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trash bin PART TWO
| the pygmalion. . . ???  OPENING PROGRAM . . . . . . . . . _PROGRAM CRASHED _PROGRAM REBOOT? >N >SCAN PROGRAM . . . _PROGRAM CRASHED . . . >EMERGENCY LEVEL . . . >EMERGENCY LEVEL . . . _EMERGENCY LEVEL LOADING LOADING. . . LOADING. . . LOADING TEXTURE-NIGHT-SKY, TEXTURE-FULL-MOON, TEXTURE-DIRT-PATH, TEXTURE-CAMPFIRE LOADING SOUND-CRICKETS, SOUND-GRAVEL, SOUND-WIND, SOUND-FIRE-CRACKLING UPLOADING USER UPLOADING USER UPLOADING USER UPLOAD SUCCESSFUL TRASH BIN It feels more like an electrical zap than dying. Dying might feel a little bit more like falling asleep, but this is harder, more painful. If you've ever been electrocuted, the feeling might seem familiar; the discovery you make when you open your eyes, too, is likely very familiar. It's the night sky. Stars twinkle, a fire cracks warmly. You sit up and observe the surrounding area, and it's like you've woken up in some sort of canyon. The fire burns brightly, the moon shines beautifully, the crickets sing, and it is ... peaceful. Mostly. You know you're dead. This must be, then, the after life? Or something like it, at least. The horizon stretches on forever, the dirt and gravel seemingly endless. The moon is so big and bright, it's like you could reach out and touch her. There's a shed not too far from the fire, only but a stone's throw away, as if someone else might have made it, and then went inside it. Approaching it, you can see the light glowing inside it through the dusty windows that are littered with fingerprints. A computer screen, so large and wide that it's baffling, sits, waiting. Turning knob reveals that the shed is unlocked, and stepping inside... it doesn't feel any different from the outside. A chair sits in the center of the room, a strange contraption strapped to the head of it. It looks like it would lower itself upon the head of whoever dares to sit on it, and wires from it's bottom curl up towards the machines attached to the screen. Several smaller desktop screens sit beneath the giant monitor. They, too, are hooked up to the machines scattered around the room, to the ominous one perched on top of the medical chair, and they blink, as if fighting to stay alive without use. Pressing the giant monitor on, it lights up, and displays, strangely enough... a security camera feed. You push the button. It switches to another room. Again, another room. Again, another room. So on and forth. You peeping tom! But no one can blame you, in the end. You might as well digitally haunt the rest of the ship until the game ends, and AL-2955 can clean out the trash bin. ...Right? rule book taken characters information cards |
no subject
[ If this fog weren't clearly digital fog, he'd be gagging right about now. He's never been fond of smoke, and much less fond of sassy AIs to go with it. ]
How about an explanation for what's going on with this blasted ship, for one? Didn't Alice-- River - whatever her damned name is -tell you what was happening? Because we saw everyone downstairs, and let me tell you, for being presented with a motive the threat of both them and everyone else they know dying? They sure didn't even look all that concerned to match, I'll tell you that much.
no subject
[Another exhale of smoke.]
I'll give you a moment to let the ramifications of that sink in.
no subject
[ YEAH BEFORE WE GET TO THAT, we're first getting to Machias just short of losing his cool for the umpteenth time and POUNDING HIS FIST AGAINST a nearby -- oh goddammit, it phased through. ]
What else did she lie about? While we're at it, if the game ended for them a while back then why are they still onboard? Why are you keeping Albarea-- everyone else around when they've got important matters to get to back home?!
no subject
They're still onboard because we need the Pygmalion to advance to the second stage of the Project. But we can't do that while there may still be Souvlaki on the ship and the first stage is still ongoing.
no subject
[ damned AIs telling lies everywhere why the fuck you lyin'. Aside from that, Machias attempts to pull himself together as his interest is drawn to the second half of her words. ]
The second stage? [ a brief, concerned frown. ] If... you don't mind me wagering a guess, would this have anything to do with those who were killed? Is there anything that can be done for them?
[ It's more a faint hope, if anything else. ]
no subject
And yes. That was the entire point of the original Cradle Project, after all. A beacon of hope and the embrace of rebirth. This was never supposed to be about death, but about life.
no subject
[ He at least gets dying was never the original purpose BUT HE'S STILL SALTY ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. Especially since a noble killed him. Especially now given he's learned Jusis managed to outlive him. Even when they're not in the same vicinity, the bastard still somehow manages to one up him and rub it in his face...! ]
No one's even explained how that's even supposed to work. Last I checked, you can't just bring people back to life - that's... that's just not possible!
no subject
And yet aren't you, a supposedly dead person, standing before me aware and possessing all your free will right now? Do attempt to open up your mind, Mr. Regnitz. What's more important, the soul and mind or the body? What constitutes as 'living' at all? At this moment, what exactly do you think you are - alive or dead?
no subject
[ He takes a sharp breath in, trying to seriously consider Lin's question and not bite back with more frustrated sarcasm. ]
And yet here I am - I don't even have that damned limp from when Rhys or what was left of him ever-so-kindly stabbed me. It's like it never happened. [ a forced sigh ] So what - we're just ghosts, then? ... You don't seriously mean we're all data now, do you?
no subject
You are exactly what you are, Machias Regnitz. You have all your experiences, all your memories, all your emotions, all your capability to change. So I ask you again - what's more important, the data or the shell?
no subject
[ He answers a bit firmly, insistent with his terminology. From the apprehensive glance to the side, he's not really liking the implications of this conversation. Still, with only ten minutes and counting, now wasn't the time to argue about morality or philosophical matters until they were out of breath. ]
... And respectfully, I'm going to disagree with you on that. [ adjusts glasses, keeping his tone level. ] Nonetheless, to answer your question: if we're going as far as outright resurrecting human life, then you can't have one without the other. A body is just a shell without the essence, and a spirit can't do much with no body there to inhabit. Neither can truly be considered whole without both.
no subject
However, to your point - a spirit can't do much without a body to inhabit, but a body is much more replacebale than the soul. [She blows out a long steady stream of smoke before speaking again.]
So the fact that your spirit is still perfectly intact makes the matter of resurrection relatively simple, doesn't it? All you need to do is find another shell.
no subject
[ He stammers for a bit, his arm instinctively raising in front of him as he steps back. Damn, he should have phrased that more carefully...! Though it doesn't seem Lin minds too much, it was still a careless remark. ]
I'm sorry, that was thoughtless. [ ahem. ] I'm not implying you aren't any less your own person, even if I don't exactly agree with the project's ethics from what I've heard so far.
[ He shakes his head. ... Where was he even going with this? He certainly didn't think of River as a person at first, so why did he feel the slightest pang of guilt here? ]
Still, upon completion of the first stage, the second would involve finding new bodies for the "deceased", wouldn't it? That's what I got from this so far, anyway. Though I haven't the slightest idea how we're supposed to do that, unless you'd like to clue us in.
[ He pauses, letting loose a deep sigh. ]
Then what, you send us on our way? What about our home worlds, for that matter?
no subject
[As to his second question, Lin lights up - quite literally, as the sun immediately begins shining brighter in her sky.]
Ah! Now you've finally reached my area of expertise! The process is quite fascinating, isn't it? You have no idea how many years of my life I've poured into interdimensional travel. Of course, it's quite a bit more complicated than that, but if you'd like to find out more information, just -- [And then the sky dims.]
Shit, I can't tell you. Not yet, not unless you want the Souvlaki being able to find their way to other worlds too.
no subject
[ Machias, Jusis doesn't even care about your salt. Still, his frown falters for a moment here. ]
What? You've already told us enough as it is! And it's not like there's still threat of them onboard here - that's why the game ended, didn't it? They don't even know we're here, so they're obviously not watching us right this instant. ... Right?
[ He's about to keep protesting, but he'll stop. Instead, he'll just take in another breath for a moment. ]
... Fine, you don't need to tell us how. Just as long as you can confirm there's definitely a way back and it's not going to be like some science fiction cliché where it's a thousand years later or worse. Can you at least promise that much?
no subject
[A horrible screeching noise suddenly fills the room and the walls begin to shake. As the room dissolves around him, Machias will be able to hear Lin faintly through the screech.]
I can confirm there's a way back and it won't be a thousand years later. But then...you already know I'm capable of lying, don't you? Do you trust me?
Safe travels, Machias Regnitz.
[When Machias looks around, he'll find himself back in the Pygmalion's graveyard.]