(no subject)

[animusnpcs]

[The network has rebooted, and with it the translation systems--everything is in working order once more.

The following files have appeared, apparently by accident, on the network:]

security037-055
experiment037-009

[These files will be available for two hours before being deleted, although those with particularly good computer skills will be able to find the deleted files again.]

Comments

[animusnpcs]

it's okay

that was how it was a long time ago

i was only zero-three-seven right?

but they're dead now so it's quiet

mostly

[beknightedheroine]

Mostly.

_{[Zero-three-seven is too tiny a number. There had to have been hundreds of voices. Even if they used every digit in those three spaces, it'd be too little. It felt like thousands.]}

They just let all those other numbers die and stay dead?

..is our come-back-to-life trick a new feature?

[animusnpcs]

only you all don't die when you should

[beknightedheroine]

What's so special about us? What makes it so we can't die? I mean - I know it's the collars that keep us alive.

But why are we able to come back?

[animusnpcs]

probably because you're here and not at home

[beknightedheroine]

_{[...there's a couple of pieces clicking into place and Sayaka doesn't like them.]}

...The collars don't keep up alive, they keep us here. Yes or no?

[animusnpcs]

it's both

[beknightedheroine]

That makes sense.

_{[She doesn't have the energy to be bothered about it right now like she's pretty sure she should be. Maybe later.]}

..Thanks for answering all my questions, Ruana. I'm gonna go.. think, I guess.

_{[and also try to help Jin because he is kind of having an episode]}

[animusnpcs]

bye

[warriorscribe]

Sayaka? It was like this in Meridian, as well. The dead would always resurrect, because we weren't in our own worlds. And...we needed something from one of the...beings guarding the city, a mark, or we would be unable to live there. I have a feeling these collars are our marks...and anchor us, to keep us from being swept into rifts the same way the residents of Meridian were when we were taken to the city.

[beknightedheroine]

...I've went 'home' before. You don't have a collar when you're there, nothing can even effect you when you're there. They're just strapping us in here with these things.


I guess it was a foregone conclusion.

_{[Her voice is clear and audible, but somehow seems a bit far away anyway.]}

[warriorscribe]

That is...what I meant. I don't have my "guardian's" mark anymore...so it makes sense that the collar would vanish, as well...

*He rubs at his shoulder, over the armor. Zeph's mark...he never thought he'd miss it. Zeph was agreeable, at least, and didn't put them through what Jason did...that was apparently going to be Ekiamiel's job.*

[repeatingsun]

[Solas was just going to quietly observe all of this, but now - right now ...

She needs to speak up. There's something she must say.]

...It's true. Even the so-called 'unmarked' - they had a mark of their own as well. I just...made it invisible. Because I wanted to keep everyone calm...

[Her eyes shut in pain.]

Because I wanted everyone to be happy, if I could make it so...

[warriorscribe]

I know. Zeph told me...

*HE CAN SAY THAT NOW.*

It's all right, Sola.

voice -> video

[repeatingsun]

I figured. They do things like that you know, bans on saying things...

[She pauses to pick up a piece of paper and a pencil to (very clumsily) draw the symbol as it would have looked. She then switches to video and holds up the paper, smiling sadly.

⦰]

That's...my symbol.

[warriorscribe]

Zeph drew it for me, too. *A bit of an apologetic smile. It isn't as if he could have told her!*

I suppose I should say it now, since we're on the subject. Thank you for providing for all of us. You...you gave me and Armaros three months of peace when we needed it. I won't forget it. I'll keep the memory close every way I can.

[repeatingsun]

Did he now. [Huff!] I was agonizing over it the whole - blast it, Zeph! Ah well, what's done is done.

[She smiles at this.] I'm glad I was able to do that much. Hopefully Armaros landed someplace safe, when all was said and done.

[warriorscribe]

It's all right. Nobody could fault you for trying to reassure everyone.

And...I...hope he has, too. He's probably waiting for me, wherever he is.

[beknightedheroine]

So you had a similar kind of outfit to what's going on in the tower?

I wonder how many places like that there really are, picking up people from their worlds into new ones...

_{[The fourth wall uncomfortably nudges Sayaka back on topic.]}

How did you make that work? We could compare it to here, see what does or doesn't match it.

[repeatingsun]

I don't know. It was only similar in that people were brought in and, admittedly, going beyond the city was...not feasible. I also didn't know how to send everyone home...I was able to get them out when Ekiamiel arrived, but not home - as Enoch would know.

I made it work through my own power alone, draining as it was. I'm not human, you know? - but it'd probably be fun to compare. Though I'd surely like to give whoever set this nightmare up a piece of my mind!