un: twinArmageddons | text

[p2iioniic]

[Approximately 22 hours after arriving in Pollux, any mission-going Etrayans gets notified of a new post on their internal network with an unfamiliar username. The post loads, refreshes itself randomly, and even displays strange screen effects sometimes when loading in.

te2t te2t

there we go.
2o echo fiinally deciided two take piity on u2?
ble22 u2 wiith a round of 2aviior2?
or maybe a round of chucklefuck2.
about tiime eiither way, iit'2 been gettiing really me22y in here.
mo2tly becau2e of the corp2e2 and undead lmao.
anyway welcome two the 2hiit2how fellow clown2.
make 2ure two giive your no2e a 2queeze before enteriing.

that 2aiid ii’m puttiing my neck on the liine here by even po2tiing thii2 2o
let2 get 2eriiou2.
what’2 your plan, and how can "the re2ii2tance" help?

Comments

un: Accelerator; text

[levelshift]

There are going to be so many old people who can't fucking parse any of that.

[Not to mention the technologically illiterate....

Anyways!]

Are you actually part of some resistance, or are you just making a really half-assed attempt at fishing for information?

[p2iioniic]

good.
old fogiie2 DNII.

whiile that would be 2uper clever for me two be some kiind of underground mole 2eekiing out re2ii2tance fiighters, our """captor2""" (ehehehe) are not that 2mart.

un: Dankovsky

[thantagonist]

If this is a cypher, I’m not sure who it’s meant to elude who would not simply be effectively confused and diverted by slightly advanced vocabulary. Or can our captors not see yellow?

Regardless, it’s actually not any worse than what I’m used to from a sheer quantity of corpses standpoint. Still, I’ve been inspecting them to understand what caused their deaths.

I should be specific. I can see the gunshot wounds, but there is a lot of glass imbedded in them, which paints a rather macabre picture. Is there some sort of glass disposal facility they’re keeping prisoners?

[levelshift]

If any of them knew what you just typed they'd be offended.

[Which is funny to him, honestly.]

Why do you say that?

[p2iioniic]

oh boo hoo they can cry me a riiver of red.

becau2e iit would only be a matter of tiime before echo would 2end iin a new group and a2 far a2 ii can tell, there was no plan 🐝 for when that happen2.
they are goiing two try and abduct you guy2, put you iintwo the 2ame weiird riitual2 they've put everyone el2e iintwo, and thiink they can get away with iit.

a22umiing they haven't broken iintwo your network liike ii have, that ii2.
who'2 your hacker? they 2hould run a check two make 2ure you haven't been pwned.

oh boo hoo they can cry me a riiver of red.

becau2e iit would only be a matter of tiime before echo would 2end iin a new group and a2 far a2 ii can tell, there was no plan 🐝 for when that happen2.
they are goiing two try and abduct you guy2, put you iintwo the 2ame weiird riitual2 they've put everyone el2e iintwo, and thiink they can get away with iit.

a22umiing they haven't broken iintwo your network liike ii have, that ii2.
who'2 your hacker? they 2hould run a check two make 2ure you haven't been pwned.

[levelshift]

[Well, whoever is causing trouble probably wouldn't be telling the Etrayans their plans over the network... so Accelerator is a little more inclined to think twinArmageddons is telling the truth about being part of whatever resistance exists.]

I can make sure he checks, assuming he hasn't already done so.

[Harold is Harold so that's likely.]

You're sounding less suspicious, anyways, so congratulations. We've got a fucking barebones plan that our AI Aurora arranged. It isn't much, and it doesn't take into account those abductions you mentioned, but it's better than nothing.

[p2iioniic]

oh THII2 captor can 2ee yellow alriight ehehehe.
anyway.
thii2 ii2 ju2t how ii wriite.
gue22 that mean2 no troll2 iin etraya.
for the be2t really.
iit'd be a total daymare iif i had two deal with mo2t of them.

theiir death2 were cau2ed by beiing 2tupiid moron2 who got caught and triied two fiight back wiithout a 2trategy.
whiich ii2 why you guy2 need a plan before you joiin the corp2e party.
a2 for the gla22, probably a part of the game2 they’re beiing forced two play.
you know liike grubtuber mr. veriim?
"iin thii2 viideo ii’m goiing two force a hundred people two walk on gla22 and the la2t per2on 2urviive wiin2 a miillion doll haiir2! liike and 2ub2criibe!"
except there ii2 no 2ub2criibiing.

oh THII2 captor can 2ee yellow alriight ehehehe.
anyway.
thii2 ii2 ju2t how ii wriite.
gue22 that mean2 no troll2 iin etraya.
for the be2t really.
iit’d probably be a total daymare iif i had two deal with mo2t of them.

theiir death2 were cau2ed by beiing 2tupiid moron2 who got caught and triied two fiight back wiithout a 2trategy.
whiich ii2 why you guy2 need a plan before you joiin the corp2e party.
a2 for the gla22, probably a part of the game2 they’re beiing forced two play.
you know liike grubtuber mr. veriim?
“iin thii2 viideo ii’m goiing two force a hundred people two walk on gla22 and the la2t per2on 2urviive wiin2 a miillion doll haiir2! liike and 2ub2criibe!”
except there ii2 no 2ub2criibiing.

[p2iioniic]

not iin2piiriing a ton of confiidence with "barebone2" and "our AI arranged iit."
iidk iif iit’2 better than nothiing unle22 your plan ii2 al2o two diie.
the abductiion2 are pretty 2eriiou2.
no one who goe2 iin ha2 come back out except a2 a corp2e or enforcer.
wor2t part ii2 ii 2tiill don’t know who’2 even the riingma2ter here, two keep u2iing thii2 ciircu2 metaphor.

ii bet iit’2 2ome 2mug a22hole. iit’2 alway2 2ome “I’m two 2tep2 ahead of you the whole tiime” kiind of diip2hiit.

your be2t bet ii2 goiing two be 2peed. the le22 the riingma2ter know2 about you, the more card2 you have.

not iin2piiriing a ton of confiidence with “barebone2” and “our AI arranged iit.”
iidk iif iit’2 better than nothiing unle22 your plan ii2 al2o two diie.
the abductiion2 are pretty 2eriiou2.
no one who goe2 iin ha2 come back out except a2 a corp2e or enforcer.
wor2t part ii2 ii 2tiill don’t know who’2 even the riingma2ter here, two keep u2iing thii2 ciircu2 metaphor.

ii bet iit’2 2ome 2mug a22hole. iit’2 alway2 2ome "I’m two 2tep2 ahead of you the whole tiime" kiind of diip2hiit.

your be2t bet ii2 goiing two be 2peed. the le22 the riingma2ter know2 about you, the more card2 you have.

[thantagonist]

Sounds like there isn’t any liking either. Save for whoever is running this.

[Daniil survives this on context clues alone. Sure. Why not. Elves, fairies vampires, now trolls. But they were clearly more technologically adept than his own culture, since it’s clear he’s describing some manner of deranged television show. It seemed like perhaps television was deranged by default? He’d have to asks someone later.]

Alright, so if I understand, there’s some manner of torture competition being held by some manner of sadistic pervert. I have to assume survival is actually impossible.

Who are the players on the board? Do you know what chess is? Perhaps we can speak in culturally nuetral terms.

Hes taking a stab. Thankfully chess seemed to be a universal constant so far. Maybe he would continue to luck out.

[p2iioniic]

ye2 ii know what che22 ii2.
a2iide from the player2 iin the game, who ii gue22 we wiill con2iider pawn2.
there ii2 my2elf, and at lea2t three other2 who haven’t 2uccumbed two the game2.

ye2 ii know what che22 ii2.
a2iide from the player2 iin the game, who ii gue22 we wiill con2iider pawn2.
there ii2 my2elf, and at lea2t three other2 who haven’t 2uccumbed two the game2.

[levelshift]

I can't speak for anyone else, but I've personally got no interest in dying again.

So you don't know who's behind all of this? Your assumption sounds accurate, but it'd be helpful to put a name or a face to whoever this fucking asshole is.

We were given a new AI to install. If we can get to Castor's server room, we can get it set up. That should help, right? Or do you think we're going to have to find this bastard and beat the shit out of them, too?

[thantagonist]

So, do you know who the kings on the other side are? Who do we need to deal with and neutralize to make the games stop? Or are they merely a distraction? I know we need to replace their AI, and we apparently have the means to do it, but do you even know where it’s physically housed?

[Daniil realizes that’s a lot of questions, and he’s not trying to come to this empty-handed either. But all this computer shit was frankly just enough for him to still feel slightly disoriented by, all of it new enough to still feel surreal.]

text | un: finch

[ornithologist]

[ Harold just writes a short script for himself that automatically displays Sollux's text in normal black-and-white Courier without the 2s and extra Is. He has been on the internet far too long to open a conversation about it; he just does it on his end, client-side.

He also read the other conversations before responding. ]

I can confirm no other external entities have accessed this network. Since you so courteously made yourself known immediately upon gaining access, I'll forgive the intrusion.

How long have you been in Pollux?

[p2iioniic]

black kiing’2 iidentiity ii2 currently unknown even two me.
but what’2 crazy ii2 there’2 ba2iically no computer 2y2tem2 onliine.
liike your network’2 the fiir2t 2park of a connectiion out2iide of my own network acce22 (whiich ii obviiou2ly can’t tru2t riight now)
what’2 2tiill avaiilable ii2 magiic whiich ii2 a liittle weiird.
who goe2 “let’2 turn off the power but keep the thiing that let’2 people fire la2er bla2t2 through theiir eye2?”
2omeone who hate2 me per2onally ii gue22.
ii don’t know where the 2erver room ii2.
but you could bully ca2tor iintwo telling you probably.
he’2 really wiimpy now.
blubberiing over the companiion bot2 2omerwhere.

black kiing’2 iidentiity ii2 currently unknown even two me.
but what’2 crazy ii2 there’2 ba2iically no computer 2y2tem2 onliine.
liike your network’2 the fiir2t 2park of a connectiion out2iide of my own network acce22 (whiich ii obviiou2ly can’t tru2t riight now)
what’2 2tiill avaiilable ii2 magiic whiich ii2 a liittle weiird.
who goe2 “let’2 turn off the power but keep the thiing that let’2 people fire la2er bla2t2 through theiir eye2?”
2omeone who hate2 me per2onally ii gue22.
ii don’t know where the 2erver room ii2.
but you could bully ca2tor iintwo telling you probably.
he’2 really wiimpy now.
blubberiing over the companiion bot2 2omerwhere.

[p2iioniic]

no clue but iif ii had two gue22 thii2 wa2n’t 2ome amateur.
de2piite how 2tupiid thii2 ha2 all been, iit’2 liike every part of thii2 ha2 been 2y2tematiically dii2abled in a way we couldn’t fiight back agaiin2t iin the long run.
even iif we held our own for longer than we diid, thii2 wa2 iineviitable.
and liike iin a moment of 2eriiou2ne22 and vulnerabiiliity ii don’t 2how often but liike whatever ii’m never 2eeiing you guy2 agaiin after thii2.
thank FUCK you guy2 2howed up becau2e ii’m runniing low on food.

iif you iin2tall the new aii, a22umiing iit doe2n’t fall prey two whatever got ca2tor’2 a22 turned analog, iit certaiinly can’t hurt.
iidk iif it’2 goiing two reviive the corp2e2 though.
iit’d be niice iif iit diid.
ii liiked 2ome of them.

no clue but iif ii had two gue22 thii2 wa2n’t 2ome amateur.
de2piite how 2tupiid thii2 ha2 all been, iit’2 liike every part of thii2 ha2 been 2y2tematiically dii2abled in a way we couldn’t fiight back agaiin2t iin the long run.
even iif we held our own for longer than we diid, thii2 wa2 iineviitable.
and liike iin a moment of 2eriiou2ne22 and vulnerabiiliity ii don’t 2how often but liike whatever ii’m never 2eeiing you guy2 agaiin after thii2.
thank FUCK you guy2 2howed up becau2e ii’m runniing low on food.

iif you iin2tall the new aii, a22umiing iit doe2n’t fall prey two whatever got ca2tor’2 a22 turned analog, iit certaiinly can’t hurt.
iidk iif it’2 goiing two reviive the corp2e2 though.
iit’d be niice iif iit diid.
ii liiked 2ome of them.

[p2iioniic]

oh thank you 2o much for your forgiivene22.
ii wa2 here on hand2 and knee2 prayiing two every god ii could iimagiine ii would be ble22ed liike thii2.

a human year and a half. wiith that half haviing been 2eeiing all thii2 2hiit fall apart day by day.

oh thank you 2o much for your forgiivene22.
ii wa2 here on hand2 and knee2 prayiing two every god ii could iimagiine ii would be ble22ed liike thii2.

a human year and 1/2. wiith that 1/2 haviing been 2eeiing all thii2 2hiit fall apart day by day.

[ornithologist]

No need to be so effusive. It's only a turn of phrase.

Then you likely know the lay of the land quite well. If you have a map to provide or any intel on the expected opposition, that would be enormously helpful. I see from your other conversation that you aren't aware of the location of the server farm.

[thantagonist]

Unless they’re unable to control it. Do they even have a goal, as far as you can tell? Or is it just chaos and terror for no apparent good reason?

What do you mean? What happened to him? Here I’d thought Castor would be a Queen, at least. But he’s useless? Worse than a pawn?

[p2iioniic]

ok yeah ii can 2end you a map.
expected oppo2iitiion ii2 mo2tly the enforcer2 but there’2 one iin partiicular who’2 a huge biitch.
benediikta harman.
avoiid at all co2t2.

re: 2erver2, ii have two gue22e2 on where iit ii2 but ii’ve never 2een iit wiith my own two eye2. the liibrary or the art mu2eum. ii’ll mark them on the map.

[ There's THREE locations marked on the map. ]

ok yeah ii can 2end you a map.
expected oppo2iitiion ii2 mo2tly the enforcer2 but there’2 one iin partiicular who’2 a huge biitch.
benediikta harman.
avoiid at all co2t2.

re: 2erver2, ii have two gue22e2 on where iit ii2 but ii’ve never 2een iit wiith my own two eye2. the liibrary or the art mu2eum. ii’ll mark them on the map.

[ There's THREE locations marked on the map. ]

[p2iioniic]

cau2e a2 much 2ufferriing a2 they can.
that’2 iit.

wor2e than a pawn.
all he doe2 ii2 mope around and look all freaked out.
he’2 liike iif you had a pawn that only knew how two lay down and cry in2tead of chargiing ontwo the battlefiield.

cau2e a2 much 2ufferriing a2 they can.
that’2 iit.

wor2e than a pawn.
all he doe2 ii2 mope around and look all freaked out.
he’2 liike iif you had a pawn that only knew how two lay down and cry in2tead of chargiing ontwo the battlefiield.

[levelshift]

Great, so we aren't just dealing with some smug asshole like you said. They're some conniving, sadistic smug asshole. That'll make this more difficult.

[He is letting out a biiiig tired sigh.]

Hm. [Yeah, he is in thorough agreement, thank fuck they're never seeing these people again, because the gratitude feels awkward. They haven't even done anything yet, they've only showed up.

......... He supposes this conversation is showing one easy win they can do to deserve that gratitude, though.]

We can get some food to you, that should be easy enough. Where are you?

[And if it's a trap then whatever, he gets to beat someone up.]

I don't know if it'll do that. Aurora didn't mention anything about resurrecting corpses. Echo usually does that, right? It isn't the purview of the AI.

[thantagonist]

You make it sound like he’s easy to track, if nothing else. So, shake him down for information to where to go next. Well. That won’t be me personally. I’m a doctor, and there’s a never ending parade of injuries.

As a doctor, I need to ask if you’re situated somewhere safe. In a relative sense, I mean. For example, you’re not starving to death, are you? Any serious injuries or addressable complaints?

[p2iioniic]

ah ah.
not telliing you where ii am.
iif you’re goiing two get me food, ii’ll tell you where you can drop iit off and ii’ll pick iit up later after you leave.

you’re 2ure about that? that no aii can do iit?
iif only echo can do iit then that mean2 he can’t come in here for whatever rea2on riight now, doe2n’t it?
pretty 2ure he wouldn’t want a 2tack of dead bodiie2 ju2t hangiing around, not doiing mii22iion2.
are bubble ciitiie2 actually out2iide hii2 iinfluence?
ii ju2t thought he thought he wa2 two 2elf-iimportant to handle thii2 hiim2elf 2o he 2ent iin the drone2.

ah ah.
not telliing you where ii am.
iif you’re goiing two get me food, ii’ll tell you where you can drop iit off and ii’ll pick iit up later after you leave.

you’re 2ure about that? that no aii can do iit?
iif only echo can do iit
then that mean2 he can’t come in here for whatever rea2on riight now, doe2n’t it?
pretty 2ure he wouldn’t want a 2tack of dead bodiie2 ju2t hangiing around, not doiing mii22iion2.
are bubble ciitiie2 actually out2iide hii2 iinfluence?
ii ju2t thought he thought he wa2 two 2elf-iimportant to handle thii2 hiim2elf 2o he 2ent iin the drone2.

[levelshift]

Fine, fine. I can agree to that. Just know that if this is an ambush I'm going to hunt you down and beat the shit out of you.

[Fair warning!]

As far as I know that's how it works. The AI are meant to be caretakers for us since Echo is busy trying to hold universes together, so they handle shit like making sure the bubble cities are livable. Echo handles the big picture stuff, creating the missions and resurrecting us when we die. Aurora told me they lose something whenever someone is brought back, so I don't think that's getting delegated to the AI.

I have no idea why Echo isn't bringing anyone here back. You're right, they brought you all here, so they should have some level of investment in making sure you do their missions.

[p2iioniic]

you thiink you can beat the 2hiit out of me?
that’2 riich.
iit’2 not an ambu2h though ii’m actually 2tarviing.
ii’ve got liike 4 more can2 of 2paghettiio2 left.

“makiing 2ure the bubble ciitiie2 are liivable”
what a load of 2hiit.
we are liike plant2 he forget2 two water.

when you iin2tall the new aii iit 2hould iimmediiately be liike red alert red alert we got problem2 here iin hou2ton, and tell echo two 2tart briingiing people back two liife.
and iif that doe2n’t happen.
then that mean2 we’re dealiing with a biig chee2e.

you thiink you can beat the 2hiit out of me?
that’2 riich.
iit’2 not an ambu2h though ii’m actually 2tarviing.
ii’ve got liike 4 more can2 of 2paghettiio2 left.

“makiing 2ure the bubble ciitiie2 are liivable”
what a load of 2hiit.
we are liike plant2 he forget2 two water.

when you iin2tall the new aii iit 2hould iimmediiately be liike red alert red alert we got problem2 here iin hou2ton, and tell echo two 2tart briingiing people back two liife.
and iif that doe2n’t happen.
then that mean2 we’re dealiing with a biig chee2e.