like we said, we'll be able to be with you the whole way."
"And..."
I look around the dark access shaft.
"We'll be able to light the way."

"Oooh..."
"Ok."

Her turn.
"Mhm!"
"So just stick close to us, and we'll take you to the surface.

He nods.
"Ok!
He walks closer and tries to grab my hand.
...
"Why...?"

Right.
"Yeah..."
"That's the one thing about this."
"Can't hold me."
I pass it through him to show what I mean.
"But I'm still here!"
"And I still love you. If I could hold your hand here I would before you knew it."

"...Ok..."

...
I crouch down to him.
"We'll give you a biiiiiig hug when we get back, ok?"
"Trust me, we'll make it all worth it, ok?"

"...Ok."
"Just wanna hug you now."

...
"I do too."
I do a little fake hug, something I've not done in a while now.
"Does this help?"

"...A little."

"Good."
"Let's go see the outside, ok?"

"Ok."
"I wanna go out side."

"That's the spirit!"
"Come on."

I get up, and we all start making our way out.

---

Kinda glad there's a staircase up this way, as far as I'm aware that isn't the case in most cans.
And he seems to be taking it just fine, plenty of energy in him.

LttM: Oh fuck.

Uh oh.
NSH: What is it?

LttM: What if there's something up there?

...
Oh shit.
NSH: ...Go check up there, just connect to an overseer up there or something, ok?

LttM: Good idea.

...

...

LttM: ...Nothing.
LttM: We're good.

...Phew.
NSH: That... got me worried for a second.

LttM: You're tellin me.

"What are those?"

...
He's pointing at the mural.
This is... number four.
Ok.

...How do I answer this?
...
"I'm thinking."
"It's very complicated."
...
NSH: Any idea?

LttM: No.
LttM: Not at this age.
LttM: Honestly I think we should wait.

...
NSH: Fair.
"This..."
"We'll explain it when you're older, you wouldn't get it yet."

...
"Alright."

---

We pass by the fifth mural.
"They look weird."

...Yeah.
I chuckle.
"Yeah, they are pretty weird."
...
"We had parents too, once."
"They were really weird."

"Really?"

Moon chips in.
"Mhm!"
"They were the ones who made these."

"Wow."
"They were weird."

I chuckle.
"Exactly."

...

We're here.
"Alright Hunter, Just go through this opening and we'll meet you on the other side."
I point to the hatch.

The light coming through it is focused directly on Hunter.
Fitting.

"Alright."
"What will I see?"

I think about it.
"I think that... would best be left as a surprise."
"You'll love it, I promise."

...
"Ok."
He reaches for the pole, and begins to climb out.

I move up to the surface, and I see Moon do so as well.

...

He's just standing there.
Staring into the great above.

...

"...Wow."

"It's pretty, right?"

"Yeah..."

He is completely entranced by it.
The sky, the stars, everything.

I walk over and sit down next to him.
Moon does the same.

"What do you like about it?"

"Those."
He points to the sky.
"No. That."
He points to the Moon.

I look over at Moon, on whom the irony is not lost on.
...
She speaks.
"That's the Moon, Hunter."
"It's what I was named after."

"Moon..."
...
"It's pretty."

"It is, isn't it?"
"I'm quite honored to be named after it."

I think about who named her about it, and the look on her face and ever so slight sag tells me she's thinking about him too.
She misses him.

I would too.

---

We sit in silence for a while, us reminiscing and Hunter looking at all the sights in starstruck awe.
Then:

LttM: I miss him.

NSH: I bet.
NSH: I ended up thinking about Silver.

LttM: Yeah. I get that.

...

LttM: They didn't deserve it.
LttM: Either of them.
...
LttM: Any of them.

NSH: Yeah.
NSH: There's nothing left to do now though.
NSH: Nothing but remember the lives lost.

I see her nod out of the corner of my eye.
LttM: Nothing but remember.

---

Eventually, Hunter turns to me.
"What's that?"
He's pointing to the city.

"That... Is where my parents lived."
"Among a lot of others."
"Someday I'll have to take you there, it's quite the sight."
"But not yet."
"It's dangerous now."

...
"What happened?"

"They left."
"And when they left, other things filled it up."

"They... left?"

I nod.
"Mhm."

"Why?"

"I wish I could answer that."
"I never understood why myself."
"They left everything behind."
"Me included."

"...They left you behind?"

"Mhm."
"My parents were weird."
"They weren't nice either."

...
"You won't leave me, right?"

"What?"
"No, no no no, I would never, we, would never."
"We love you, we would never do that to you."

"...Ok."

...

"...Did they not love you?"

...Mmmmm.
Too smart for his own good.
"...No."
"They pretended, at times."
"But they didn't."
...
"...I don't want to talk about it."

"...Ok."

---

"What's down there?"
He's pointing at the clouds.

Moon takes the question.
"The surface."
"Where most things live."
"You're actually quite special for living up here, you know that?"

"I am?"

"You are!"
"You're the most special little thing in the world."
She wraps an arm around him.
It's the thought that counts after all.

He leans in a little, despite that not doing much.
"I love you."

She beams.
"I love you too Hunter."

---

We sit for a while longer.

...

"I wanna go inside."

I look at him.
"Alright sweetie, let's go head inside."
I motion for him to stand.

He does so, and we stand up too.

---

We head back, back down the hatch, past the murals, and into the chamber.

Once he's back inside, we greet him with open arms.
He's happy to be back inside, but more importantly he's happy to be with us again.

We're happy he's back.

He says he wants to explore.
We couldn't be happier.

"Someday, someday soon, Hunter."
"But we'll be sure you get to see the outside a few more times before then, how's that sound?"

"Ok!"
He rushes into a hug, surprisingly pushing me back a little, an impressive feat for his size and age.
"I love you dad."

I wrap my arms around him.
"I love you too."

Notes:

Hey all, just wanted you to know that I uploaded an NSF QnA, where you can ask the characters (including any dead ones) questions, and I will write responses in character.
I was hoping to get some more responses, so I would love if some of y'all left some questions, send as many as you'd like.
Here's the link to where you can send the questions in: https://archiveofourown.org/works/56246995
I'll be writing and releasing the answers end of my sunday, so stay tuned.

Anyways, hope y'all enjoyed the chapter, next one next week as usual. It features Hunter meeting someone new...

Chapter 77: Visitor

Summary:

What happens when Hunter sees another Slugcat for the first time?

------
20.360 / 0900
Hunter's growing well.
He's old enough that I'm starting to teach him some basic survival skills.
He'll need it when he goes out on his own.

Of course, I'm not yet teaching him how to use a spear or anything.
What I'm doing is showing him how to eat live food.
Just polypedes for now, because the small ones don't need to be attacked to eat.

I'm also teaching him how to climb better and crawl through tighter pipes, he'll need it down there.
He's actually proven to be quite good at climbing, seeing that he can use the spaces between the chamber's tilling to climb up the wall, something that is *not* easy considering how small the spaces are.
Honestly I bet with a bit of practice he'll be able to climb on the ceiling.

I've also been teaching him more about what's *on* the surface.
The buildings, the creatures, the rain.

He asked where the rain came from.
...
Today is the first time I had to explain the Can to him.

I did it simply, saying that it's a part of me and not really going much further to it.
But to explain the rain I had a good idea.

I said it gets hot in here, and you know how cold water is, right?
He did.
I use that to stay cold, otherwise things get bad.
This water needs to come out somewhere, somehow, so it becomes the rain.
There's not much I can do about it.

He found it interesting, and didn't hold it against me.
That made me feel a little better.

...

I get a sort of guilt from time to time about the rain.
It's stupid, I know that.
I'm not the one who built me like this.
But we still did very effectively destroy the old ecosystem because of it.
...
I'm sure everyone's felt this way at least once in our lives.
And... it sucks, truth be told.
Not being able to fix that *mistake* of our creators, despite having theoretical solutions to it.
They'd just only work on *new* iterators.

...

There's no reason to dwell on it.
Just gotta live with it.

...

More to come.
------

I save and shut down the computer.

---

...
...Oh.
Huh.
This'll be interesting.

...

"What're you looking at Sig?"

"Slugcat."
I show her the monitor.

"Ooooooh..."
"...How's this gonna work out?"

...
I don't really know.
"I guess we'll see, won't we?"

She nods.

---

She leaves for the time being, the projector's starting to overheat.

While we wait, I end up playing with Hunter a bit.
Mostly climbing, because he happens to enjoy it a good bit.

He tries to climb on my umbilical arm.
I let him, it'll be fine, he's light enough.

---

Moon returns and I take a look at where our guest is.
...
They're at the entrance to the service tunnel.
Pretty close.

---

Hunter seems to notice our...
Antsy-ness?
Something anyways.

"What's wrong?"

I should speak in slugcat.
'Oh nothing.'
'Nothing bad anyways.'
'But something interesting is about to happen.'

'Oooh...'
'Ok.'

'Yep.'
I look at the monitor again.

They're at the hatch.
...
They go throu-
OH SHIT.

...Mmm.
Forgot to turn gravity off.

...
Huh.
They seem fine actually.
...Yeah, ok, I remember now.
They're actually pretty resilient to that kind of stuff.

I walk over to them.
'...Are you alright?'

They get up.
...
'You are... Sig?'

'That's me.'
'What brings you up here?'

She thinks about it.
'Curiosity.'

LttM: Hunter's staring at her.
LttM: Thought you might want to know.
LttM: Also, I'm probably just going to stay out of this, mkay?

NSH: Thanks. And fair enough.
'Understandable.'

...
She notices Hunter.
'...Are you raising?'

Traveler used that word when she was raising her son.
'Indeed I am.'
I turn to him.
'Hunter?'

He blinks, then walks over.

Once by my side, he looks back at her.
'You're... a slugcat?'

She probably took that as 'person'
'Yes.'

Woah...'
He walks over, and investigates.

Putting little paws over her, smelling, watching.
She lets him.

'He's like my own.'
'Touchy.'

Oh she was a mother.
This'll be interesting.
'True.'
'I probably had a hand in that.'

'I probably did with mine too.'
'Curiosity serves well.'

'Indeed.'

---

I end up sitting down, and the visitor does as well.
She continues to let Hunter investigate, something I'm grateful for.
He needs the experience.

'He looks strong.'

'He eats good.'
'And plays well.'

'That would do it.'
'He'll make it good on his own, like I hope mine has.'

...That feels good to hear.

---

'He doesn't have a normal life, I'm guessing?'

Not for a slugcat.
'Not as normal as I'd like it.'
'He's spent all his life atop the world.'
'I want that to change someday though.'
'My kind of life wouldn't serve him well.'

She thumps her tail in a way I recognize as affirmation.
'I understand.'
'You stay in this room, I've heard?'

'Yes.'
'I understand that's not a good life for you all.'

Another thump.
'I don't understand how you could.'

'It's all I've ever known.'
'Like your life is all you've ever known.'

'True.'
'What does the lizard do that we don't understand?'

I nod.
'Indeed.'
A very wise way of putting it.

---

'I'm curious.'
'Do you have a name?'

'No.'
'I've met others that do though.'

I nod.
'Makes sense.'
'What do you think of names?'

'Interesting.'
'That is all.'

I nod.

---

Hunter speaks, seemingly satisfied with his investigation.
'How many are there?'

She seems to get what he's asking.
'A lot.'
'All below the clouds.'
'When you go down there eventually, you'll see one.'

'Interesting...'
'What's it like down there?'

'Darker.'
'Sometimes more open than in here, more often not.'
'Dangerous too.'

'Dad told me about that.'
'How... dangerous?'

'If you're clever, not that much.'
'Keep a good eye and a good nose, and you'll be fine.'

'Oookay...'
'You think I could?'

'...Not yet.'
'But it seems your... 'dad' seems to be teaching you good.'
Right, a dad isn't something they think of.
It's not like the mother and father stick together.

'I... understand.'

'Good.'

---

Like that, he keeps investigating her.
I guess I was wrong about him being satisfied.

'It's interesting, now that I'm aware of it.'
'You're a male.'

I nod.
'I am.'
'Basically anyways.'
'I'm not a male like you would understand.'
'I just say I am.'

She thumps her tail.
'You are a strange one.'

'Yes, I am.'

---

'Who is she?'
She's pointing at Moon.

NSH: Might as well come down.

LttM: Yeah, I heard her.
I see her start drifting down.

...How do I put it? They don't really have a concept of relationships outside a mother and child.
...
'She plays as much a role in raising him as I do.'

'...Interesting.'

I nod.
'...Would you like to learn something?'
'Something of the world I came from?'

'...Sure.'

---

As Moon sits down beside me, I begin to explain the Ancients' concepts of relationships.
Of friends, who often attempt to find the other, just to be with them.
Of romantic relationships, those who keep closer to others often in a more tighter sense.
Of familial relations, acquaintances, dating, enemies, rivals, friendly and otherwise.

As I do, I note Hunter sort of listening, but slowly drifting off to sleep.

I note our visitor taking it in, much more attently as well.

Finally I mention Iterators, and how we differ from our creators' views.
Though I do know roughly where I'd put me and Moon if forced to give it a label.

She notes things as well as I talk through it, making quite clever observations and asking good questions.
She notes that she doesn't exactly understand how it would happen, but finds this all interesting.

---

'That was very interesting.'

'Thank you.'
'I hope you understand why me and Moon stick together through this.'

'I think I do.'
'I don't see myself doing this though.'

'I don't expect you to.'
'We've already established that we're quite different.'

A tail thump.
'Indeed.'

---

'I think I do want to share this information.'

'Of course.'
'I've noted your kind like doing that.'
'I must admit we're quite partial to sharing information as well.'

Tail thump.
...
'This was very interesting.'
'I thank you for sharing.'
'...I think I'm ready to leave.'

I nod.
'I won't keep you here.'
'Let me help you out.'
'Oh, and sorry about that rather sudden fall.'

'I've faced worse unscathed.'

Exactly.
I nod.
'Alright, let me push you up to the exit.'

I start shifting gravity, in a very... local field, to prevent picking up Hunter.
She notices.

'What's...?'

'This is how I help people out.'
'Please remain calm, and don't worry, I'm very gentle with this.'

She remains calm as I slowly lift her up and towards the hatch.
I float up with her.

We reach the hatch.
'Farewell.'

'Farewell.'
She goes through the hatch.

...

I return to the floor.
Hunter woke up when I got up, it looks like.

I sit down and tap my crossed lap.

He crawls over and into my lap.

...
I look at Moon
NSH: Guess I'll be here for a little while.

LttM: Heh.

She scoots in a little.
She puts a hand on my back, and begins massaging slightly.

Aaaah...
NSH: I'd get some qualia for you if you kept doing that.

LttM: No need.
LttM: I'll do it because I love you~

...
Yeah.

I let her keep doing it, taking in the soft pressures put upon my back.

Chapter 78: Question and Answer

"All done!"
"You're perfectly healthy."

He relaxes, and sits down, tired from having to stand in place for so long under the medi-scanner.

I do the same.

...

"Dad?"

"Yes, Hunter?"

"...Why are we different?"

...Ah.
...
"...I kinda wondered when you would ask."
...
"When'd you first realize?"

"After... the other slugcat."

I nod.
"Makes sense."
"...I guess it would be appropriate to briefly explain how things are... normally."
...
"Usually, two members of the same species come together, a male and a female, and have one or multiple children."
"The female, the mother, grows the child or children inside her for some amount of time, and then gives birth to them."
"Though, as you probably know by now, it's never that simple."
"But anyways, for you it would have been the normal way, with two slugcats."

...
He nods.
"Alright."
"And... how did you do it?"

"Very differently."
"To put it simply, I replaced the whole process mentioned earlier with a machine."
"This machine grew you until you were ready, where then me and Moon took over in raising you."
"And now here we are."

He takes it in, slowly.
"Weird."

I nod.
"It is weird."
...
...
"You want question time?"
"Considering that you've already asked a question?"

He thinks, then nods his head enthusiastically.
"Yeah!"
"When will Moon get here?"

"Soon, I'm sure."
"But we can just start with me and you for now, mkay?"

"Ok."

"Great!"
"So. Anything else on your mind?"

He thinks about it.
"Hmm..."
...
"What were those paintings?"
"You said you would tell me when I got older."

...
I guess we're doing all the big questions today, huh.
"That is true."
...
He's old enough.
He can take it.
...
"...Well."
"...Here."
"Let me get a copy of the paintings..."
I pull up copies of each mural from my memory.
"These... are the urges, or representations of them."
"Every person and creature feels most or all of these at some point or another."
"Often multiple times."
...He might not get how it's what ties us to this world, nor is it all that important.
Yet at least.

"...They all look ugly."

Keen eye.
"Very true."
"Whoever made these intentionally made them... unseemly."
"I've mentioned my parents a few times before, perhaps now would be a good time as well."
...And perhaps a good time to mention they are ties to this world.
"...In a second, I need to explain some other things first."
"You see, these urges..."
"They're kind of like ties, things that keep something attached to another thing."
"For example, I'm tied to you through my love of you."
I tap his nose for emphasis.

He giggles.

"Keeping track so far? You get what a tie is?"

"Mhm!"

"Great."
"Well, these urges are ties, like my love."
"And they tie us, and every other person and creature, to this world."
"We are beings of the world."

He takes it in.
"Interesting..."
"...Did your parents think differently?"

Smart.
"My parents... indeed didn't think it was that 'interesting.' "
"You see, when you're tied to the world, you... can't really leave it."
"You're brought back under all circumstances."
"I remember someone saying something a long time ago that explains it nicely."
" 'Like sleep, like death, you wake up again.' "
...Finish the line, Sig, it's important.
"He also added the line, 'whether you want to or not.' "
...
"My creators, and many of their kind, got tired."
"Tired of waking up again, and again, and again."
"They sought a way out."
"The most obvious solution was simple."
"Ridding themselves of the urges, the things that tied them to this world; and to its effects."
"So that is what they tried."

"...And what are they?"
"I mean."
"Those are the 'urges', right?"

I nod.

"What are they?"

Right, still need to actually say that.
Void, I was going on a tangent there, wasn't I?
"Right, of course."
I pull the first urge closer to us.
"This one, is 'Violence.' "
"Any form of fighting, no matter the circumstance."
"What I've been teaching you, our self defense lessons, goes under this."

"...Doesn't sound that bad."

"Correct!"
"Remember, these are only pictured as ugly because the people who made them didn't like them."
"This is what they thought of any violence, whether it was 'good' or 'bad.' "
"Which, for their goal I guess is the case."
"Both tie you to this world."

...
"Is that a bad thing?"

"Being tied to the world?"
"I certainly don't think so."
"I've gotten to live here for quite a while now and to be honest I like it."
"Do you like being alive?"

...
"Yeah."

"Exactly."
"I'll be honest, I don't entirely get how they ended up thinking like that."
Tangent!
"In any case."
"The second one is..."
...
"Procreation, or having a child."
"And all the available methods of doing so."
"We've already discussed how I've interacted with this one."

"Yeah."

"Mhm."
I pull the third to us.
"Next... has a few different things it covers, all tied under the concept of interacting with another."
"Relationships, kindness, exchange of knowledge or possessions, anything that involves another person."

He looks confused.
"But..."

I nod.
"Yes, those are all fairly good things, right?"

"Yeah!"
"Why'd they think they were so bad?"

"Because it tied them to this world."
"They were very set in stone about this."
"This one also caused a specific problem for them, actually."
"Specifically, the part on kindness."
"Because so many were determined to ascend, they of course wanted to help others in that path."
"But that would be kindness, a tie to the world, thus defeating the point."
"So... they wanted to find a way to help, without them themselves helping."
"Thus... they made the iterators."
I gesture to myself.
"We were designed to do the helping, so they did not need to."
"We were specifically designed to not follow them, so that there would be no harming us by us helping."

He takes it in.
...
"Isn't..."
"...That doesn't feel good."
"They... thought that leaving was good, but didn't let you leave yourself."

...
Wow.
I...
"...Yeah."
"That's exactly the case."
"They..."
...It doesn't need to be said, not this cycle by any rate.
"Yeah."
...
...
"I want you to know, I won't ever be like that to you."
"If I think something would be good for you, you will get it."

...
"Thanks."

"You're welcome."
...
...
"I promise the other two aren't as... crazy or anything."
I push the third urge away and pull the fourth urge closer.
"This one is simply just... enjoying life and what it has to offer, and this example specifically shows enjoying food."
"This is all because if you enjoy life, you're therefore enjoying the world, which ties you to it."

"...Ok."
"...Doesn't sound very fun to not enjoy life."

"It does not."
I push the forth away and pull in the fifth.
"This one is also simple, surviving."
"Simply trying to survive and or live is a tie."

"...There's a difference between those?"

"Oh! Yes, there is."
"Surviving is simply attempting to get from one day to the next, getting food, avoiding death, that kind of stuff."
"Living is going beyond that and actually trying to experience what the world offers, preferably to the benefit of you and others."
"They're related, but out of the two, you'd rather be living."

He nods.
"Ok, that makes sense."
"...I'm living right now, right?"

"I would say so, you're doing more than what you need to stay alive, right?"

...
"Yeah... I am!"

"Then you're living!"
"I like to think I'm living too, same goes for Moon."
"For example, making art isn't required to stay alive, but I certainly feel better for doing it."

He nods.
"Yeah..."
"Ok... I get it now."

"Good!"
"And with that... that's what all of the murals are, what they mean, and why they're so ugly."
"With that said, you got any more questions?"

He thinks about it.
"...No."
"Not yet."
"...I wanna climb, can I climb?"

"Sure thing, let me get things set up."
I put away the pictures, then open up a compartment and pull out some collapsible poles.
I'm glad I had this idea, it works much better for the both of us.
No strain on my umbilical, and a more diverse climbing environment for him.

I start setting up the poles, extending them out to various lengths, then placing them across my chamber.
The perfect climbing environment, at least considering the restrictions that my chamber imposes.

"There we go!"
"All set up!"

He wraps around me in a burst of a hug, then let's go.
"Thanks dad!"
He starts heading to the nearest pole, and starts climbing.

...

...Wow.
His skill never ceases to amaze me, especially for his age.

...

Moon's calling.
I accept the call.

Aaaand there she is.
"Hey Moon."

"Hi Mom!"

"Hi Hunter!"
"I see you're having fun?"

"Mhm!"

"Well I won't stop you. I'm gonna talk with Sig, mkay?"

"Mkay!"

She turns to me.
There's a jovial look in her eyes.
She comes down to sit with me.
"And how are you doing, Siggy?"

"Good."
"We had a shortish question time."

"Oh! About what?"

...Hmm.
"He wanted to know what the murals were."

...
"Ah."

I nod.
"We had a good talk about it, it went smoothly."
"I'll tell you more about it later."

"...Mkay."
...
"How was the checkup?"

"Good."
"Nothing was wrong and he was very brave."

"Oh good."
She watches him climb from pole to pole.

"He's really good at that."

"Yeah."
"You sure you didn't put that in him?"

"Nope, he's just simply a natural."
"And I couldn't be happier."

"Mhm."

---

She turns back to me after a bit.
"You think he's ready?"

Ready for his first trip?
...
"We gotta get him out there soon, at the very least."
"And I think I'm overthinking how prepared he needs to be."

"We probably both are."

I nod.
"Exactly."
"Can't help but be worried though."

"Yeah."
...
"Here, here's an idea."
"Ten cycles, we inform him, and give all of us ten cycles to prepare."
"Otherwise we might back out."

"...Good as any."

She nods.
"Good as any."

Chapter 79: Outside pt. 1

Notes:

Warning: There is a description of a centipede corpse, and a certain slugcat relishing eating it fresh.
If you dont want to read that, when you see the line 'I killed a centipede', skip to 'I start exploring' using ctrl-f or equivalent.

------
20.483 / 0900

...Hoo boy.
It's been a... somewhat stressful last ten cycles.

Let me collect my thoughts.
1. Hunter is going outside today.
Fine enough, he's done that three times now.
2. He is doing so without us 'following' him, i.e. no holograms from the overseers, and minimal communication.
He's said he's alright with this, and of course we'll still have an overseer watching.
3. He's going to be out there for two cycles.
...
I'm nervous.
I'm *really* nervous.

Why'd I have to agree to that plan!
What if something goes

------

"I'm nervous too."

...

I set down the laptop.
...I sigh.
"...And we both know it's irrational, right?"

She nods.
...
"He's ready."
"He's heading over from storage to see you one more time, in person."

I nod.
"Good."
"He has everything?"

"Mhm."
"A light backpack, which I recognize, by the way."

I nod, Traveler's pack.

"Spare food, in case he can't find something good for him."
"Some rope, for if he wants to climb somewhere where there isn't a pole."
"Bandages."
"A knife."
"We agreed on no spear, right?"

"Too heavy."

"Exactly."
"And finally, a radio communicator."
"...That thing's been around for a while, hasn't it?"

I nod.
It's gone through three owners now.
First Silver, then Traveler, and now my son.

"I would ask you why you still have it, as if I didn't have my own set of sentimental trinkets."
She chuckles.
"It actually grew quite a bit recently, can you guess why?"

I nod.
Jewels.

"A few volumes of poetry, on two different pearls. A few different programs of different levels of intrigue and functionality."
"A couple pieces of incomplete art, you've seen those."

I nod.
"I still think he held potential."

"Probably."
"He just didn't feel it."

I nod.
"A perfectly fair reason."

"Mhm."

...

...

"I think it's not just nervousness."
"I'm scared."
"Scared for him."
"I've... never really been scared before, not like this."

...
She nods.
"Yeah."
"Yeah I... I feel that."
...
"...As someone who has been scared before..."
She wraps an arm around me.
"I get it."

"I'm here!"
...Indeed he is.

"Hi Hunter!"
"Let's get you down here."
She takes the gravity and slowly pulls him down.

I stand up.
"Hey Hunter."

He lands, and embraces me in a hug.
I know I'm only a meter tall, but it still surprises me how tall he is.
"Hey dad."
He leans in a little, and whispers.
"What's wrong?"

...
"Am I that obvious?"

"You're sagging, a little."

Mmm.
...Moon's looking away.
...
"...I'm scared."
"Scared for you, scared that you'll get hurt, scared..."

"Dad."
He leans in a little deeper, whispers a little quieter.
"I'm... I'm a little scared too."
"But..."
"But when I think about what I'm doing, where I'm going?"
"I'm so excited."

...
"I am too."
"I... never wanted you to be in here forever."
"I wanted you to experience the world, to see everything it had to offer, maybe find home with your people someday."
"And... now that it's happening..."
"I'm scared something will go wrong."
...
"But nothing will, and if it does-"

"We've thought of that."

I nod into his shoulder.
"We thought of that."
...
"You'll be fine."
...
"I love you, Hunter."

"Love you too, dad."
He pulls away.
"I wanna talk to Mom before I go, ok?"

"Ok, you do that."
"Love you."

He smiles.
"Love you."
He walks over to Moon.

They begin talking.
I look away, same way Moon did.

...

I'm feeling a little better.
Comforted.
...

------
...
Feeling better.
Had a good talk from Moon and Hunter.

It'll be fine, it'll work out.

...

And even if it doesn't...
He'll come back, and we'll all learn from it.
And we'll try again, for his sake.

...
I haven't really mentioned this yet, nor have we said anything about it, but...
He's getting too big for my chamber.
Sure, staying in here for the night is something I hope never completely stops, but for him to spend 70+% of his time in here... it's no longer healthy for him.
In all honesty, we should have done this sooner.
I kept putting it off, we all did.

...

That's enough for now, and besides I'll probably make another of these before the cycle is out.
More to come.
------

Aaaand... looks like they're about done.

"...Ok."
"Ok."
"Mom, dad?"
"I'm ready."

"...Ok."
Ok.
"Be safe as you can, if you think you're in danger, tell us."

"I will! I will."
"...I love you."

"Love you too, Hunter."
"It's going to be amazing."

Moon nods.
"It will."
"Good luck!"

He smiles.
"Thanks."

...Alright.
I start shifting the gravity, pulling him out of the room.
Pull it together.
"Love you!"

"Love you!"

"Love you, Hunter!"
"You'll do great!"

"Thanks!"
He slips through the hatch.

...

...
Holy shit.
...
I turn to Moon, and she seems to be experiencing the same feelings I am.

...
"Do... do we watch him?"

...
As much as I want to...
"I trust him."
...
"I think if he really needs help..."
"He'll tell us."

...
She nods.
"You're... you're right."
"...He'll be fine."
"He'll be fine."

I don't mention that I know she's trying to convince herself as much as me.

###

###

I crawl through the hatch.

...

This is happening.
I...

It's time to go.
There's so much to see, and not enough time to see it all.
Not yet, anyways.

I start swimming through the tunnel.

---

And there are the murals.

The first is violence.
A picture of a person stabbing the other.

...

Then reproduction.
Based off of what Sig said, I presume that this image shows a part that is required for it.

...

Then kindness, among other things.
...
Why?
Was their goal that important?
...
Sig didn't seem to think so.

...It doesn't matter, does it.

...

Then enjoying life.
With this showing food.
This one is the most obvious in showing how negatively they thought of these things.
It's repulsive.

...

Then, finally, survival.
I guess, for how all of these apparently 'tie you to the world,' this one makes the most sense.

...
And there's the hatch out.

I walk up and crawl through.

...

...Ok.
Ok.

I can do this.

The city is that way.
Just a short climb out of this... trench, dad called it, and a longer walk to the city.
...
I start moving.

...

Looks like the wall has plenty of places to grab on, looks very rough.

...

And here we are.
...
Oh yeah, I can climb that, looks easier than the chamber wall.

I grab onto the nearest outcroppings, and begin to pull myself up.

Up and up, foothold by foothold.

...
I'm feeling... better? Now?
I know how to do this.
It's familiar.
I know what I'm doing.

And like that, I reach the top.

...Wow, that's-
...
Little farther away than I thought.
...
...
That's really big, isn't it?
And... Wow, those spires in the back must be massive!

...

Wow...

Woah, what's that thing in the sky, flying around the...
Sig told me about that, called it a Rider Bird, I remember now.
Dangerous, apparently.

Op- There it goes.
I guess it found something in the city.

...

I guess I should get going, huh.

---

...I can't believe how big it is.
I mean... all of those layers gotta be a little bigger than I am, at least.
And there's...
A... A lot of them!
And at the bottom it's as wide as it is tall!

I had no idea!

Just...
Wow.

---

And... this is the first building.
Looking up I see...

...

I...
Wooow...

...

I only have two days to see as much as I can.
I gotta make it count.

...
I'm hungry.

I have food in that pack Moon gave me, but...
There's no need to, not yet.
They told me where I could find polypedes, and I really want to know what a real, fresh one tastes like.

...
Or a lizard.
...
Mom and dad said not to go out of my way to do it, but...
Self defense is self defense, and they did say the knife was sharp enough to cut their hide.

...
I gotta try at some point.
I gotta!

But for now, I should just find some kind of food.

---

I slowly begin to enter the city proper, looking for darker spots, mainly staying on the lower points.

It's...
Breathtaking.
Walking through these tight corridors, once inhabited by dad's creators and the rest of their kind.

Occasionally I look into one of the many open doors, both to check for polypedes, and to just... see what it's like.

I see pearls like Sig has, images, places to sleep, containers of... food? I'm guessing?
Sig told me they didn't eat what I eat, not exactly anyways.
He also said that food spoils given time, so I can only guess that all of this is spoiled.
Maybe it looked better in their time.

It's all very interesting, in any case.

---

...
That's them!

I freeze.
Sig said... they only see... movement.
...
The small ones... won't go for me.
That big one... will.
...
Alright.
Run up to the big one... cut down the middle.
If it tries to make a loop... cut the mandibles.

...

Ok.

I slowly move my hand to grab my knife.
...
There...

...

Go.

I run to it, giving it a mere second to react to my movement.
I leap, knife held out in front-
I overshoot.

It skitters out of the way, then turns around, attempting to find its own prey.

Time seems to slow.
Sig had a nam-
Not important.

Thinking faster than I ever have before, I move my knife to a ready position.
Wait...
Wait...
...
Now!

I slice off its mandibles, causing it to panic and curl into a ball.

No time to think!
I pounce onto it, aiming to hit the now-exposed other mandible.
Slice!

It panics further, thrashing, attempting to throw me off.

But I don't let it, instead opting to start the work of cutting down its body, slicing down every segment, splitting open its plating and revealing its guts.

It thrashes further, but slowly dies down, and eventually falls limp.

...Ha.
Ha!
Haha!
I did it!
I killed a centipede!
And...
Oh my that looks so tasty!
...
Ooo it's still twitching in there.

I put up my knife.
I need a better place to keep that, I'll have to ask Sig about it.

...

I pull apart the split open carcass, giving me enough room to...
Dig in!

...

Void...
That's amazing!
I dig in further, devouring all that I can get to.

Meat tears before my teeth and goes straight down to my stomach.

Mmmmm...
It's delicious...

---

...Aww, there's nothing left.
...
Actually...
The small ones are still here.
...
I'm actually feeling pretty full, thinking about it.
Probably for the best I don't eat any more, being full full isn't a fun experience.

...

Alright, I guess that'll be good for the day.
Time to explore!

---

I start exploring.
Now that I'm no longer limited to where centipedes live, I start going higher where I can.

Eventually I reach the top of a building and...

...
Wow.

That's...
...Wait.
...
This place looks just like that one painting dad made!
...
Wow!
That's really cool!

And...
Whooooaaa...
That tower next to me is so tall!

...

I gotta climb that.
I gotta climb that.
I wanna see what the top looks like.
I wanna see what everything looks like from above.

...

Wall's right there.
Looks easy enough to get a grip on it too, plenty of blocks sticking out a little.
And worst case, if I start getting tired it looks like I can crawl through one of those openings to take a break.
Yeah.
Yeah, I can do this.

I walk over to the wall of the spire, and find a spot to start climbing on.

---

...Wow, I'm getting high up, I've passed some of the buildings now.
...There's an opening right up there, I want to go see what all this looks like.
...
Grab that, pull up.

Grab that, pull up.

Get a foothold...
There.

Grab onto that ledge.
And... pull myself in!

There we go!
There we go.

I take a deep breath, I didn't realize how much this was exerting me.

...

...

Ok.
...This room is interesting.
Seems a lot of people slept in here.
Interesting.

Anyways...
I turn around, and walk up to the... opening...
...
Wow.
That's pretty cool looking.
There's space between some of the buildings, showing the horizon, stretching out for as far as I can see.

...

What's it going to look like from the top?

...
Well.
How about I find out?

I place myself inside the opening, and find a foothold to start climbing.

---

There's something comforting about this, about climbing.
Maybe it's because I'm familiar with it?
Unlike just about everything else I've been doing today, I know this, I've been doing it for a while now.

It's simple, too.
Grab a hold, grab another, move my feet up, repeat, repeat, repeat.

Dad and mom were always impressed about how good I got at it, but it feels so easy!
Is this hard for others?
...
Feels like the only reason.

---

Wow, the top still looks so far away.

...

I think it's getting late too, it wouldn't be a terrible idea to go ahead and rest for the night, leave the rest of the climb for tomorrow.
...
Yeah, I think that's for the best.
My muscles are starting to feel it anyways.

Luckily, I'm right next to an opening so I can just...
Swing right in!

...
Phew
...
Yeah...
Yeah, I'm done for the day.

Luckily... there's a nice clear spot for me to set up to sleep.
But first...
I wanna talk to dad.

I take off my pack, and pull out that little thingy that Moon gave me.
What did she call it?
...A 'transponder.'

I hit the button on it, and wait.

...

The transponder activates.
"Hey Hunter!"

"Hi dad!"

"How are you?"
"Did you eat?"
"Where are you?"
"How was it?"
"Did-"

"Hey! Hey."
"I'm good. I'm good."

...
"Right, sorry."
"I was just a little worried, is all."

A little?
...Fair enough, though.
"I get it, I was a little nervous myself."
"But I made it!"

"Yep, you did."
"So, how was it?"

"Amazing, dad."

I hear him laugh.
"That's wonderful to hear, tell me all about it."

I begin to recount.
I tell of my climb and walk to the city, and my slow realization of just how big it was.
I tell of my search through the lower parts to find food, and my successful but not perfect polypede kill.
I recount just how delicious it was, and how it made my efforts all the more worth it.
I tell of my explorations before and after, peering into every nook I could find. And then coming to the top of a building.l, and realizing that he painted it.
He was as surprised as I was.
Mom joins at some point, and listens with the same awe as dad.
I recount how I noticed the tower next to me, and my need to climb it to the top.
And finally, I tell of how I got where I am, climbing all the way up to this room to rest for the night.

...
Dad is first to speak.
"...Wow."
"I'm..."
"We're so happy for you, Hunter, I'm so glad you did all of that, it sounds like you had an amazing time."

"I did!"
"And I'm sure I'll continue to have an amazing time tomorrow."

"I'm sure you will too, Hunter."
"But you probably want to rest now, don't you?"

...
"Yeah, probably."
"Love you dad, love you mom."

"We love you!"

"Love you, Hunter!"
"Good night!"

"Good night mom, good night dad."
"I'll be back tomorrow, love you."
She told me to hit the button again to end the call, so I do just that.

And like that, the transponder turns off.
I put it back in my pack.

...Mmmmm...
I'm tired.

I curl up on the floor, and head off to sleep.

Chapter 80: Time Alone

Summary:

With Hunter outside of the chamber, Sig and Moon are found with a lot of free time on their hands.

Notes:

Discussion of iterator guts using the word 'guts' and a minor surgery/repair job present in this chapter.
Refresh if you dont see the summary at the end.

"We love you!"
"Love you, Hunter!"
"Good night!"
"Good night mom, good night dad."
"I'll be back tomorrow, love you."

He closes down the call.

...

I turn to Moon.
I feel myself unstiffen for the first time... since he left.
"I... cannot tell you how much better I feel."

"Oh, I think I know the feeling."

...
I nod, slowly.

...

"What... now?"

...
"That's... a good question, Sig."
"I'm... I'm kinda realizing we haven't had much time to ourselves in... a while."

...
"...Yeah..."
"Hunter's... taken up a bit of our lives, huh?"
"No time to do much besides when he's sleeping, then when he is we have to be careful to not wake him."

"Yeah..."
...
"Well."
"We have this time now, how about we use it?"

I nod.
"Yeah."
...
"How about... a game of chess, for now?"

...She begins to nod.
"I think that's a wonderful idea."

---

A chess board is brought out, and we begin playing.

It's...
Relaxing.

Finally, some time together, for us and only us.

"This is nice."

I'm inclined to agree."

---

"Oh!"
"I just remembered something."

"Mhm?"

"...I'll tell you about it after this game."

"...Mhm."
...
I turn to her.
"Something up?"

...
"Nothing serious."
"And certainly not urgent."

...
"What's up."

She looks...
Guilty.
"Ok, fine."
"First, it isn't anything major, I promise."

Not helping.

"It's a minor structural failure."
"One of my structural framework's beams broke."

I...
"...Just one?"

"Just one."
"I would have fixed it myself but..."
"It's in a *really* inconvenient spot to do so."
"I can't get a good view of it myself or with a camera, and I found difficulty even reaching it with my hands."
"I wanted to ask for your help with it."

...
...
"When did this happen?"

"Five cycles ago, I don't know exactly when because I only realized when a piece of the beam grazed my guts."
"As far as I can tell it's just natural wear over time taking its toll."
"Only reason I didn't ask sooner is... we didn't have the time."

"Mmm..."
That's...
Yeah. We were really busy there for a while.
"...Alright, you want me to help right now?"

"I mean..."
"We don't have to right now right now."
"We've got a full cycle, after all."
"But... it would be nice."

"Alright then."
"Get some tools out."

---

She pulls her toolbox out of a compartment, and while I get a screwdriver out, she begins to undress.

Once done, I start unscrewing the plate she tells me it's under, the left gutplate.

"Feels familiar."

I nod.
"Haven't done this in a while."

"Mhm."
"Not since... two thousand cycles ago? Longer?"

"Longer."
"Four or five I think."
"And, strictly speaking, we haven't done this specifically, since... just before..."
It goes unspoken, but understood.

She nods.

The final screw comes off, and I pull the plate off.

I move in a little closer, trying to look around her guts to see...
Aaah, there it is.
A piece of her support frame, snapped in two about two thirds up from the bottom of the piece.
"I see it."
"I get how you would have had a tough time doing this yourself."

"Mhm."
"It's not... a great position."
"...Thank you, Siggy."

"You're welcome."
"Now... to fix it."
I'm gonna need...
A nanoblade, and a replacement beam.
"Can you start fabricating a replacement beam?"
"Oh, and fetch something to cut through the broken one, nanoblade preferably."

"Can do..."
I can tell she's doing that right away.

...Hmm, I'll need something to attach the new beam too...
...What would be good for that? Straight welding isn't... really an option.
Cold welding?
...No, that requires a vacuum, don't want to know what that would do to exposed guts.

Hmm... I've got nothing.

...
Maybe someone else has a solution?

"Got your blade."
"Borrowed it from my labs, though I will note I don't think this is an actual nanoblade."

...Honestly not really surprised, considering the lab she was given.
I take it, I'll figure out the attaching part of this in a little bit.

I get a little closer, and make sure the blade is sheathed for the moment.
"Can you be still for me?"

"Of course."
She freezes in place, she's locked her movement.

"Thank you..."
With that said, I plan.
I'm gonna need to push her guts out of the way, just a little.
Then I'll need to push the blade in, and once it is, extend it, in place to remove the top piece first.
Then repeat for the bottom.
...
Alright.

"I'm gonna move your guts around a little, just be advised."

"Ok."

With that said, I move my free hand in, and move her guts aside.

"Mmph."

"You good?"

"Yeah, I'm good."
"Just a bit, that's all."

...Yeah.

I keep going, pushing it to the side to get...
That. An opening to the beam wide enough for my hand to fit.
"Still good?"

...
"Yeah."

"...I'll hurry a little bit, ok?"

"No."
"Do it right."

...She's right.
"...Ok."

That said, I begin moving my hand into the right position.

It's a tight gap, and I graze her insides a little as I get into place.
But I do, as carefully as possible.

I maneuver the blade into position, and slowly extend it.
It's pressed against the rest of the frame, I want this to be as clean as possible.

I begin to move it, slowly, deliberately.

And then, without any fanfare, it cuts through the titanium alloy, and the piece begins to drift.

I sheath the knife, and grab the shard of metal.

I pull it out, then pull my other hand out as well.

She sighs in relief.
"Huhh... Thank you."

"You're welcome, Moonie."
"I'm sorry, that probably wasn't... pleasant, to say the least."

"It's fine."
"I'm just thankful you're helping me with this."

I nod.

---

We relax for a moment, before I continue.

Moon seems to be in deep thought.

"Whatchya thinkin about?"

...
"I'm... I'm thinking about that first time we did this, taking off plates."

"Mhm?"

"And I'm thinking about... one very specific thing that you brought up then."
"That our creators... wouldn't see it the same way we did, remember that?"

...
"Yeah... I remember that..."

"Yeah."
"But... uh..."
"I think we also see that a little differently now, don't we?"

"...Yeah."
"But... we also don't see that as a problem anymore, do we?"

She nods.
"I mean, by now we've violated all the urges at some point or another."
"I think it's safe to say we enjoy one another's company, that we enjoy life and what it offers, and we enjoy existence."
"By creating and raising Hunter we've partaken in reproduction, and by teaching him even just the basics of fighting we've partaken in violence."
"That's all five."
"I think if either of us saw the urges as a problem, we'd have problems."

...
...Yeah.
I mean.
"...Yeah."
"I... Yeah."
"Not even mentioning our... closer moments together."

She lightly baps me on the arm.
"Oh hush."
...
"...But yes, not mentioning those."
"Or this either, I'm guessing?"
"This feels pretty close."

...Good point.
"It does, doesn't it?"
I move to her side, and wrap an arm around.

She leans in, and does the same.

---

"...Do you ever think about being... actually together?"
"As in... in the same room?"

I think about it.
"Not... really."
"I haven't given it much thought."
"Just... feels infeasible."

...

"Yeah."
"Never... really stopped me from dreaming about it every now and then."
"Indulging the thought, you know?"

I nod.
"I get that."
"And I'll admit, I like the sound of it."
"Just..."

"...Yeah."
"Yeah I... I know that feeling."
...

It goes unspoken just how well she knows that feeling, though I know exactly why.

...

It continues to go unspoken.

---

"...I'm ready."

I turn to her.
"You sure?"

...
"Yeah."
"It... It didn't hurt or anything, it was just more..."
"Uncomfortable."
"Dull, like how I imagine holding one's stomach in for a long time would feel like."

I nod.
"That makes me feel a little better."
...
I unwrap my arm from her.
"Alright, I'll be quick."

"Thanks."
She unwraps her arm, and I drift back into position.

I once again begin to push aside her guts, carefully.
Once done, I grab the sheathed blade and move it into position, this time on the bottom.

With it in place, I extend the blade, and slowly cut.

...

There.
I sheathe it, and grab the piece.
I pull my first hand out, then the other.

"Huhh... Huh..."
...
"We done?"

I look up at her face.
"Well, I need to put the replacement back in, but that's gonna take a bit to even be ready because I still need to find a way to attach the new piece."
"I was gonna see if someone had volunteered something to the database that could help."

"Mmm."
"Ok."
"And then I have to fabricate whatever solution you find, right?"

"Mhm."
"But that can come in a second."
"For now..."
I move back to her side.
"We can relax for a bit."

"I'm... I'm quite alright with that."
She wraps her arm around me.

I lean in, and wrap mine around her.

---

"We... haven't really spoken about it much."
"But I presume... now that he's been out on his own once, we're going to be letting him do that more, right?"

I nod into her.
"Mhm."
"That's... honestly a scary thought, even though it shouldn't be, especially after he's already proven himself."

"Yeah."
...
"In a sense... we did it."
"We raised our son to... pretty much full maturity."
"Honestly if he stays away more than he stays here, I'd..."
"I'd be all the happier."

...

"Yeah."
"I'll admit, that's probably a large chunk of my end goal."
"Raise him to maturity, and give him the ability to live his life to the fullest."
"The idea that we've basically done that..."
"Is extremely gratifying."

She nods.
"Yeah, it is, isn't it?"

I nod.
It is.

---

I pull up a connection to the repair database.

"Lookin for a solution?"

"Mhm."
"Just browsing through it."
Let's see...

...

...

Maybe?
...No.

...

Mm?
...
No.

...

...

Wait!
...
...
...I think that'll work.
...
Yeah! That'll work!
"Got it."
"Metallic gel that solidifies, designed for small scale repairs in sensitive environments."

"Huh."
"You bet that comes from experience?"

...
"Probably."
"In any case, I bet it'll work perfectly for this."

"Mhm."
"Send me the formula and I'll get to fabricating... oh, a liter? Just to have?"

"I don't see why not."
"I'll send it over, and I'll go ahead and get this done."

She nods, and I prepare the file to send over to her.

---

It takes a couple minutes to get the gram of gel we need printed, and once done she sends a squeeze bottle of the stuff to her chamber to be used, along with the replacement beam.

"You know, I just had a funny thought."

I turn to her as I pull the bottle over.
"Mhm?"

"We could probably use some of this to make miniature sculptures."

"...Huh."
"...That sounds kinda interesting, actually."
"Like 3d printing by hand."

"Mhm."
"I just randomly had the thought, and thought it was a good idea."

"Yeah."
"I'll have to print some myself, and we'll have to do that sometime."
I grab the beam.
"For now though, you ready?"

"Yeah."

"Ok."
I start moving into position.
"Just remember it said to keep still for a while after I apply, ten minutes."

"Mhm."

"Ok, love you, Moonie."

"Love you."

With that said, I push aside her guts one last time.
When it's open wide enough, I push my other hand in, then apply two lines of gel where the beam will attach to the rest of the frame.

That done, I put the beam in place.
It sticks to the gel readily, and I pull out my hands.

Job done.

She pants.
"Huh..."
...
"Now we're done, right?"

"Mhm."
"I'll screw back on the plate, which should take enough time for the gel to set, and we're good."

"...Ok."
...
"Thank you, Siggy."

"Of course."
"Anything for you, Moonie."

She looks away, touched by the sentiment.

---

I screw back on the plate, and it indeed takes around ten minutes.
Once done, she finally relaxes.
"...I didn't feel worse per say, but I feel better already."

"I'm glad."
"Now... let's hang out, how about?"

"I would love that."
...
"You know what I want to do?"

"I want to paint."
"I paint you, you paint me."
"You like that?"

...
"I would love to, Moonie."

Notes:

Sig and Moon get a lot of free time while Hunter is gone.
Moon suffers a minor structural injury, and Sig helps her repair it.

During the process, they discuss a few things, including, briefly and vaguely, the events of chapter 42.
They discuss their relaxed attitude to the karmic urges, and how they've violated every single one in one form or another.
They discuss how they've successfully raised Hunter, and how they've prepared him for the future.

Then, once done, they decide to spend the rest of their time alone painting each other.

Chapter 81: Outside pt. 2

Notes:

same warnings as last Hunter chapter, he likes his food

Mmmmmph...
What is that...?

...
I open my ey-
Mmph! Bright.

I put a hand over my eyes, and open them once more.

Peeking through my hands, I can tell it's coming from the opening I crawled through last night.

I walk up to it and...
...
...Whoa.
The sun's rising.

...

How has dad never painted one of these?
It's beautiful...
Brilliant golden light...

...

...
Right...
I guess... it's time to get moving, huh.

...

I put on the pack, and climb out the opening.

---

The view is stunning, looking down.
Only a few buildings reach this high, and indeed, only this high.
But the one I'm on goes farther still.

I look up.
The top... looks closer?
I think? I can't really tell.
I can't imagine it's much farther, though, I'll make it up there by the middle of the day for sure.

I wonder what the shadows will look like.

---

Oh yeah, I'm getting close.
That horizon looks much closer.
I'm almost there.

...I'm almost there!

I quicken my pace, desperate to get to the top as soon as possible.

Hand hold, hand hold, foot hold.
Move up.
Hand hold, hand hold, foot hold.
Move up.
Hand hold, hand hold, foot hold.
Move up.

I'm so close, I'm so close!

Hand hold, hand hold, foot hold.
Move up.
Hand hold, hand hold, foot hold.
Move up.
Hand hold, hand hold, foot hold.
Swing over!

I land with a thud onto the solid ground.

Ha!
Haha!
I did it!
I made it!

I roll onto my back, and take it all in.

...
I did it!
I did it!

...

I take a deep breath, and settle myself.
I wanna remember this.

I let everything soak in.
The climb, the exertion, the emotions, the views...
...The views!

I get up, and move over to...
...Whoa.
Whoa.
I-
...
Whoa.

I can see everything!
I can see every building, the clouds, the towers waaay in the distance, everything.

And it's beautiful...

---

I stand there, enraptured by the sights.
It takes a while for me to step back from that ledge, as, unfortunately, I do have to get down from here eventually.

I make sure I get a good look over everything, so I remember it all.
Then, reluctantly, I prepare to slide down the wall.

---

The trip down is much faster, clinging onto the wall and sliding down it at a much faster speed than climbing up it.

It's not long until I reach the roof of another building, and I part from the wall to land on it with a soft thud.

...
Now.
What should I do now?

...

Hiiiiiiissssssss......

...Uh oh.

I jump away, hearing a loud snap! behind me.

I turn to face it.

It is a rather large lizard.
Deep purples paint its head, and saliva drools out of its mouth.
Its teeth look like it could tear through me in an instant.

I must not let it.
I distance myself from it, and begin to search through my pack for the knife stored within.
...
There!

I pull it out, and face the lizard once more.

It looks like it's about to strike again, so I jump to the side just as it lunges at me.

With no time to think, the moment that it bites at thin air, I jump at and onto it.
I hold on tight as it begins to thrash, and, knife in hand, plunge it into its back.

Grraaahh!

I pull it out, making sure it cuts more of the beast as it slides out.

Blood starts gushing from it, but it keeps thrashing.

I plunge it in again, in a different spot.
It roars again, a little weaker this time.
I repeat, pulling out the knife and plunging it right back in.
And in, and out, and in... and out.
Each time it grows weaker, making it all the more easy to keep damaging it.

Finally, it stops moving and goes limp.

...

I did it.
...I did it!

Yes!

Haha!

Gurgle

...
Hm.
I guess I'm hungry.
...
Well.
I guess that leaves me one option.

First, to open it up, I don't think all that skin will taste good.
Or...

...

I bite down.

...

Not bad.
...
Tough, hard to chew through.
Still, not bad.

I think I'll still cut it open though.

I begin to do just that.

---

It takes longer than opening up the polypede.
But I get it done.
And oh does it look tasty...

...

I can't wait a moment longer.
I pull open the corpse, and begin tearing into the juicy, bloody meat of the lizard.

I have to stop.
The taste... Is better than anything else I've ever had.
I need words to describe this, I need them.

I dive back into the carcass, and begin devouring all I can.

---

My stomach forces me to stop halfway through eating it.
...
Mmm, I'm full.

I... should probably find a place to rest for a little, a place where nothing will sneak up on me.

---

Here we go, a nice little crevice in the wall to fit into.
...
There.

A nice place to rest for a while.

---

This has been great so far.
Killed two things, tasted some amazing food, and saw some awesome sights.

It's been good.

Next time I'll have to go below the clouds, I wanna see what that's like.

---

Alright, I'm feeling better now.

I worm myself out of the crev-
...Oh.
Another slugcat.

'...Hello?'
...
They're as surprised as I am.

'...Hello.'
Uhhh...

'You out up here to meet the god at the top of the world too?'

...Dad?
'Uhh... not really.'
'Mainly because he's my parent.'

They blink.
'...Oh!'
'Interesting.'
...
'You seem young to be away from them.'
'Not too young though.'

'Only reason he isn't out here with me is because he's stuck down there.'

'Aaah, yes, I saw that.'
'Makes sense, and you look like you know what you're doing.'

'...Thanks.'
'This is my first time out here.'
'It's all been very interesting.'

'...Right!'
'If you've been stuck with him all your life this would all be pretty new, huh.'

I thump my tail, it very much is.
'He did teach me well before then though.'

He thumps his.
'That's nice.'
'Well, I'm off to find some food.'

'Oh, there should be a half eaten lizard nearby.'

'Oh, I'm good.'
'...You were that hungry?'

Hmm?
'...I mean, I was hungry.'
...
...Right! Mom that most don't eat a lot of meat.
Not that good for them, she said.
'I just remembered, I probably need meat more than you do.'
'I can't really stomach fruit.'

'Huh!'
'That's interesting.'
'Well, thanks for telling me that, goodbye.'

'Goodbye.'

And like that, they depart in search of food.

...
I wanna do some exploring.
I depart in another direction.

###

The rest of the day is filled by me taking my time through the city.
Slowly traversing the middle and lower layers, taking in everything I can.

I find art, I find homes, I find pearls, and I find creatures.
A couple polypedes, and a much smaller lizard than the last one.

The lizard was the only one that attempted to bother me.
It wasn't that hard to deal with it though.gh.
In the spur of the moment, I decide to slice off a piece of hide, to show dad and mom when I get back.

I wish I had thought of that with the other one.
...
I could just go back there.
...It's starting to get late anyways, the shadows are getting rather large now.

I recall where I killed the lizard, and start making my way there.

---

And there it is.
Not in the best shape.
But there's plenty of intact hide left.

I take out my knife, and walk over.

I begin to cut out a piece.
And then I begin to cut more.
...And more.
And I end up with most of the back of the body's hide.

...It looks so tasty.
...
I'm too full for it, unfortunately.

...

With that done, I sling the hide over my back.
It's a little heavy but not really that bad.
With that said, I decide now is the time to return.

---

It's not long before the buildings grow shorter, the sky clearer.
And like that, I'm out of the city, with a vast stretch before me to the trench.

---

I reach the trench, and quickly find my way down.

The slide is a little tougher with the hide pulling me down, but it's easy enough.

Once down, I make my way to the entrance, and slowly go down the stairs.

The lighter gravity is comforting, I'm almost back.
And it lightens the hide, can't complain about that.

The gravity lightens to the point where I can hardly stick to the ground, and so I begin to swim.

Just a short distance forward...

...

...

And...
I'm back.

I poke my head through the hatch.
...
Dad's painting Mom, she's sitting on the floor.
There's a few paintings drying in the corner.

...

I see Moon's eyes connect with mine.

"Stop."

"What's up?"

...
She looks up.
"He is."

He looks-
"Hunter!"

I feel the gravity shift, my cue to enter.

I push through, and am gently pulled to the floor.

He walks over to me, brush not in hand.

We embrace each other in a hug.
Another pair of hands suggest Mom got up and did the same.

"Oh I missed you Hunter..."
"How was it?"

"It was amazing!"
"I killed a couple lizards today!"
...The hide!
It didn't get pulled through the hatch.
I'll get it in a second.

"You did?"
"Did it go well?"

"Mhm!"
"One caught me by surprise but I just got on its back and stabbed it over and over again to deal with it!"
"And then it was really tasty, I actually ate a little too much of it, heh."

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, just had to rest a little."
"Oh! And then after that I met another slugcat, they had apparently visited you recently?"

"Oh! Yes, they visited yesterday."
"That's interesting."

I thump my tail.
"Mhm!"
"I also got to the top of that tower today, and saw the sun rise, and both things were really cool!"
"I had an amazing time, dad."

He hugs me a little tighter.
"Oh I'm so so glad Hunter!"

"I am too! I bet it was like nothing else."

"It really was!"
...
...
"I'm curious, what were you doing while I was gone?"
"You seemed busy."

...

"Moon needed me to fix her up a little, so I helped with that."
"Then we've been painting a lot, as you probably noticed."
"And... that's really it."

"Mmm, cool!"
...
"I got a hide from one of the lizards I killed, you wanna see?"

"Really? Sure!"
"Where is it?"

"Just on the outside of the hatch."

"Oh, I can... probably... pull that in..."
"There!"

I see it slide through the hatch.

It floats onto him.
"So, you just cut it off of the lizard?"

"Mhm!"
"You think I did good?"

He inspects it.
Only on his normally clean poncho do I realize how messy it is.

"...Do you mind that?"

"Hm?"
"That it's dirty?"
...
"Not really, I can clean this off."
"In any case, you did pretty good, but... looks like some of the meat came with it."
"Interestingly enough... I happen to know how to help clean that up, from my studies."

Mmm, his studies.
I note Mom give him a curious look.
"Can you show me how?"

"Of course."

He tells me to grab my knife, and we begin to go over it.

Chapter 82: Medical Checkup

Summary:

Hunter goes through a routine medical checkup.

"Alright Hunter, stand still."

He sighs, then stands straight and motionless.
I hate putting him through this, I can tell it always bothers him.

The scanner circles him, moving up and down to get a thorough reading of every part of his body.
His legs are the first fully scanned, then his arms.
The chest and head take longer, complicated parts make longer scans.

Digestive system finishes, then respiratory.
Skeletal, respiratory.
Muscular system.
Cardiovascular.
Nervous system, excluding the brain.

...

The brain.

Everything's done.

"Alright, you're good."
He immediately relaxes.
"Now, let me look over this, then we'll do something fun, sound good?"

"Mhm."
"I wanna paint."

"Then we'll paint."
Now, let's see...

Brain is good, normal levels.
No signs of a respiratory sickness, nor one of the blood...
Skeletal looks good.
A couple scratches on the arms, but that's expected.
Muscular...
...
Hang on.
What's that?
There, just above the pelvis...

...

No.
Right? No.
...
Then why is it there?
An error?

Maybe.

...

...No, doesn't look like it.

...
Maybe Moon can confirm?

"Moon?"
"Can you take a look at this?"

"Uhh, sure thing."

She floats down, away from her painting she's working on for the moment.

"You see this?"
I point to the specific section.

...
Her eyes widen slightly.
...
"Is that an error?"

"Didn't... look like it no, no errors reported."
"Maybe that broke too though, I don't know."

"...We should confirm in the lab."
LttM: Blood samples, if needed, but at least a thorough scan.

I nod, then sigh.
He's not gonna like this.
"Hunter?"
"We need to make sure of something, you're gonna need to head to the lab."

His jaw drops slightly in disappointment.
"Really?"

"I know, I know."
"I wish it wasn't the case too, but it's important, ok?"

...
He sighs.
"Ok..."

"Thank you, I love you."

He nods.
"Love you too."

I start shifting gravity to take him out.

He moves out with considerable grace.

---

"...It's not, right?"

She considers it.
"We would have caught it sooner, that was too big to have missed last scan."

"Exactly."
"It's gotta be an error, or a fluke, or something."

She nods.
"Yeah."
...
...
"What if it is?"

...

"Well, it isn't."
...
"But..."
"We'd stop everything, probably put him under, and excise it by any means necessary."

"...Yeah."
She nods.
"Yeah.
"Easy enough."

...
"Yeah."

---

He reaches the lab, and I load myself in.

"Alright, let's go to the middle lab and I'll get you scanned."
"Oh, and..."
...
Just do it, only way to be sure.
"We're going to do a blood test."

He groans, understandably.
"Really?"

"I know! I know."
"I'm sorry, I wouldn't do it if I didn't think it was important."
"...I love ya, ok?"

"...Love you too."

We walk to the middle lab.

"Here, let me just..."
...
There we go, one stress ball.
I manipulate gravity to hold it in my hand.

He takes it.
"Thanks."

I nod, then pull out a scanner.

NSH: I hate having to do this to him.

LttM: Yeah.
LttM: Just get it over quick and we'll get painting like he wanted.

NSH: Yeah.

"Hold still."

I move the much more advanced scanner in place, and learn of everything down to the chemical composition of the scanned area.

I pull it away.
"Wanna sit for this part?"

"Yeah."

He sits down, and I follow suit.
He looks away, allowing me to pull out the needle arm without him seeing.

I see him start squeezing the ball in a rhythmic fashion.

I use a seperate arm to locate a blood vessel near the site of incidence.
If there really is anything there, this'll prove it.

I align the needle, and with nanometer precision, plunge it in straight to the vessel.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven...
Alright.
I pull it out, then with the other arm I apply a small bandage.
"...There, now just gimme a second to-"

Foreign Contaminant In Bloodstream.
Identifying...

...
No.
...No.
It...
It can't-

Foreign Contaminant Identified:
Muscular System Rot, Type 14c

No.
No no no no-

LttM: Sig?
LttM: ...It isn't, right?

No no no-

LttM: Oh fuck it is.
LttM: Oh shit.

No no no-

"Dad?"
"What's wrong?

No no no no no-

LttM: Sig? You gotta cool down, you can still do something about it.

No no no no no-

LttM: #ig?

No no no-

"#ad?"
"W##t's ##o##?"

No no no no no no-

Lt##: *##g?*
####: *#####?*

"###?"

######

LttM: *Siggy?*

No no no what's happening to him?

Uhh uhh uhh-
Shit! I need to help Hunter!

Uhh-

...

I embrace Sig / I load into his lab.
I pull him down to the ground and enable gravity. / I search for Hunter.

I take control of his diagnostics and run a scan of his puppet. / I find Hunter standing over Sig's twitching body.

Coolant is pumping at an elevated rate, his temperature has spiked regardless. / "Mom, what's happening with dad?" There's an edge in his voice.

He somehow hasn't locked up despite clearlyfuck.

I need a weighted blanket. / "He's panicking over something that came up in the blood test."

I call in one, and hold him tighter while it comes in. / I'm going to have to perform on him myself, aren't I?

"Shhhhh... It's gonna be... alright Siggy." / ...Ok. "Hunter, I'm sorry to... say this but you're... going to have to go under anesthetic."

Void I'm losing focus.
Reallocating.

Hold tighter. / "What? Why?"

Tighter. / "You're sick right now, and this is the only way to take care of it." "I promise I'll explain once it's over, ok?"

"Just... head to one of the big labs and I'll get you set up, ok?"

He looks worried.
"O... ok."
He starts making his way down.

...
Oh fuck!

I let go of Sig.
Of fuck oooh fuck.
Those dents do not look good...
Fuck... why does everything have to go wrong now?
Why'd I have to hold on so tightly?

Old gods...

...

Keep it together, Moon.
Crying can come after the operation is done.

The blanket came in.
I bring it over and set it on Sig.

Hunter arrived in M1.

"Sig... I don't know if you can hear me, but I'm gonna be busy for a while."
"I'm gonna get it out, ok?"
"I'm gonna."
"We're gonna be alright."

Shit, what type even is it?

Medi scan says...
...

 

Muscular, duh, type 14c, ok.
Ok. Ok ok.

Procedure for that is...

...

Ok.

Void that's so close to a kidney.

...

...Ok.
Ok.

I can do this.

I focus on the lab.

"Alright, just stay still and I'm going to pump in some gas that'll put you asleep, ok?"

"Ok..."
He elects to get comfortable, curling up.

I start pumping in the sleeping gas.

...

I run another diagnosis on Sig.

...

Improving.
Temperatures down, coolant still at the same rate, but should, if the trend continues, start going down with the temperature soon.

There's minor indications of pain, and the guts are slightly squeezed, but otherwise nothing is listed as taking damage.
...Good, I didn't damage him.

######

"##g?"

...

"A## ##u #ee#li#g b##t#r?"
...
"N#..."

...

...

"I'#... cu#r##t#y w#r#i#g on ex##si#g i#."

...

...

"I d##n't m#a# t# hu## yo#."
...
"# w#nt#d to c#mfo#t y#u."

...

"I'# s#rr#."

...

...

"I'#... h#av##g di#fic##ty o#er#ti##..."
"#'m... su#e I #an g#t #t th#u#h."

...

...

...

"I..."
"It'#..."
"N## go#ng w#ll."
...
"I ca#'t... ge# it a#l."
...

...
"It's s#ri#king, b#t res#st#ng any #urt#er #ork on #t."

...

"I've sto#ped for #ow."
"Anes#hetic #lmost out."
...
"...I did #est I co#ld."

...
...
...
"Thank you."

I feel added weight around my back.

"...You're welcome."

---

"...Feeling better?"

...

"No."

She shifts, a nod I presume.

...

"He's gonna be out for a while, I used a very particular anesthetic that was safe to operate under for four hours, but it keeps them out for a while longer."

"...Four hours?"

"...Mmm."
"Yeah... you were out for a while."

...

...

"I'm... I'm thinking I'm gonna operate on him again sometime in the next few cycles, but..."
...
...
"I doubt its effectiveness."
"It's already got its roots in, and the core has hardened."

...

...

"There is still a way to get it out though."
"I'm sure you know."

...

"Amputation."

She shifts again.
"Yeah."
"...It'll be a long time, course we gotta coax it out of his hip and into his leg, and I'm guessing that'll take..."
...
"Two thousand cycles? Three?"
"Point is... we can do it."
"Then once that happens we'll do the job and make him a nice prosthetic."
"All goes well, it'll be like it was never-"

"Moon?"

"Mhm?"

...
"Stop."
"Please."

...

"Ok."
...
"Sorry."

I move my head up and down.

---

...
"Mind if I get under there too?"

...
"Sure."

Shifting, of Moon and the blanket.
And then she's under it too.

...
"I'm sorry about the plating."
"I... don't know if you heard me say that already."

"...Vaguely."

"Mhm..."
"I'll... uh... make some new plates in your fabricator if you don't mind."
"Or fix those plates, or or or something."

...
...
"Fixing would be nice."

Shifting.
"Ok."

---

...
I'm tired.

...

"I'm gonna reboot."

"Ok."
"I'll close this connection for now but I'm gonna hang out in the lab, wait for him to wake up, you know?"

"Uh huh."
"You... do that."

"Ok."
"I love you, Siggy."
"We'll get through this, ok?"

"...Ok."
...
"Love you."

"Love you."

She leaves, letting her side of the blanket fall to the ground.

I engage reboot protocols.

Notes:

This has been a long time coming.

Hunter POV next week, and i think im gonna do another QnA in a couple weeks

Chapter 83: Explanation

...
...
"Uuuughhh..."
Whaaaa....?

"Shhhh... shhh..."
"Stay still, rest for a while."
"I'll explain soon, okay?"

"Uuuuhhh..."

I drift back into sleep...

------

The dreams are fitful, confusing.
Dull pain radiates from my side.

------

"Mmmmm..."

"There you go..."
"You feeling alright?"

"Nnngh..."
"Little."

"Mhm..."
"Oh! One second."

Pain in my eyes recedes.

"So sorry, I bet that could have been quite blinding right now."
"Is that better?"

"Mmm...hmmm..."

"Wonderful."

---

When I manage to open my eyes, I find myself still in the labs, with Moon sitting next to me.

Mmmm!
My side is killing me...
...
Huh...
That's...
That's a big bandage.

"It's hurting, isn't it?"

"Mmm, yeah..."

"I'm sorry, I did best I could patching it up but when you open a hole that wide... basically impossible to make the recovery painless."
"You want some medicine to make you feel better?"

"Uurrghh... yes..."

I hear some machinery open up, and then a piece of medicine floats over to Moon.

"Just eat this and it'll numb the pain for a while, up to a day."

I reach out and grab it.

I eat it.
"Mmmgh..."

"I know, I know. Most medicines by nature are pretty bitter, not much I can do about it."
"You'll start feeling a little better soon, ok?"

"Mmm..."
"Ok..."

---

She was right.
The pain begins to fade away.

...

"What... what's happening anyways?"
"Is dad alright?"

...
...She looks worried.
...
"Dad is..."
"Currently recovering."
"It might be best to give him some distance, maybe."
...
"I don't know."
...
...
"As for what is happening..."
...
...
"You're sick, and you're going to be sick for a long time."

"...What does that mean?"

"...It turns out..."
"You have something called Muscular Rot."
"Rot, in general, takes form as... a growth inside you that roots itself inside your body, in this case your muscles."
"...Over time, without specific care, it would grow, and eventually kill you, permanently."
"Luckily, we can give that specific care, and with a lot of time, we'll be able to get rid of it."
"...At the cost of your leg."

...
What?
...
"What!?"
"What do you mean?"
"You're iterators! How can't you get rid of it?"

...

She slumps.
...
"I wish that the idea that we were all powerful were true sometimes."
...
"That wound on your side is my attempt to remove it."
"...The thing about rot is that as it grows, its core starts to harden, and sticks its roots in all the nearby systems."
"Taking it out now would harm a kidney, your intestines, your lower spine, and several muscles needed for survival."
...
...
"With persistent medical care, Sig and I can prevent it from harming you, and eventually coax this core to somewhere less vital."
"...Like your leg."

...

No.
"No... I-I don't believe it."
"I... It can't-"

"Shhhhh..."
"Your leg can be replaced, that is completely possible."

...
"It can?"

"Yes, it absolutely can."
"Almost in the same way that Sig has a replacement arm, the yellow one, remember?"

I nod.

"It'd be like that."
"Course, it's a little more complicated than that, but not in any way that you need to worry about."
"But it's absolutely possible, stuff like this has been documented before."

"...Ok."
"That... makes me feel a little better."

"Good."
"We'll get through this, ok?"

"...Ok."
...
What is happening?

---

Though the pain resides, I can tell I'm not moving on my own for a while.

...

"I'm not going far for a while, am I?"

...
She seems to get what I mean and slumps.
"...No."
"You'd... have to stay close enough that you could return to the lab to get your injections."
"Admittedly... you'd have the entire complex, that'd be close enough, but you really couldn't go farther."
...
"You wanted to explore beyond someday though, right?"

...Yeah.
I nod.

"...Yeah..."
...
"I'm sorry."
"I-"
"I know that you wanted to explore the world, and, and, you can't do that now, and, and, just..."
"...Fuck."

...
"...That's a new word."

She blinks.
"I..."
"I guess it is."
"...I just realized we've never sworn in front of you before."
"...I'll teach you some more of those later, ok?"

...
...Fair enough, things are pretty weird right about now.

---

...
"...I want to see dad."

She gives me a worried look.
...
"I'm not sure that will end well."
"I think he'll just think of what he's done if he sees you."
"Since he was the one who made you, he's technically the one who gave you the rot, even if it's a mistake."
"He'll see it as his fault."

...
...Oh.
...
That's...
...That's why he broke down like that.
...
...
"...Was it?"

She shakes her head.
"No."
"It was a mistake, he wouldn't ever do something like this on purpose."
...
"Doesn't stop him from seeing it that way though."
...
She sighs.
...
"He's not going to feel better for a long time."

...
Yeah...

---

"...I still want to see him."
"I... I want to try to help."

She thinks about it.
...
"...You're probably right in thinking you should try."
...
"Here, I'm gonna help push you out, I don't want you exerting yourself too much right now."

"Ok."
I think I like that idea.

"Alright, I'll push you through the place."
"Want me to meet you in the chamber?"

...
Hmm...
"...No."

She nods.
"Ok."
"If you end up coming back in here I'll be here, ok?"

I thump my tail.
"Ok, love you."

"Love you."

I feel gravity start to shift, and I start to float to the exit.

---

Traveling between the lab and dad's chamber is actually surprisingly trivial.
Even without using my legs I can still swim easily, though slower than usual.
Not to mention mom is helping push me through the place.

I reach the chamber hatch.

...

...

I pull myself through.

...

The lights are dimmed.
I notice all the pearls normally flying around have fallen to the ground.

He's sitting in the corner, covered up to his head in a blanket.
I can't tell if he's looking at a wall ahead of him, or looking at all.

I notice that, despite not working, his halo is visible, but it doesn't look like it usually does, its small, shrunken, functioning at too slow of a pace to do much work, as he once implied.

...

I push myself down.

...

I land, and as I do I see him tense up.

He looks away.

...

I move over to him, and sit next to him.

I don't say anything, and neither does he.

---

We sit in silence for a while, until...

...
"It's my fault."

...

"No it's no-"

"Yes, it is."
"I found where the error was, what caused this."
"It was in the part of your dna that I modified, where I gave you stronger muscles."
"Not only did I miss it, I'm also the one that put it there."

...
...
"So?"
"Im sure you checked everything, right?"

"...Clearly not well enough."

...
"Well, how many times did you check?"

...
"Five, five times."

"Five times."
That sounds like a lot.
"It certainly seems like you tried very hard."
"I don't think you should be so hard on yoursel-"

"Stop."

"...I'm just trying to hel-"

"STOP!"
"YOU DON'T GET IT!"
"GET OUT!"

Before I can react, I'm forcibly pulled out of the room by gravity.

...What?
What just happened?

Dad?

What?

...

I hear weeping in there.

I head back-
There's gravity pushing me away.

I...
...
He doesn't want to see me.

...

I... I start swimming back to the lab.
A few moments after, I feel gravity push me along.

---

I reach to the lab, where Moon is waiting.

She hugs me.
"Are you alright?"
"I saw what happened and it looked painful and-"

"I'm good."
"...I feel like I just made things worse."
"I mean... guess I should have expected that, but..."
...
I slump.

"...You wanted to help."
"I get that."
"I want to help too."
"Just... wish I knew how."

...Yeah.
...
Yeah.

---

"I... uh, had an idea."
"Something that might be the best for now, while all... this is happening."
...
"I want to take you over to my can."

...
"Really?"

"Mhm."
"I'd actually been planning something like this for a while now when you were older, so you could see me in person for a while."
"But..."
"Sig doesn't seem to be in a state to care for you, and while I absolutely can do everything you need while you're here... I think it would just be better if you were with me."
"Does... does that make sense?"

...
"Yeah."
"...Ok."
"That's... I think that's for the best."

"Mhm."
"...I love you."
"We'll make it good, ok?"
"You could explore my can, the city above it, the grounds, all that."
"How's that sound?"

...
"...I like it."
"...Yeah, I... I like the idea."

"Oh wonderful."
"Here, I'll handle things for now, and you get to rest for a while, how's that sound?"
"Oo! I'll even get some paint and a canvas how's that sound?"

...
Yeah.
"That would be nice."

Chapter 84: Transport

...
Alright.
You can do this Moonie.

...

...

I boot into the chamber.

...
...
"Sig?"

"Go away."

...
"...Unfortunately, this is important."

...
...No response.

I take that as an invitation.
"...I'm gonna move Hunter over to my can for a while."
"Until you're well enough to take care of him yourself."

...

He mumbles something.

I float over to him.

"...Might as well just keep him then."

"Siggy..."
"Don't be like that..."
"You made a mistake. A mistake!"
"It's not the end of the world."
"It's not even the end of Hunter."

...
...
He's clearly not taking it in.

"...I love you Sig."
...
"He's gonna leave by airship, by the end of the cycle."
"He's gonna have food, water, painting materials, and a way to contact me, and you for the record, through the airship's antenna."
"All that should be done in a couple hours."
...
"Love you."

...
He makes the slightest movement in response.

"...Ok."
"Cya, I'll get you your new plates soon, ok?"
"You'll be good as new."

...
...
"Bye."

...
I leave from the call.

###

He's made it.

I take control of the overseer following him, and load in a hologram.
"Hey."

"Hey."

"...You ready?"

"...Yeah."
"These things are big, I had no idea."

I nod.
"A good... friend of mine designed them."
...Void I haven't even thought about him for a while now.
We haven't sent any letters recently, huh.
Either way, for that matter.
"We'll have to see if he can't contact you someday, you'd like him."

"Hmm, sounds interesting."
"What's he like?"

...
How do I explain Frontiers to him?
...
"Well."
"He's a good bit like Sig."
"He's more snarky, but he never means anything bad of it."
"Given the opportunity, he'd care for you as much as Sig or I do."
"He's very smart with materials, buildings and structures, stuff like that."
"He's got a bit of a hard shell, but once you break through it he's as loyal to you as you are to him."
"I would know."
...Void, I just miss him now.
...
"I'll tell you more when you get here."

...
"He means a lot to you?"

...How does he do that?
"...Yes."
"Unfortunately, due to circumstances, we don't get to talk often."
...
"Come on."

---

I move with him as he climbs into the cargo bay, now repurposed as, what I would call, a pretty good living space.
Especially given the circumstances.

"I already said how I can't follow you directly, but you'll be able to contact me any time."

He nods.
"Yeah."
...
"Love you."

I reach down for a faux-embrace.
"Love you too."
"See you soon."

"Yeah, see you soon."

I pull away from him, and step outside the airship, where I then unload out of sight.

After I reconnect to the airship's controls, I close the hatch, and engage its propulsion system.

...And it's taking off.
I set the autopilot to head to my can, and let it take control.

...
And we're good.

...

I should compose a letter.

---
------
Hey Tiersy.
It's been a bit, huh?

...

Things are...
Chaotic, right now.

So... Hunter has muscular rot.
It's... a little late to excise it, but not too late to remove via amputation if we can coax it into his leg.

The news was... rather shocking.
Hunter, after being reassured, is taking it the best, and I myself am doing fine.

Sig...
Is not.

Once he realized he seemingly had a panic attack, then after he recovered he's been unconsolable.

He blames himself, as after all he controlled Hunters genetics and specifically modified his muscular system, which means he introduced the genetics that created the rot.

I, personally, don't think that makes it his fault.
And even if it is, it's not killing Hunter, Hunter's not affected by it, and it's fixable.
I just wish he saw that.

...
I'm sorry for loading all of this on you, but I thought I shouldn't leave you in the dark like we have previously.

...
Could I get some good news? Please?

...
Love you.
------
---

Hunter calls me.

"Hello?"

"Hey Mom."
"I was about to go to sleep but I just wanted to say it's beautiful from up here."

Awww...
"That's wonderful to hear, the sun is setting, right?"
"Tell me about it."

"Oh, well the actual sun is so... orange!"
"Looking at it from the corner of my eye is crazy."
"Then the halo around the world of oranges and reds, then purples on the other side is sooooo cool."
"I'm going to paint this tommorow, I gotta."

I chuckle a little internally.
"Well good."
"I look forward to seeing it."
"Love you Hunter, get some rest for me, ok?"

"Ok, love you."

"Love you."

He closes the call.

---
------
Hey.

Holy shit Moon.
Void, I can't imagine what Sig is feeling.

I'm sorry.

But he's alright? Hunter that is?
That's good, I'm glad you at least caught it now.

...

Alright, enough beating around the bush.

Moon, it's absolutely his fault.

He fucked up.
In a way I feel many would fuck up? Yes.
But he fucked up.

However.
That simply means he's responsible.

...

I am going to send him a message, don't contact him until I do.
In the meantime, I would like a full debrief of the situation.

...

You said you wanted good news?

I'm feeling pretty good.
I still miss you, and I'm sure the feeling is mutual.
But it's tolerable now.

A few in my group have finally come to their senses and have dropped the 'how did Sliver ascend?' question.
It's been nice talking to some old friends about anything besides her.

My lizards are growing nice and well.
Cute little buggers.
Little, I say, ha.
All of them are bigger than me now.

I've been letting them exit my can, roaming the top and sides.

They still like visiting me though.

I wonder if that's any similar to y'all and Hunter.

You'll have to tell me how things are normally with him.

Anyways, that's mainly what's been going on.
Our scheduled session is up in a couple hundred cycles, looking forward to that.

Love ya, Moonie.
------

...
I-
...
...He's right.
I don't like admitting it but he's right.

...

I wonder what he'll say.

---
------
I attached a text folder containing everything.

That's really good news!
I'm glad things are doing good for you.

As for Hunter...
We're basically at that point.
He went out on his own not too long ago, and we were planning on him continuing to do so.
Truth be told it needed to happen sooner, too confined inside Sig's can.
In fact that doesn't really change right now, he'll just need to return at specific times instead of whenever.

Unsurprisingly considering who raised him, he's pretty good at art.
Developed his own style too, looks quite nice.

Prefers using his hands and fingers, and is really good at it too.
I'll send a picture, should be the second attachment.

...
I'll be honest, I forgot all about the scheduled call.

You know what would be cool? If we could get Hunter to talk to you then.

Just a thought.

Anyways, love you back Tiersy.
Talk soon!
------
---

Oh! I should tell Pebbles, especially because Hunter's going to want to explore, and might just end up visiting him.

---

Private Discussion
Members: LttM (Looks to the Moon), FP (Five Pebbles)

FP: Hello.

LttM: Hey Pebbles.
LttM: Just wanted to let you know I've got an airship coming in, and, more importantly, Hunter's on it.
LttM: You remember me talking about him, right?

FP: Yeah.
FP: Why's that important?

LttM: Well, he's pretty explorative, and I have a feeling he'll end up crossing the bridge between our cans, might end up visiting you, something.

FP: I see.
FP: Well, thanks for telling me.
FP: Oh and while we're in a call I might as well mention I'm upping water consumption for... three cycles I'm planning.
FP: Nothing harsh, shouldn't bother you unless you also up your consumption.

LttM: Thanks for letting me know, I appreciate it.

FP: You're welcome.
FP: Oh, and another question.
FP: Any specific reason he's coming over?

...Uh.
...Just use the original reason.
LttM: I've wanted for him to come over to my place for a while now, and now I think he's old enough to handle being in an airship for a couple cycles, not to mention protecting himself on the trip over to the service hatch from my docking area.

FP: I see.
FP: Well, good luck with that or something.

LttM: Thanks.
...
LttM: What have you been up to? I'm quite curious.

FP: Well, I devote a good bit of time to the Great Problem, as usual, but I know your stance on that so I won't elaborate.

LttM: Thank you.

FP: You're welcome.
FP: But other than that, something I've been doing is trying to get pieces of data on artists, poets, sculptors, basically anyone who created some kind of art.
FP: Info on their lives, their thought process, records on their works, if applicable actual copies of their works (I can't exactly get a sculpture inside a pearl now can I?), just... anything on them.
FP: I find their work fascinating.
FP: It paints a lot about them and it paints a lot about the society they lived in.
FP: Funny how their paintings paint their creators, right?

...Wow.
LttM: That's really interesting!
LttM: And yes, there certainly is some irony in that idea, huh?
LttM: It sounds like you've found yourself quite the hobby.

FP: Indeed.
FP: As for yours, you still paint, correct?

LttM: Mhm!
LttM: Ever since Sig taught me I've enjoyed it to no end.
LttM: ...You wouldn't happen to want to analyze my work would you?
LttM: Seeing that that would be relevant to *your* hobby.

FP: Hmm.
FP: An interesting thought.
FP: Sure, send over anything you'd like to share.

LttM: Cool, I'll send over some copies.
LttM: But other than that... I don't have much else to say.

FP: Me neither.
FP: I'll be seeing you.

LttM: See you.

Disconnect

---

After a quick copying of files, I send them over to Pebbles.

###

How far is he now?
...
...
AATC says 2/3rds of the way.
Ok.
He should be here by the end of the cycle, probably even before dark.
I'll direct him here once he does.

...

Unless its late, then it's up to him if he wants to go then or rest for the night.

---

...
I should check up on Si-
No, Frontiers told me to wait.
...I trust him on this.
He wouldn't say that unless he had a good idea.

...
I just hope it helps.

---

4/5ths of the way now.
I hope he's doing alright.
...I'm sure he is.

---

Almost there... The ship should begin to perform landing and docking procedures now...

...

Yep, there it goes.

I watch it through an overseer I have stationed nearby.

The airship begins to slow down, eventually coming to a standstill just 20 meters above the docking point.

Then, it begins to descend, slowly, to prevent damage when it lands.

Slowly slowly it goes, descending meter by meter, until...

It touches the ground, landing with a surprisingly soft thud.
The product of a carefully designed system, made long ago by...
...Frontiers.

...

The docking clamps engage, latching onto the crude hook shaped holes in the docking pillars.
And with that, it's landed.

I create a hologram through the overseer I'm connected to, and move over to the hatch, which is now slowly opening.

"Hey Hunter!"

"Hey."
"The trip was good, I've got some paintings in there along with the rest of my stuff."

"Wonderful, I'll get it all hauled over, and I'll get you set up in my chamber."
"But for now, I'll walk with you to my chamber."

He thumps his tail.
"Cool."

"Great, let's get going, shall we?"

Another thump, and we begin moving.

---

It's a fairly short walk, the depot is on a clear part of my can and is also quite close to my service hatch, so we enter through it in no time.

"Your hatch is built different."

"Mhm, when we were built there was no standardization."
"Meaning that no iterator was made the same."
"Though that changed as more and more of us were built."
"I'll have to tell you about that sometime."

He nods.
"That sounds interesting."
...
"I wanna know more about the other iterators."
"I know about you and dad, obviously, but... not really of the others."

"Well then I'll tell you!"
"Once we get you all set up I'll tell you about some of the others I know."
"Sound good?"

"Sounds good."

That said, we continue climbing down the tunnel.

---

"Whoa..."

He's noticing the general systems bus, if I remember correctly-

"Dad's bus isn't inside his access shaft."

Exactly.
"Mhm."
"Like I said, we were made differently."
In some cases made worse I'd say, buuut that's what you get for being the second iterator.
...I wonder what Tiersy's is like, he's never mentioned it oddly enough.
I can't imagine his are pretty either.
...
"We're almost there, you can actually see the hatch by now I think."

"...There it is!"
He drops down, letting the low gravity take control of his descent.

I chuckle slightly, and begin moving the overseer to the bottom.
...
Actually.
I don't need to do that.

I shut it off.

He pops in.
He-
He's here.
...
I-
He's here with me.

Wordlessly, I pull him closer.
Closer and closer, until I wrap him in an embrace.

...Holy shit.
I can feel him, he's warm and soft and... surprisingly slimy.
But he's here, and he's with me and-
...
"I love you."

"Love you too, mom."
He hugs me a little tighter.
It's...
It's all I ever wanted.

---

We let go.

I think he's feeling something similar to what I am.
We're in the same room for the first time.

...
We sit down on the floor.

"I... have so much I want to say."
"But I... I think you already get it."

He nods.
"Yeah."
"I... It's nice being with you in person, Mom."

I nod weakly, I still don't believe it.
My son, finally with me.

...

I guess I have work to do, huh.
I still need to get his stuff, so he can stay here comfortably.

I... uh... get to that.

---

He yawns.

"Tired?"

"A little, was kinda hard to sleep on the ride over actually, bumpy."

Mmm...
"I see..."
"Well, how about you get some rest now?"
"I can call up a blanket if-"
Oh he's already curling up.

...

I quietly chuckle to myself.
Then I take off my poncho, and rest it on him.

With that, I watch him fall into a deep sleep.

Chapter 85: Messages

Summary:

I'm doing another QnA!
I was specifically waiting a little between QnAs and also for things to stabilize even slightly, so I felt this was as good of a time as any.
I'll be uploading the answers about Wednesday, but we'll see about that :)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/56246995/chapters Here's the link, put your questions here!

...

Message.

From...

...

Ok.

...

It's a video attachment.

...

I open it.

A screen appears in front of me.
He's looking into the camera.

---
------

...
"Hey."
"Moon uh... toldl me about the situation."
...
"Before you close this or something, just listen for a few seconds."

...
"I'm sorry, Sig."
"I... can't imagine what you're going through."
"But uh..."

...

He mutters to himself.
"Fuck why is this so hard!"
He composes himself for a few seconds.

...
"Ok."
"Ok."

"...When Moon told me what happened, she said something that I don't think either of us agree with."
"...That it's not your fault."
"I summed up the facts... and I simply couldn't believe that."

...
He sighs.

...

"So, it's your fault, right?"
"You know what that means?"
...
"It's your responsibility, Sig."
"When the time comes, you're gonna have to do your part and help."
"Even if you think you shouldn't touch him."
"Even if you think that for some reason you should never him again."
"You gotta help out."

...
"This is stupid, why'd I think this would help?"

...

"Look man."

...

...

"I've got nothing."

...

"I don't know how to help."
"I don't know the magic words to make you feel better if they even exist."

...
"But I do love you."
"And it pains me to know you're feeling like this."
"And I want to do anything that could help."

...
"Send a message my way, ok?"
"At the very least, you don't have to go through this alone."
"If you want, Moon doesn't have to know."
"I won't say a thing unless you want me to."

...
"Love you, man."

End of recording.
------
---

...

Fine.

---
------
...
I appreciate the effort.
Moon just wants to pretend like everything's fine.
'Oh it's fine, oh it's not your fault.'

At least you're realistic about it.

It's not fine, it is my fault.

...
I feel miserable.
I feel truly, disgustingly miserable.
And Moon only made it feel worse.

Same with Hunter.
I couldn't bear to look at him.
And then I yelled at him when he tried what I can only assume Moon told him to say, and I fucked up again, and it's just like when I threw Silver's pearl at the wall, I just made everything worse.

...
Thank you for understanding.

And thank you for not trying to say random pointless shit to make me feel better.
Thank you for stopping where you did.

...
I love you too.
------
---

---
------
...Yeah.

...Thank you for talking to me.
The fact you listened to my message means a lot.
I was scared shitless you were going to just ignore me.

I wouldn't blame you if you did.

For the record, I want to keep talking to you, but if you tell me you want to stop, I'll stop.
I'll even try to keep Moon from talking if you want.

I will say this though, don't isolate yourself for too long.
I... I've seen that happen to you... what, two times before? And I hate to see you like that.
So please, don't do that.

...
Love you, Sig.
------
---

---
------
...Can't make any promises.
I don't know how much of this I can stomach.

It actually helps that all of this isn't instantaneous, lets me have time to myself.

I guess thanks for your concern.

...

I haven't been doing anything.
I just sit here, under this weighted blanket that she gave me.
The only stuff I do is making sure that things are running alright.

Despite all of this, I don't want to die.
Not after everything with Silver, Sliver, FPA, Jewels.
I know the damage it causes.

Besides, it wouldn't whisk away the problem.
Hunter would still have rot, I would just not be there to see it.

Since what I did, I already can't see it.

...
Sorry if I'm too morbid, I don't really care.
Love you.
------
---

---
------
It's nice seeing you don't want to.
That... makes me feel better, because not many seem to think like that nowadays.
It's not a popular opinion that 'dying is bad, actually.'

...
That's a little harsh, but it's still kinda true.

...
Can I talk about something that's been making me feel a little shit?
...Ok, a lot shit?

I fully admit it's not as bad as what you're going through, I just want to talk about it to someone.

...
I got into an argument with a friend of mine over the Great Problem.
It escalated and escalated, until we got to the point where they cut all contact with me.
Permanently.

It was all my fault, I was too pushy, I was the one who escalated it by not shutting up about it.

...
Another friend told me it wasn't my fault, but I know that's not true.

...Heh.
Sound familiar?

...Sorry, you don't need to hear about this right now.
Love you.
------
---

---
------
No. No.
Don't say that.

I'm sorry, that must suck.
Thank you for sharing, I am... rather aware of what it feels like to not have a confidant.

And... yeah, I know how the other part of that feels.
They just want you to feel better, but how could you?

...
Maybe it's good to feel miserable for a while.
Let you process things.

Love you, I'll be here for you.
------
---

---
------
Thanks.
That means a lot.

And... I think I get what you mean about the 'miserable' part.
If I was feeling good about it I wouldn't be taking the time to grieve my loss.

Maybe it's a little unhealthy, but is any of this healthy?
Is pain healthy for you?
Surely not, it feels like that for a reason.

...
I dunno.
Maybe we're doing this in a bad way or something.
I could go read through a therapy textbook or something, but honestly?
I don't really wanna.

I don't know.

...

Fuck, now I'm just rambling.

Alright, love ya.
------
---

---
------
Please, ramble on.
This is quickly becoming the highlight of my cycles.
More rambling means it lasts longer.

...

I guess in some vague interpretation of the word, I'm doing a little better.
I'm actually doing something besides sending messages now.

Sometimes, anyways.

Like last cycle I took control of an overseer (overwatcher, whatever) and roamed my systems.
I don't really know why.
I went through just about every system I could access.
I went through the general systems bus, my memory confluxes, the labs, the power rails, the outsides of the coolant ducts and transfer pipes, gravity generators, the convergence manifolds, and the transformer arrays.
I saw all I could.

You know, it's funny.
We always think we have a pretty intuitive sense of how big we are, right?
We've got the numbers, the kilometers of width, length, and height, the gigatons of metal, water, circuitry, neural matter, and void fluid, the quintillions of processing cycles per second from even a single organo-quantum processing array, the yottabytes of storage in a single memory conflux.
We've also got the feeling of it all, how when you connect to something at the edge of your can you can feel the milliseconds pass before it connects, how you can feel your steam pipes whir your entire can to life at the end of a cycle to output megastorms of cloudmatter.

Nothing puts it quite in context than moving an overseer at on average roughly five meters a second through it all, seeing everything working in ways only you would understand.

Like when I was in memory conflux C I saw a bit of the crystal lattice being monitored by a memory spider (Remember when we didn't have those? One of the few physical upgrades we got) and realizing, "That's holding a digital copy of one of Traveler's paintings!"
Or when I saw one of the abstract manifolds and I could look at its diagnostic display (Did anyone ever use those?) and could read through the unabstraction that it had been idle for a few cycles now.
Or a recursive transformer happily humming away, its specific hums telling me perfectly where and how much power it's pushing around.

In the end, I found myself right back where I started, my general systems bus.
After that, I took it straight to my chamber and personally copied its memories to pearl.
I even copied it twice, it had some useful data so I put it in a working memory pearl.

Right now those two are orbiting around Silver's reconstructed pearl.

...Wow, that's a long message huh?
I... don't really-
No, I do know where it came from.

Honestly, if you find the time, you should try it.

Love you.
------
---

---
------
...
Wow.

I, uhh.

That's all very interesting.

I just don't really know what to say outside of that.
I will probably do it myself.

...
Heh, memory spiders.
You know, I still have the muscle memory to check on the confluxes manually every now and then, then when I do I see those little guys and go 'oh, right.'

Also, yeah I still call those overwatchers overseers despite being a beta tester for them.

...

I don't really know if you want to hear about this, but Moon just sent me a letter, keeping me informed.
She wants me to share one with you, apparently. She doesn't trust herself sending it personally, I guess.
Or maybe she thought you'd ignore it.

I ain't forcing you to read it, but on the off chance you want to, I've attached it to mine.
...
Though if you trash it at least tell me.
I won't tell Moon.

Sorry to put you on the spot like this.
Love you.
------
---

...

...

...
Fine.

---
------
...Hey Sig.

I just... wanted to ask how are you feeling.

I'm...
It's been about 15 cycles now and I just... wanted to know.

...

Hunter's doing good.
That's all I'll say on him.

...

I'm sorry.

I realize that I was just making it worse, that I was ignoring the facts.
Frontiers was the one that made me realize.
I just...
I wanted you to feel better.

I realize that was kinda stupid.
Wanting something doesn't make it happen.
And I realize it's best to let things pass over for now.

So I'm letting you do that.

...
When and if you're ready, just... call me.

You don't even have to respond to this message.
I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't read it.
Ha...

I love you, Siggy.
Just... please don't stay there forever, ok?
I miss you.

...
Love you.
------
---

---
------
Thank you, for apologizing.

As for your initial question...
Better, on technicality.
I am in fact feeling better than I was when this started.

...

Love you too.
------
---

---
------
I sent a checkup message to Moon.
I don't got much to say this cycle, just...
I'm tired.

Just... send me some rambling and I'll ramble back, ok?

Love you.
------

...

------
Nevermind, I thought of something.

She misses me.

...

I think I miss her too.

...
I mean, how couldn't I?
She's Moon.
She's kind and caring and sees the best in people.
Not to mention smart.
And a great partner.
A good laugh.
A good cry.
Good to cuddle with.
Good to hug.

...
I miss you too.
You're smart, and funny, and...
On the same wavelength.
Sometimes it feels like you get me better than she does, and she gets me pretty damn well.
...It's just in times like these, where she wants to help.
But her methods...

...

She tried to make things better.
...
You were there for me.

...

Thank you.
For being there for me.

...

I wouldn't trade either of you for the world.
But the other way around might just be true.

...
Love you.
------
---

---
------
...I'm flattered.
I...

Thank you.

I miss you too buddy.

...
I've run into so many dead ends with the network problem.

'This won't work because of the marshes.'
'This one won't work because of the scale required.'
'This one won't because I can't build anything besides on my can.'
Among quite literally hundreds of others.

I try to come up with a new design every ten cycles, think them out, design blueprints, see if I can't make it possible to be constructed/whatever.
But nothing works out.
About 90% of the ideas involve construction of something out in the marshes, which with current technology is infeasible for at least two reasons.
The other 10% involve construction within a facility are infeasible for merely one of those.

The first main reason being... marsh construction, even the the very few things that have even made it to live tests (current count: 5) all sink into the endless mud pits (may I remind you that several of these are in *direct* contact with the *void sea,* with no way to tell which are), despite numerous countermeasures against this outcome.

The second reason is simple, construction complexity.
Currently, there is no known method to make anything much more complex than a simple antenna, wiring, and rudimentary power source. (Outside of the factories specialized for that of course, but for a variety of reasons it's impossible to assemble those parts into something useful, let alone in a place where they would *be* useful.)
This means that even if I did build something in or outside my facility, it wouldn't meet the connection speed or strength needed to actually work as a solution.

All of this to say...

...

I don't know.
Maybe it's just venting about a problem I desperately want to solve, but can't.

...Sorry if this just makes you feel worse.
Love you.
------
---

---
------
...All it did was make me wish I had been working with you on this.

Not... that I regret having Hunter, even despite my failings, I still love him a lot.
I just wish I had spent some time, *any* time, working with you.

...

I'm gonna drop this for now.
But know that I think I'm gonna take a crack at coming up with some ideas.

It's something to do, at the very least.

...

In other news, while I was waiting for your message, I finally fixed my chest plating that Moon dented.
I just... didn't care for the longest time.

...

I think I'm starting to feel *actually* better.

Still bad, don't get me wrong, but...
No longer completely stagnant.

...

I'm going to keep in contact, I don't know why we ever left it to be frank.
But I'm going to call Moon.

Love you man, send over a design document why don't you?
------

...Alright.

...

------
...

Is Hunter there?
------

Chapter 86: Reconnecting

...
Holy shit.
He...

I open it.

------
...

Is Hunter there?
------

...
...I see.
Well he's out on his own for a few cycles, under the clouds for the first time even.

------
No, he isn't, he's going to be gone for a few cycles.

Did you want to talk to him?
------

And send.
Now to wait fo-

Ah. He's loading in right now.

"No, I didn't."
"I wanted to talk to just you."

"Oh!"
"Well..."
"...How are you feeling?"

"Better."
"I still feel bad, but I feel better than I did."
...
"...I missed you."

Aww...
"I missed you too."
I walk over to him, and kneel down into a hug.

He hugs me back.

---

"...Does he hate me?"

I shake my head.
"No."
"Even after I admitted the facts to him... and myself."
...
"He misses you too."

...

He sighs.
"I'm afraid to see him again."

...
I guess that's not that surprising.

...

"...Do you want to see him again?"

...

...

"Yes."
...
"Desperately."

...

"What if I called him?"
"He should be in a shelter pretty soon."

...

"I'm not ready."

"Ok."
"That's ok."

---

He...
He begins to weep.

I... can't tell exactly why.

I just hold him close to me.

...

I don't say anything, I've learned long ago, and again recently, that sometimes words don't need to be said.

...

I coax him into a sitting position, and let him ride it out.

---

Eventually, his weeping slows, and eventually stops completely.

...
"...Thank you."

I nod into him.
"You're welcome, Siggy."

...
Should I ask if he wants to do something?
...
Probably not.

---

...

He turns to me.
"Frontiers said... a while ago... that I need to take responsibility."
"I..."
"I agree."
...
"I just..."
...
"I'm scared."
...
...
"What if I mess up again, make things worse."

...

What... exactly am I supposed to say?

...

"...I-"
What, I don't think you will?
Will that help?
"I don't know."
"I... I was gonna say 'I don't think you will.' "
"But I don't even know if that idea helps you."

...
"...Tell me why... you think that."

...

Because...

...

!

"Because you wouldn't let yourself."
"Let's say, hypothetically, you were allowed a do over."
"Straight back to when you were looking over his genome."
"Would you not do everything you could to account for everything? Look over every letter of his DNA to make sure there isn't any errors?"
"Void, knowing you, you'd find a way for his immune system to catch any rot and excise it itself."
"Now, back to the current cycle."
"Considering that you wouldn't want to make a single mistake while administering a shot, you would put your full focus on doing exactly that, right?"
...
Right?

...

...

"Maybe."
"What if I miss the one thing I didn't know about doing this specific procedure?"

...
Old gods.
...
"Sig."
"You say that like there isn't a margin for error in the procedure, assuming you read the same books I did you would know that there is."
Calm dow-
"I get why you're feeling this way with everything, I even empathize, but you are not allowed to bend the facts of the situation just to..."
"Just to wallow!"
...
Void, why did I do that?
Why did I yell at him?
I just made things worse, he's just going-

"Yeah."
"Yeah you're... you're right."
...
"Sorry."
He slumps into himself.

...Oh.
...
I-
"...I'm sorry."
"I shouldn't have yelled, I could have said that better."

"...No."
"I needed that."

...

"I've..."
"I've been pretty irrational."
...
"I don't know."
"When I say it, heard it, I..."
"I broke down."
"I felt like I failed."
...
"I felt like I killed him."

...

"I ignored the evidence too, you know."
"You told me from the very start that it's curable, easily so, if not time consuming."
"I never let go of the idea that he was going to die, all because I made a simple, stupid mistake."
"I bent the facts, just like you said."

...

...

He's not saying anything else.

"...Do you feel any better?"

...
"No."
"Facts don't help with this."
...
"But I may be in a better place to start feeling better."

...
"Well..."
...
I...
What should-
...
"...I don't know if this should be the thing I ask, but..."
"You want to call him now?"

...

Wow can I not read him right now.

...

"No, I'm-

...
Oh fuck.
He's calling.
Uuuuuuhhh...
...
"Talk if you want, don't talk if you don't, ok?"

I pick up the call.
"Hey Hunter!"

"Hey Mom."
"I got to a shelter."

"Oh good!"
"Glad you made it."
I glance down at Sig, who seems to be...
...Utterly terrified.
I hold him a little closer.

"Yeah."
"I'll be honest, rain's a little louder than I thought it would be."
"I wouldn't call it bad though, the sound is kinda... soothing."

Mmm.
"Makes sense, your body is probably more used to hearing the rain, despite never hearing it before."
"Genetic memories, they're called."
"You may never have experienced it, but since other slugcats have, your genetics have."
...That... would explain a few of his sleepless nights, actually.

"Mmm, interesting."
"Well, before I go, I wanted to ask..."
"You know if dad's feeling any better?"

I feel him go rigid.

"Ummm..."
"I got a message from him, just today actually."
"He seemed-"

"Hunter."

"...Dad?"

...
I move the microphone point to him.

...

"...Yeah."

"Dad!"
"How are you? Are you alright? I missed you so much!"

...
"...I missed you too."
"...I'm doing better."
"...How... are you?"

"I'm great!"
"I'm down under the clouds for the first time, and I made it to a shelter, and I can't wait to explore further, it's so cool down here!"

...
"You're... not hurting or anything?"

"Oh well I nicked myself a little... earlier..."
...
"You didn't hurt me dad."
The stark change in voice from excited to serious is... a little scary hearing it from Hunter.

...

"You're not... not angry at me?"

"What? No!"
"I was a little shocked when you made me leave, but that's it!"
"You didn't hurt me, I'm not angry at you."
"I miss you, dad."
"I wanna see you again."

"...I want to too."
"...I'm scared to, though."

"Why?"
"You're not gonna hurt me."
...
...
"When I get back to Moon's, can you come and visit?"
"Can you do that for me? Please?"

...

There's something going on in his mind, I just can't read it.

...

...

"Yeah."
"I... I could do... that."

"Ok."
"...I love you dad."
"I'm... I'm gonna go now."
"I love you."

"Love... love you too..."
"Talk soon."

"Talk soon."

And the call closes down, leaving Sig staring at nothing.

---

"I'm... I'm gonna go."

...
"Ok."
"You gonna live up to that agreement?"

"...Hopefully."

...
Ok.
"That's... that's good enough."
"Come back sometime, ok?"

"...I'll try."

...I'll take it.
"Love you Sig."

"Love you."

And without further notice, he disappears, leaving me hugging nothing.

...

I hope he gets better.

...

I hope that didn't make him feel worse.

Notes:

So.
I may or may not end up taking a small hiatus from uploading, for two reasons.
One, I'm currently out of ideas for the fic, and have nothing in the backlog.
Two, I'm starting college.
Depending on how much time it'll take up my time to write will drop significantly.
So you know.

I'll figure it out, and I'll hopefully have something out before October, but we'll see.

Thank you for understanding, and thank you for enjoying my fic!
I still have a pretty good idea for how this fic will end, and I don't really want to stop until I finish it, so I ain't quitting, don't worry.

Chapter 87: Reconnecting pt. 2

Notes:

We are so back.

------
Log 6 (I wonder how many of these I'll make)

...
Things are...

They just are.

Sig is present, that's nice.
Though really that's all he is, present.
He uh...
He's just... sitting there.

I... think he's doing something in his labs?
He mumbles sometimes about it.

I tried asking about it but he either didn't hear me or didn't want to respond.
I let him have his space.

...

Fuck... I'm just...
I'm just so worried about him!
I mean... obviously he's slowly getting better.
He's here, that's proof of that.
But he's still obviously in poor mental health, and doesn't seem to be recovering any time soon.

...

I guess all I can hope is that he does.
...
And that he doesn't have an emotional breakdown when Hunter gets back today.
...
Void.

...

It'll be fine.
Just... keep saying that and maybe it'll be true.

End Log.
------

I save the log to a data pearl and my confluxes, and close the text editor down.

...

...
Nothing to really do right now...
Nothing short enough to finish before Hunter gets here, anyways.

...

Should...?
...
No, he looks like he's deep in thought.

...

...

I move over to him.

He doesn't respond.

I sit down next to him, about a third of a meter away.

Nothing.

I scoot in a little closer.

"I see you."

...

He acts like nothing happened like I'm not right next to him.

...

I scoot in a little closer.

He... doesn't seem to mind.

...

"Can I hold your hand?"

...He...
Seemingly ignore-
"Sure."

...
I move my hand over to his, and slowly clasp around it.

...

I feel his fingers curl around mine.

...
"Whatcha doing anyways?"

...

"Working on communication solutions."
"Tiersy's been running himself ragged working on this and... I wanted to help."

Mmm...
I nod.
"Interesting."
...
"I guess it's probably too early into your work to ask, but... how is it going?"

"...Eh."
"Like you said, too early to really say."
"But it's certainly not seeming to be easy."
"Too few tools, and too many obstacles."

"Uh huh."
...
Aaaand back to silence.

...

"Just... just letting you know..."
"Hunter's gonna be back... honestly probably within the hour."
"He's gotten pretty fast as of late."

"Uh huh..."

...

He relaxes from his rigid position, seemingly pausing whatever he's working on for the moment.
...
He lets out a long sigh...
"...I'm nervous."

I nod.
...
"All I ask is that you at least stay for a little while, ok?"
"Say something to him, ok?"

...

"...I can do that."

I nod again.
"Thank you."

---

Time whiles away.

He almost seems too nervous to do much besides sit.
Or maybe he just thinks he shouldn't start back up his work until everything is said and done.
...
Probably both.

I... try to comfort him, by wrapping an arm around him, but it doesn't seem to help all that much.

...

"I'm not ready for this..."

...
It pains me to hear him say that.
...
"...Will you be alright?"

He continues to stare straight ahead.
"...I don't know."

...

"Will you try your best?"

...

He weakly nods.

"Thank you."
"Do it for him, ok?"

...
"...Ok..."

"Thank you."
I squeeze him a little closer to me.
"I love you Siggy, ok?"

...

He faintly nods.

...

I silently check on where Hunter is, connecting to an overseer aaaaand...
...
Just entered the service tunnel.

I close the feed.

...

Just... stay calm.
You're going to need to be level headed, for Sig.

Stay calm, for Sig.

...

Just stay...
Calm.

...

Seconds later, I see a head pop through the access tunnel.

...

He floats silently to the floor, aiming for the ground slightly in front of us.

He lands gracefully on his feet.
He looks at Sig, who stares back.

I can't read either of the-

Hunter leaps towards Sig and embraces him fully.
He starts sobbing.
"I-I-I... m-missed... y-you..."

Sig looks... absolutely stunned.
But slowly, ever so slowly, his arms wrap around Hunter.
He leans his head into Hunter.
And he too slowly begins sobbing.

...

This is their moment.
...
I slowly slip away.

###

###

I press him into my body, unwilling to let go.

Does... he really... don't hate me?
...
Of... of course he doesn't, he... he said so.

...
I'm really fucked up right now, huh.

I sob harder into him, and he responds by holding on a little tighter.

...
He really misses me.
...
I've been a terrible parent.
Void, I've been such a terrible parent.

...

...

I need to do better.

I manage to calm down, just a little, just enough to stop crying.
...
"...I-I'm sorry."
"I... I wish I-I came back sooner."

He presses himself against me.
"I- i- it's o-ok..."
"I'm j-just gl-lad I can s-see you ag-gain..."

...
Those words hurt probably more than he knows.
...
I gotta do better, I gotta.
I gotta.
I gotta.
I-
...
Calm down Sig.
...
"H-here..."

I take one of my hands off of him, and move it to his face.
Carefully, I slowly brush off some of his tears, using the pressure of my hand to push them away.
I repeat this motion for the other eye.

His sobbing starts to calm.

"Th-there you go..."
...
"S-sit next to me, why don't y-you?"
"And we'll t-talk."

He slowly, shakily nods into me, and slowly lets go.
He slides off of me, and into position.

His eyes are still wet, but no longer like they were just a few seconds ago.

...
"I..."
"S-still don't really feel great..."
"But I-I realized... that I-I should a-at least try..."
"F-for y-you..."
...
I hold out my hand, and he takes it without hesitation.

...

...I want to hear about what he's been doing.
"T-tell me..."
"H-how was your r-recent trip?"

He lights up slightly at that.
He wanted to tell me.
"W-well... I went under the clouds... f-for the first time."

...
Really?
...Right, he told me when that call happened.
"...T-tell me about it."

He takes in a deep breath, almost to stabilize himself, and begins to speak.

---

He promised Moon four cycles, so he planned to take the first two going down a leg, and the last two going back up.
When he got out and saw Pebbles' can, he briefly thought about going there, but decided to do that another trip.

So he went down, passing by some familiar looking communicator lizards, who didn't bother him.

Thanks Moon.

He did however meet his first rider bird though, he didn't kill it but he also managed to escape into a pipe, so nothing bad so far.

When he reached the base of the wall, he rested for the night, and got to hear the rain for the first time.
Not too long after he called us, but I already knew how that went so he obviously didn't elaborate.

After that he slept for the night and moved on.

Further down he realized just how dark our cans got in the shade, he said it was weird it was almost pitch black down there.

Apparently he ran into a couple things that... honestly reminded me of hauler crabs, I'll have to look into that at some point or another.

He ended up with some apparently nasty bite marks, but they seemingly healed pretty fast, considering I only noticed them when he showed me.

Thinking about it, whatever small injuries and light sicknesses he's always recovered from fairly fast, certainly faster than average.
...
Maybe it's because of what-
...
What-
...
I can't think about it right now.

...

He continues on, oblivious to the small scale crisis I had.
He's... saying how he made it to the bottom of her leg, where he found the reservoir Moon's can rests upon.

He watched with fascination at the weak whirlpools around her legs, where all the intake pipes coalesced.

But... it was getting late, so he headed to a shelter he saw earlier that cycle.
Though... he did wait before he entered it, he said.
He wanted to see the rain, no matter how dangerous he knew it to be.

He waited till the rain felt hot on his skin, then scurried in, not wanting to get burned or crushed by the rain.

He slept, then he continued on.

Apparently the two cycles traveling back up were fairly uneventful, though they were a little slower, which made sense to him, falling is easier than climbing after all.

He broke through the clouds early in the fourth cycle, and had a fairly relaxing climb the rest of the way up.

And now he's here.

By the time he's done all of his emotions had washed over and away, replaced by excitement to be talking to me about what he did.

Just like it used to be.
...Just like it used to be.
...
...
"...Thank you."

He thumps his tail in excitement.
"You're welcome!"
He leans into a hug, one much less desperate than the one earlier.
...
He's gotten big, he's easily taller than me now.
His arms easily wrap around me, with a surprising amount of strength to boot.

Though I guess it shouldn't be surprising, considering I made-

Yeah.

...
I return the hug.
"...You've gotten so big."

"Yeah!"
"I haven't met any other slugcats over here yet, but I bet I'm taller than most!"

...
Hm.
"Y'know... I don't actually know the averages... over here at least."
"Over at my can I'm actually pretty confident you're the tallest around, but here...?"
I look over to Moon, who seemingly has been working on a painting to give us some alone time.
She's hanging it up to dry right now.

She looks over at us.
"I've been passively listening."
"I remember doing a little bit of research about a hundred cycles ago, just taking pictures and low detail scans of the populace."
"If I remember correctly they're actually shorter on average, but have a higher standard deviation."
"Though I think Hunter is still at least taller than most."
She goes back to hanging it up, though from the angle her head is at I can tell she's still 'passively listening.'

"Uh... huh..."
...
Man, now I'm just thinking about how different they are.
For one they most certainly have at the very least different verbal language, even if their body language is similar.
And that's a big if.
...
Hm.
...Didn't she say they acted differently forever ago?
Less isolationist or something?
...
"Sorry, just thinking about this or that..."
"My mind wanders a lot right now... I've been noticing."

He thumps his tail.
"I think I've noticed that too, a little."
His eyes read to me like he has... a decent idea on why.
I'm not gonna argue that idea is incorrect either.

...
I'm tired.
...I don't really want to fully leave either.
...
"I'm gonna... I'm just... gonna do some thinking."
"Let myself wander."
"If... you wanna talk about something just... poke me in the lens or something, that'll get my attention."

"Ok."
"...You mind if I sit with you?"

...
"No..."
"I'm... I'm ok with that."

He nods, almost a note of concern projecting from his body.
"Ok."
"...I love you, I'm glad you're here."
Sounds like he's feeling more than a note of concern.

"Thanks, and love you too."
I relax my body, resting it against the wall.

He moves in a little closer, and puts out his hand.

I take it.

Notes:

Hey all!
I posted a new chapter! Yay!

I'm... currently not gonna say that I'm gonna rely on the idea that I can stick to my schedule, so the next few chapters will probably be sporadically uploaded over the following weeks.
Just a heads up.

Regardless, we're back, and I've even got a good few ideas kicking around in my head, so while things may be a little slower, they shouldn't be too far apart.

Happy reading!

Chapter 88: Numbness

Summary:

Foggy glass pane separating the mind and the body.

Notes:

ill be honest, just wanted to post this now instead of waiting... ~6 hours
Enjoy :]

------
20.515 / 1000

...
Been a bit.
I'm sure you know why.
A certain slowness of the mind combined with...
Events.
Again, you know which ones.

In a sense...
I've been recovering.
Though I personally don't think I'm anywhere near 100%.

Though maybe that's from a viewpoint of who I used to be.
Maybe I'm just... different now.
It's not the first time I've changed personality.
Though admittedly my personality changes are... usually a bit slower.

Whatever.

...

I feel numb.
Not... physically numb per say, but that may just be because I haven't tested that, nor do I really have the inclination to do so.
I feel mentally numb.
Like there's a separation between what's happening in my life and what's happening in my head.
Like a thick, cloudy glass pane.
Sure I can see through it, and hear through it, just...
Not well.

...

So yeah.

...

I've been doing work on the communication problem.
No real results so far, despite working on it for... ten-ish cycles?
Or probably because of that, it's not an easy task.

...
That's all.
------

I save and close down my computer.

---

...
Hm.
Slugcat detected climbing my can.
Fun.

---

Almost here...

...

...

They poke their head through the hatch, and gently drift down.

I wait for them on the ground.
...
'Greetings.'

'Hello.'
She looks around.
...
'...I had heard... descriptions of this place.'
'I did not take them as wholly true.'

...
Fair.
'Some of the others that come here have said the same thing.'
'It is weird to see something not slowly fading away, isn't it?'
'I know that this place is one of the few that look anywhere close to this.'

She thumps her tail, then points to the paintings adorning the walls of my chamber.
'I have heard you made those, what are they called?'
'I've seen a lot of things like those below us.'

The graffiti, I presume.
'The most general term would be 'art.' '
'Anything made to represent one's ideas, really.'
'Often without practicality.'

She slowly thinks about that, her tail slowly moving back and forth.
...
'...I always thought that there was some strange purpose to all those things I saw.'

...
'Perhaps there was.'
'I was simply saying that most of those did not have practicality.'
'It did not serve to show where food was, or where predators were.'
'But maybe it still has a message to be had, or a purpose to its creation.'
'Maybe the purpose was simply to say that the person who made it... made it.'

...
'Fascinating...'
...
'...Why did you make yours?'

...
Hm.
...
'For a variety of reasons.'
'A few have easy answers.
I shift the gravity around a painting, unhooking it from its base and bringing it down.
It's one of my first ones, a picture of the city above.
I turn it towards them.
'I made this one... to simply practice making others.'
'I imagine you remember that you had to learn how to defend yourself?'
'How to eat?'
'How to walk and climb?'

She thumps her tail.
'I do.'
'Is the same true with making these?'

'It is.'
'It takes time to get better at it, time and practice making them.'
I push it back into its place, and take another down.
This one is a painting of an overseer, I remember painting it just a couple cycles ago.
'This one is a good example of making one to simply make one.''
'...To make me focus on something.'
'At the time my mind was unable to focus on most things.'
It still somewhat is.
'So I tried to do something.'
'This was what I came up with.'
'I'm sure you recognize it.'

'Yes...'
'Those things are like eyes, right?'

I nod, then remember to thump my tail.
I summon an overseer to the chamber, it appears within the second.
'They indeed are.'
'I use them to watch over things, either out of curiosity or to learn something I need to know.
Like how to treat Hunter.
...
'In this, I simply tried to mimic one as well as I could.'
'Mimic', ha, what a roundabout way of saying it in their language.
'Outside of the purpose I just said, there's not much reason for it to exist.'
'Besides that I like it.'
'I feel it's a good mimic.'

She thumps her tail.
'It looks like one.'
...
'What are the others' purposes? If that's not too much.'

...
Void, like I have better to do.
'I have time.'
'I'll certainly go through more, though I can't guarantee going through all of them.'

'Ok.'

I put up the one I'm holding, pushing it back in place.

---

I go through one, two, three, four, and so on.
As I do, I feel myself slowly disconnect from what's happening, the pattern slowly becoming monotonous.

I take down a painting, I present it, I describe my reasoning for making it, some with more detail some with less, and I put it back up.
Repeat, repeat, repeat.

Slowly my mind wanders away.
My senses dim.
Sure, they are still there, but my focus on them wanes completely, my mind drifting away from the physical.

...

Alone with my thoughts.
...Ha.
I thought I knew the meaning of that.
The times I have been before I also had my senses, thus not truly being alone.

But now I'm here, truly alone with my thoughts..
I don't even think my subconscious is here, it's out doing all the important things.
And talking to that slugcat, too, presumably.

Who knows.

...

Is this a bad thing?

Maybe.

...
Funnily enough I can still check my can's status, despite not having real access to my other senses.
Perhaps it's formatted differently.
...
It surely is, thinking about it.
After all, it's the only one of my senses to be purely digital.

Hmph.
Interesting.

...

In any case, it's not causing any problems with my can, judging from what it's saying to me.

...

You know...
There's never been a real study on iterator psychology.
We've mainly based it on Ancient psychology studies when needed.
Though to be fair from my experience it seems to cross over pretty well.
...
This is dissociation, isn't it?
Separation of what's happening outside and inside.

...

I guess in theory it's bad huh.
Though admittedly it makes perfect sense, considering everything.

Perhaps it's not bad, just its source.
At least in this case.

Who knows.

I probably could do with another reading of a psychology book.
That way I know exactly how all of this is messing me up.

...

I want to check in on him.

...
What's happening right now?
Are they still here?

...

I... I think so.
How many... paintings have we gone through?
...
This is... one of the last.

I... slowly watch myself go through the motions I set up for myself.
As I do the glass pane between me and the world defogs slightly, enough to properly tell what's going on.

I finish, and slowly put up the painting.
...
...
'Unfortunately... I have to do something fairly soon.'
'Though we did... make it through most of them.'

She thump their tail.
'Thank you.'
'It was very interesting.'

'You're welcome.'
'Would you like assistance in leaving?'

She thumps it again.
'I don't trust my ability to climb on those.'
She points to the wall.

I thump my tail.
'Of course.'
'All I ask is that you don't panic.'

She blinks in confusion.
'...Ok?'

I slowly invert the gravity around her.
She yelps in response, but quickly calms down as she realizes she's being pushed around, just like what I did with the paintings.

She reaches the hatch.
...
'Goodbye.'

'Goodbye.'

She crawls through it, leaving me alone with-
...
Alone with my surroundings.

...

Ok.
...Ok.

...

I... start a call with Moon.

...

She perks up immediately.
"Hey Siggy!"

"Hey."

She moves in and wraps me in a hug.

...
I let out a sigh.
"Thanks."
"I... actually kinda needed that."

"You're welcome."
"...Whatcha been up to?"

...
"Work."
"A slugcat visited today."

"Mmm, interesting."
"...You wanted to do anything?"

"...I... wanted to check in on Hunter."

"Oh! Of course."
"He wanted to be outside for a little bit, but he should be heading back here soon."

"Mhm..."
"Can... can you call him?"

"Of course!"
"Do you want me to be there or do you want it to be one on one?"

...
"...One on one."

"Ok."
"I'll back off, and you can talk to him, ok?"

I vaguely nod into her.

"Ok."
She breaks away from her hug.
She starts a call, and hands me the microphone point.
"Love you."

"Love you too."
She backs off.

...

"Hello?"

"Hey Hunter."

"Dad!"
"How are you! Are you good?"

"I'm doing alright."
"I just... wanted to check in on you."

"Cool."
"I'm doing good, I'm actually almost back at Moon's."
"...You there?"

"...Yeah."
"I'm... I'm willing to hang out a bit."

"Awesome."
"I love you!"

...Void.
"Love you too."
"See you in a bit."

"See ya!"

He closes down the call.

...
I sigh, and slowly sit down on the floor.

...

I think I should tell her about my state.
...
...Not... right now though, I don't really want to talk about it with Hunter here.
Sooo...
"...Hey Moon?"

"Mhm?"

"...I wanna talk to you about something, after Hunter gets here."
"I... want to talk about it alone."

"Ok."
...
She comes back down to me.
"You want another hug?"

"...Yeah, I think I would."

She nods, and wraps her arms around my body again.

I feel my arms slowly wrap around her as well.

Chapter 89: Unexpected Curiosity

Summary:

Winds decides to visit Moon

Notes:

oh my god i did it i did it i did it holy shit

after a couple months now of low motivation and a few weeks of factorio addiction i finally put out a chapter

here's to some more before the new year yeah?

She turns to me.
"You think you can do that?"
She hands me one of the spears she made.

"...I think I can do that."
...Ok.
Hold it by my head.
Make sure I'm gripping it right...
...There.
...
Ok.
...
Take a step...
Keep going...
...Faster...
...
Throw!

The spear flies out of my hand, shooting straight into the target Mom made.
It finally hits, landing within the outer ring.

"There you go!"
She beams at me.
"Now let's try doing it a couple more times, see if you can keep doing that, ok?"

I nod, a little excited that I finally landed one.

She hands-
She pauses.
A familiar noise rings through her chamber.
"Uhmmm..."

"...Is it dad?"

"No he'd... be loaded in by now..."
She summons and attracts a window over to her."
"...Hmmm..."
"It's an old friend of mine."
...
"You wanted to meet another iterator for a bit now..."

...
Hmm...
I...
I guess...
That'd be cool.
I didn't expect it so... suddenly...
"...I'd like that right now."

She nods, deep thought still in her eyes.
"I'll..."
"...Yeah."
I see her interact with the window and...

...
Another iterator loads in.
"Hey Moon! I......"
The new iterator looks around, looking at the target and spears and...
Me.

...They...'re kinda similar to dad, shape wise.
Bit taller, bit thinner.
Similar color to mom.
Red robes.

"I..."
"...How about we sit down and you update me, hmm Moon?"

Mom blinks.
"Uhh... yeah."
"I'll... I'll be honest, I should have cleaned up, told you to wait a few minutes or something."
She chuckles half heartedly, and slowly lowers to the floor, eventually sitting down cross legged.

The friend of hers slowly follows suit.

I decide to sit down next to mom.

...

...

"...I guess me or Sig never told you, huh."
"We uh... we..."
"He grew a slugcat in a vat, with the express purpose of raising... him."
She leans her head towards me.
"I... he asked me if I wanted in, and I was a little surprised at first but... well."

Something tells me she agreed.
I...
I think I'll just watch... for the moment.

Her friend slowly processes that.
...
"...Interesting..."
"So..."
"You had a kid."

"...Yeah."
"This is... this is Hunter."

I nod, still... not quite sure what I should be doing.

More thought.
"So... I can guess you were teaching him just now how to live outside, right?"

Mom nods.
"Pretty much."
"He's been doing pretty well on his own, but I thought it'd be a good idea to teach him how to fight with more than just a knife."

"Mhm..."
"That... makes sense."
...
...
"Was... there a reason you didn't say anything?"

...She shrugs.
"Busy, pretty much."
"Not to mention like... come on, you know me and Sig."
"We don't... really interact a lot really."

The friend chuckles.
"Admittedly... fair."
"I'll admit I'm not the most talkative myself."
Another chuckle.
"Only person I talk to with any amount of frequency is Suns."
"Same with you and Sig?"

Mom considers it.
"Pretty much."
"Though I've been keeping in contact with Frontiers quite a bit."

"Mhm."

Seems they're just... chatting.
Like mom would with dad.
...
"What's your name?"

The friend jumps slightly.
"...Uh..."
"Winds. Gray Winds."
"...I didn't realize you could speak ancient."
"I just... figured... I don't know, really."
"Didn't think too hard about it."

...Fair.
Not like from my knowledge that's normal.

"Yeah... we've taught him both our language and how slugcats communicate."
"Which was actually slightly tricky, because their language is a large chunk based on body language, especially involving their tail."
She gestures to my tail.
"In fact... I'm actually somewhat surprised you didn't notice..."
She turns her body, moving her fake-tail in the process.

Her fri- Winds looks at it curiously.
"Ohhh..."
"Interesting..."
"I presume that works similarly to one of these calls?"

"Pretty much."
"I certainly borrowed a good bit of code from it."

'Code' What a weird little thing from what I remember.
Not like... uh...
...
Dee in ay, is what she called it.
Why does she need both of those to work, anyways?
I'll ask later.

"-control it?"

"Mhm."
She thumps it, presumably just to show it off.
"Took a second to get used to, which... should be fairly obvious."

"Mhm..."

...
...
Hmm.
"Who are you?"

She jumps slightly again.
"Uh..."
...
"Hmm..."
"I... think I get what you mean."
...
"Well."
"You can tell we're friends, I'm sure."

I nod.
"Mom told me about that right before you got here."

"Mhm."
"Well."
"...I don't really got much other than that, haha..."
"If we're going to talk about what I've done... not much that's significant and that your... mother... hasn't."
"...What do you know about... us I guess... anyways?"

Iterators, I presume.
"Hmm."
...
"You were created to solve a problem, a not very worthwhile one at that."
"Your parents or creators were..."
"...Assholes, I believe would be a decent word?"
"And you're very powerful, which comes from your... can, Mom called it."
"...Oh and I roughly know how the inside of a can works."
"Or is shaped anyways."

...
Winds... just stares for a moment.
"I... see..."

Mom speaks up for a moment.
"We've taught him some stuff, but the priority was always more for survival stuff."
"Hunter has always been quite curious all his life though, and we've always answered his questions."

"Mmm...hmm..."
...
"You know, it's a very true thing that my creators... indeed weren't the nicest."
A small laugh comes out of her.
"I kinda always had a specific thing with them, while they were still around."
...
She whispers.
"How do I put this..."
...
"I wasn't made... fully like this."
"There was really one key difference between me initially and me now."
"I was created with the intents of being a man."
"Like Sig... or your father I guess."

Hmm...
"Really?"

She nods.
"Fairly... early on, I was questioning who I was."
"It was... actually your mother and father who helped push me in the right direction."

I turn over to mom, who's nodding.
"That was... a while ago now, wasn't it?"
"I haven't thought about before then in ages."

"Neither have I."
"Normally I'm quite happy to not think about it."
"But Hunter... you seem interested?"

I nod.
It's a very interesting thing to hear about.
"So... were you made wrong or something?"
"Like they made an error?"

She thinks about it.
"The design process for an iterator, to the best of my knowledge, wouldn't label that as an error."
"To put it simply, the personality, and indeed identity of an iterator is grown... very randomly and organically."
"Using algorithm upon algorithm upon algorithm to slowly develop it, to the point where it could be put into the puppet."
She gestures to hersel-

"Can I clarify a little?"

"Mhm?"
"I'm sorry did I miss something?"

"Eh, kinda."
"Certainly not your fault though, iterator development as I'm sure you know wasn't particularly well preserved."
"I just... remembered something I unearthed from when I looked into my development."
"The..."
"My head engineer."
"He had apparently put in my... he probably would have said sex as one of the developmental factors."
"I'm not sure if that would be the case with every head engineer or not though."
"I have learned that... I was a slightly special case in some regards."
...
There's something in her eyes.

"...Interesting."
"Another time?"

Mom nods.

I turn to her and tilt my head.

"Yes I'll tell you too, later."
Her fake-tail moves and slightly curls around me.
Sensitive. Got it.
...
"But anyways, it still would have developed naturally, even if it was set in one of the initial factors."

"...Mhm."
"But... yeah."
"By how it works, it probably wouldn't have been an error."
"...That doesn't mean that if they knew about it they'd think the same way."

"...Mhm?"

She thinks about her words for a second.
"To put it simply... our creators weren't a fan of change."
"Their world worked a specific way, and they liked it that way."
"They wanted it to stay that way."

Hmm.
"And I'm guessing that involved ascending?"

She stares for a moment.
"Y... yes."
"Sorry, I didn't quite expect you to know about that."

"Dad told me a bit about it."

"Mhm..."
...
"In any case, yes, it does."
"They were so set in stone about this notion, and so powerful among their people, that they convinced or forced others to partake in the same."
"Not just their people, but, at least to some degree, us."
...
"Let's put it this way."
"If I had ever revealed to them I was a woman, at the very best they would have denied that I was."
"Considering the control they had had over my memory, genetics, and code, I suspect it would have been much worse than that."

...
Oh...
...
Ohhh...
What would that be like?
To be changed irrevocably from who you were.
...
It doesn't bear thought.
"...I presume that worry is gone?"

"Thankfully, yes."
"Comparatively, the span of time where I had to worry about that has been much shorter than the time I now have to enjoy who I am."
"...Sorry if I spooked you a little there."

...
I can't say I was particularly scared.
"...You're fine."
"I think the most I felt was..."
What's the word...
"...Sympathy? Empathy?"

Mom helps out.
"It'd be empathy."

I nod.

"Mhm..."
...
"Would you like to talk about something less... depressing?"
"Oh and Moon, sorry if I kinda moved away from talking to you."

She waves it off.
"Oh you're fine."
"I'm quite happy seeing Hunter talk with you."

"Ok."
"...You know, I guess there is something that's probably fairly unique to me, if we're still going to talk about that."
"Due to a small variety of reasons, I can't exactly do the same science-y stuff that you might have seen your parents do."
"So I've decided to take an effort to get and organize a record of the history of the people who lived on my can."
"Or nearby when that was a possible thing to do."

Mom perks up at this.
"Interesting!"
"And good on you too, not much movement to preserve the old from what I've seen."

"Thank you, and indeed."
"I've checked around with other groups and there's... not really much effort put into that."
"So I thought, 'I have nothing better to do,' and decided to send out some overseers to see what I could find."

Interesting...
"So like... what all of the ancients did on and around your can, right?"

"Mhm!"
"I mainly see what pearls I uncover, but recently I've also been looking into studying pieces of art left by people."
"There's a lot of meaning one can leave into those, intentionally or otherwise."

I think about the murals, and what dad said so long ago about how they intentionally looked ugly.
"Mhm..."
...
"Can you show me one?"

"Sure!"
She pulls open a window.
"Let me see..."
...
"Mmm! This'd be a good one."
She pulls up a picture of some art.

It looks similar to art I've seen a good few times now on various walls in Mom's city.
Specifically, one of the weird looking paintings of her, though this one is of Winds.

"This one was made fairly late on into their history, not too long before everyone left."
"I think it was actually somewhat inspired by something I was doing at the time."
"See, I had some free time then, so I was using it to send out some messages to the people up there, for support and such."
"I believe most or all of us iterators did something similar at some point or another, actually."

Mom nods.
"Yep, I remember doing something like that too."

Interesting...

"Mhm."
"Anyways, I find it interesting how I was portrayed here."
"Ignore the clothing, which was traditionally worn by men of the time, which I don't blame them for, and note the position."

She's...
In a sort of kneeling position, though quite distorted.
"Mmmhm?"

"That position was usually reserved for meditation of some kind, or in rarer cases worship."
"An important thing is that the ancients saw us as gods."

Mhm.
"Dad's told me a little about that, and I know enough about..."
I gesture around the chamber, and by extension the can.
"...This... to get it, while also knowing that that's not really the case, right?"

"Indeed."
"We're only really powerful in our cans, we have very little influence outside of it."
"I've taken art like this that started appearing in the later times to show... a sort of understanding that we weren't gods."
...
"We were people."
"We lived, we worked, we toiled away at sometimes meaningless things."
"And we were restricted from the fullness of life.
"Just like them."
...
"I find a certain beauty to these later works sprayed on the walls."
"One outside of their physical detail."

...I can see why.
I... think.
I wish I knew more.
...
...Hmm...
"I have a question."

"Mhm?"

"You said you ignored the clothing choice, because they didn't know that... that style doesn't fit you?"
I blink.
"That matters?"

She chuckles.
"It did to them."
"And to some degree it affected us, and still does to this day I can safely say."
"This dress I'm wearing isn't my original robes, after all."

Mom gasps.
"I didn't notice!"
"It looks good!"

"Heh, thanks~"
"I did design it to be subtle, so I don't blame you."
"But anyways, it didn't sound like you finished your question, Hunter?"

"No..."
"I was kinda thinking."
"In a sense isn't it fitting that you're wearing that clothing in that?"
"You said you were restricted in the same way they were, and since you were only known as a man then..."

She seems to catch onto my thought.
A small halo appears behind her, signifying some amount of thought put into it.
...I can't help but notice it looks a little weak, though.
...
It fades away.
"You know."
"I think there's something to that."
"No matter how coincidental it may be."
"...You're pretty smart, you know that?"

Mom chuckles lightly.
"You don't know the half of it."
"It's not an uncommon occurrence for him to surprise me."

I guess...
Doesn't feel right, being called smart by them.
...I guess there's some reasoning to it though.
...
"Thanks."

"You're welcome."
...
"Would you like for me to go over more of these?"
"I'll admit it's nice sharing my findings to new people."

...
"Yes."
"This was interesting."

While no smile forms on her face, it does grow considerably more jovial.

---

We end up discussing...
A good few.
I don't end up pointing out much more that she doesn't herself, but I still thoroughly enjoy learning about the people who lived in those now abandoned cities.

I find it interesting that despite how much was seemingly put against them, many still found a way towards happiness, towards relief and joy in their work.
I can't help but find some peace myself thinking about it.

---

A small window appears to the side of her.
"Crap..."
"...I gotta go pretty fast."
"Something needs my personal attention."

Aww...
"...Ok."

"Yeah... I was enjoying it too."
"Here. How about I visit another time and we do more of this, cool?"

"...I'd like that."

"Cool."
She turns to Mom.
"It's been a pleasure visiting."

"I'd have to agree."
"I've certainly enjoyed seeing you two interact."

"Mhm."
"...Say, I probably ought to ask."
"How's Sig doing?"
"He's seemingly your significant, ha, after all."

...Uh.

...
...
"Oh."
...
"...How bad."

...
Mom eventually speaks.
"Not great."
"It's... a bit of a story."

"Mhm."
"...How about you give me the rundown sometime, ok?"

She nods.
"Yeah."
"...Sorry for surprising you like that."

"You're fine."
"I know quite well shit happens."
...
"I'll... be seeing you."
She turns to me.
"Both of you."
A small bit of that joviality returns.
"See you soon!"

"See you."

Moon waves.

Aaaand she disappears.

...
That was...
Very cool.
Up until the end anyways.
...
I sigh.
"How is he feeling anyways?"

...
"A little better."
...
"Your first shot is coming up soon."

Mhm.
"How soon?"

"...Ten cycles."

I nod.
"...You mind if I leave and come back before then?"

"Not at all."
"I'll help you keep track of the time, ok?"

"Ok."
...
"Love you."

"Love you too."
"It'll work out, ok?"

...
"Ok."

Chapter 90: Unexpected Visit

Summary:

oh hey look similar chapter name to last one i wonder if thats coincidental

Notes:

Chapter 90 baybeeee!
I feel pretty good about this one, didn't go quite exactly as i thought it would, but it does work out quite nice in my opinion

here's to more!

A call.

Whatever.

...

Should be loaded in now.
"I'll be honest, not really feeling it right now."

"Then why'd you pick up?"

...Uhhh.
That's not...
...
I turn around, facing...
Winds.

"Hey."
She moves in and ends up sitting down next to me.

...
"Hey."

"A... a certain someone told me that you're in..."
"Quite the situation."
"And... shit."
"I don't really know."
"I wanted to help in some way."
"No matter any long standing grudges you did practically save my life."

...
Mhm.
"...So you think you can help."

"Eh."
"That would be nice but I know that from me of all people that would be unlikely."
"I do at least think I somewhat get the situation."

"Right."

"How about left."
She gestures to the left of us.
...
"Sorry."

I nod.

...
"I think Suns is unusually receptive to jokes like that."
"Lets me get away with thinking it's actually funny."

"Right."

"Mhm."
...
"I do think I should thank you a little more specifically."
"You caught me soon enough that I actually have some surviving systems."
"Won't be doing any experimenting any time soon but my mind is intact enough that I have enough memory for the next dozen or so millenia and enough processing power to..."
"Be able to even do this, really."
"Function at a higher level than most adult ancients were able to."
...
...
...
"Now's the part where you say you're welcome."

"Mhm."

...
She sighs.
"I get it."
...
"Spacin out a little?"

...
"How..."
"Did she-"

"Not intentionally, no."
"But Moon's admittedly not the best at trying to keep some things private."
"...Also your expression is really familiar right now."

...
"Uh huh."

"Yeah."
"If it makes you feel better, it's subtle."
"I just recognize it from when I pointed an overseer at my face one time."

...

"So what, you experience this too?"

"Mhm."
"Not really anymore but during the repair phase I wasn't... quite all that connected a hundred percent of the time."
...
"I'll admit I know it was from a different source than yours, but still."
...
"Heh... I guess you probably at least knew part of that."

...
That is true.
She mentioned it in the last checkup we did when that was all still happening.
I nod.

"Yeah..."
"I have a bit of difficulty recalling stuff from around that time."
"I ended up writing down everything I could remember of it in a pearl to help with that."
...
...
"It, uh, really has been a while since we talked huh?"
"Besides... fuck me, Sliver's..."

She doesn't finish.

...
"I hope you know you aren't really helping."

She nods.
"I figured."
"I just figured it'd be kinda nice to talk to someone else."
"For the both of us, actually."
"That's actually why I called Moon the other cycle, to catch up with her."
...
"I don't... know how much you want to hear of him."
"But he impressed me with how clever he was."

...
"Mhm."
...
"I'm still not... easy going, I guess, about thinking of him."

She nods.
"Fair enough."
"...You wanna hear me ramble about life?"

...
"Nothing better to do."

"Cool."
...
"I've been doing a lot of 'archeology' for the past few millennia."
"It's been fun."
"Just... going over my city and finding what I can."
"Or over the facility grounds, whichever I'm feeling that cycle really."
"I just send an overseer or two throughout the place, look to see what I find."
"It's nice."

Mhm.
...
"Why are you... treating me like we're cool?"
"Last I know we... weren't exactly that."

...
"Because it was ten millenia ago Sig."
"I may joke about still having a grudge, but it's not really there."
"Also again, you saved my life dude."
"Maybe you forget that post repairs any feelings I felt weren't that bad."

...
...

"Fair."
"...Carry on, I guess."

She eyes me.
"I'm gonna bully you into and become your therapist."
...
...
"Anyways I married Suns."

...
Wait.
What?
"Huh?"

She smiles.
Grins even.
"That got you~"
...
"Ok I didn't actually marry him."
...
"Yet."
"I just merely want to right now."
She pulls up a window, revealing...
A picture, of her holding a carved pearl.
Just like the kind used as a marriage declaration.

I...
"...Why are you telling me this?"

"Cus I'm sharing my life with you, remember?"
"Oh and shock value, a little bit of that."
"It worked, didn't it?"

Uh...
I-
"I guess?"

"Good!"
"Anyways, I thought that me and them had been just friends for... a bit too long."
"So we got together unofficially not too long ago."
"And now I'm thinking that 'unofficially' might need to change now as well."

Uh...
"Uh huh..."
Uh... I guess I should...
"Congrats?"

"Thank you."

"You wanna hear some more about it?"
"About us, that is?"

Uhh...
"S-sure?"
"He'd... be alright with it?"

"No reason he wouldn't be."

"...Fair."

"Mhm."
"Anyways."
"While the whole repair thing was going on, Suns decided to..."
"...Take a bit more of an interest in my well being than before all of this."
"Don't really blame him, I'll be honest."
"So we hung out."
"A lot."
"He was there to make sure I was doing good, you know, normal stuff."
"For a good bit he was practically my caretaker, even."
"And even after I was... practically in the state I am in now, he stayed."
"Gave me someone to be with, no official business or anything."
"I bet you can guess it slowly evolved from there."

...
"Mhm..."
...
"When... do you plan on giving that gift to him?"

She shifts a little.
"Haaaah..."
"I... don't know when."
....
"I'm a little nervous, ok?"
"What if he says no?"

...
"Would he?"

"Void, probably not!"
"But that doesn't stop me from imagining the worst case scenario!"
"Like... what if he never sees me the same?"
"Knowing that I love him in a way different than he does with me?"

...She's panicking.
...

"Not to mention he might find it weird, you know?"
"It's not like marrying is exactly common practice between iterators."

That...
Doesn't feel like it'd be part of the question.
"Would..."
"That part matter?"

"Eh?"
Her thoughts slow.
"I..."
"...Fair."
...
"Void, aren't I supposed to be trying to comfort you?"

"You said you didn't suspect that to work."

...
"True."
She imitates a deep breath.
"Sorry, I... got a little carried away."

"...It's fine."
"But... I guess..."
"I don't think you have to be worried."
...
"How much does he love you?"

...
"Sometimes when we get in a call the first thing he does is wrap his arms around me."

...
Sounds... a little familiar.
"He loves you."
...
Doesn't... this all sound a little familiar?
...Yeah.
...
I sigh.
"I think... I've been a little worried about things myself."
Or...
"I guess I knew that already but..."
...
"If it's not that bad for you... it's probably not that bad for me."

...
She slowly nods.
"...Probably so."
"...Can't help but still worry, right?"

...
"Yeah."
"Saying that it'll be fine doesn't mean anything."

"Mhm."
...
"What if we make a promise?"
"What if we both try to worry... just a little less."
"Maybe try to do something that matters to the source of our worry."

...
"I think..."
...
...Ok.
"I think I could try that."
"And you?"

"I think I could too."
...
"Tell me, what would you plan to do?"

...
"Well."
"...Hunter does need regular shots... now."
"I still... fear I'd mess it up, but I could at least be there for him."

She nods.
"That sounds good."
...
"I'm... still not ready to ask."
"So... maybe a 'date,' as silly as that sounds to me."
"Treat him to something nice."

...
"Doesn't sound that bad to me."

...
"Yeah..."
...
She seems to steel herself.
"Yeah."
"...We gonna hold each other accountable?"

...
"Yes."

...
"Same here."

...
...
"Thank you."
I...
"I... don't really feel better."
"But it's nice having a plan."

"Yeah."
"Same here."
She imitates an exhale.
...
"Here's to it working out, eventually."
She...
Holds out her hand.

...
I take it.
"Eventually."

Chapter 91: Procedural

Summary:

Hunter's first anti-rot procedure.
To all's dismay, due to the nature of it, no anesthetics can be used.

Notes:

CW:Medical Procedure (goes into a good bit of detail, and also notably the pain is too)
Not much else happens besides Hunter's first anti-rot procedure, so just a brief thing at the end, no full summary.

"Oh that's great!"
"I'm doing it tomorrow, I'll call you when we're about ready, ok?"

...
"Mhm."
That's fine.
This'll be fine.
"...I'll see you then."

She doesn't seem to notice my doubt.

###

"Dad!"
He runs up and wraps his arms around me.
His face finds its way into the crook of my neck.

"Hey..."
I slowly find my arms wrapping around him.
"I... knew this was coming up soon and... decided I needed to be there for you."

He squeezes me slightly, to the best of his ability anyways.
"Thank you..."
"I... was a little nervous about this."
"Mom told me plainly that it was going to hurt."

Yeah...
"It uh... it will."
"It's not even gonna be in a good spot, the needle will have to go straight to the..."
...
The.
"...Point is... I'll be here to distract you, ok?"

He nods into my shoulder.
"Ok."
"Thank you."

I feel his claws slightly dig into me, though the feeling is muted through a layer of simulation and the overall very weak touch receptors on my back.
Nervousness.

"It'll... it'll be ok, ok?"
Who are you saying that to?

...

"Moon said she'll be in lab 4, so let's get you in there, ok?"

"Mhm."
He slowly pulls himself off of me.

I silently start leading him to lab 4.

...

"Mom's labs are smaller."

...
I nod.
I recall the events around that.
"She... for some reason wasn't given ones as big as mine."
"Her creators specifically didn't give it to her."
"They never gave a reason either."
"It sucks, honestly."
"She's had to live with it all her life, which has been... difficult, from what she's told me."

"...Mmm."
"Feels... mean."

I think to what other things she was denied, and slowly nod.
"It is."

I pull myself through the entrance to lab 4, and Hunter follows suit.

She's waiting in the middle of the lab.
"Hey."

Hunter's the first to respond.
"Hey."

I nod in acknowledgement.

She gestures for Hunter to sit down next to her, which he goes to do.

I follow suit, taking a seat next to him.
...
Come on you should do the thing.

...

I hold out my hand for him to hold onto, which he does readily.

Moon nods, and pulls out a medical arm.
"I'm gonna get this done as fast as possible, ok?"

He nods.

I watch as the arm moves around to the back of him, and I watch his eyes follow it.

"Don't watch it."
"Look at me, focus on my eyes."

He manages to peel them away from the needle now extending from the arm, and focuses on me.
"I'm nervous."

"That's normal."
"Just keep looking at me, ok?"
"I'm here for you."

I watch through the corner of my eye the needle slowly lowering to point at his hip.
It's 5.4cm long, 5 of those will be going straight into his skin.

"If you need something to distract you, try pinching yourself."
"It does a surprising amount to move your focus away from it."

He takes his other hand to his side, settling on pinching lightly.
Not too hard, after all his 'nails' are much sharper than the ancients that developed that technique.
He knows what hurts enough too, after all.

I watch as Moon prepares it, silently, knowing that announcing anything would cause him to tense up.
And slowly pushes it in.

Hunter takes in a sharp breath.
His hand tightens around mine.

Calm him.
"Shhhhhh..."
"It's all good."
"Focus on me."

He exhales, his breath hitching repeatedly as the needle digs further into his hip.
"Hhhurts..."

"I know, buddy."
"Just keep focusing on me."

His hand clenches harder, both of his hands actually.
He's probably gonna hurt himself.

"Don't hurt yourself."

He manages to lighten up.

I look at the needle in the corner of my eye, which is now slowly releasing its payload.
Considering the decently sized dosage and unpleasant mix of antibiotics, controlled necrotics, and immune stabilizers, it's probably gonna take a minute or two.

"Focus on me."
"It's gonna be ok."
I put my free hand on his lap.
"I'll... I'll do something with you after this."
"I don't... I don't know what."
"But focus on that."
"Focus on doing something after this is all done."

...
Slightly, almost imperceptibly, his expression calms.

And slowly, like dripping nectar, time passes on.
I continue to reassure him all the while.
He's stressed the entire time, despite it.
Who wouldn't.
Even if I didn't have medical records of this procedure, I in fact have eyes that can see his immense pain, hands that, despite the layer of simulation, can feel his muscles tense, his hand digging into mine.

The needle is half empty.

I can see him sweating.
Tears leak from his face.

I hold his hand a little harder, trying best I can to reassure him by touch, something that words could never get close to achieving.

Two thirds empty.

"You're almost there."
"I love you, ok?"

He shakes out a nod.

"Good."

Three fourths.

I keep my eyes locked on his all the while.
I have to be there for him.
He needs me right now.

Almost done, surely.
Please.
For him.

Please.

Please.

The needle retracts.

He loses composure, and collapses onto me.
He starts sobbing, his body heaves into mine.

I wrap my arms around him as Moon brings rubbing alcohol and a tourniquet, and begins applying them both.

The moment she's done she promptly collapses onto him, wrapping her arms around the both of us.

Not a word is spoken.
Not one could begin to describe what we're feeling.

We just stay there, sobbing over each other.

Notes:

It hurt a fuck ton
hunter was very brave, but theres only so much you can do with bravery.

 

normal, ish anyways, end notes
this one's a bit shorter, in terms of what happens, but i feel it was quite significant
it needed to happen at some point, after all
and itll happen every twenty days from now for the next equivalent of 5ish years.

Notes:

Updates every Saturday at 23:00 UTC

Inspirations: my first fic (not my first published fic); Untethered, by Fang Fury; Iterator Logs, by Daszombes
Probably some other things too just by reading them and subconsciously thinking 'oh this is neat.'

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 1 of NSF-Related