animus_network | [Text, posted on July second]

.. Hey, Amano-san.. why do you want to name those things so badly?

[ She's just curious.. ]

Because it helps the people who have to deal with them talk about them. Besides, it's kind of sad that they don't have any names.

I guess you're right about that first part, but.. "sad"? It's not like those things have feelings, do they?

Well..they probably don't, but if they have a collar like us, then they probably have a soul of some sort, even if it's faint.

.. A soul.. [ She didn't even think about it that way. ]

It's weird though, right? If they have a soul, they're more than just machines, but they don't act like they're more than just machines.

I know they don't act like it..but it's probably because the Administrators are restricting them in some ways, limiting their thoughts and activities. If the Administrators lost their hold of them, they might become more human than they are now.

So it's like they're being brainwashed.. that's just wrong. [ She never thought of it that way, but man, that's awkward.. ] And we can't even help ourselves, so it's not like we can help them either.

It is pretty horrible..but you know, we might be able to help them later, if we find a way.

First we need to help ourselves, then them..

[ It's a sigh. Not since it's a bad idea, but just since the scope of everything they still have to do is so big that it's almost tiring. ]

Sounds like we still have a lot to do.

We do..but that just means that we can't give up until it's all done. Until we're helped, and, hopefully, they are.

Well, of course I'm not going to give up! I've already been through enough in this place, I doubt it can get worse than that. So I'm going to fight to make stuff better instead.

I'm glad to say that..but don't say that it can't get any worse! You'll jinx us! That line is always spoken before the situation really does get worse!

.. A.. ah, really, I'm jinxing it?! I'm sorry, I'll take it back! [ That's not how it works, Asahi.. ] Or what else were you supposed to do again, something about knocking on wood? But then I'll have to find wood first, crap..

I don't think you can take it back, but knocking on trees three times is supposed to bring you help in the woods! However, it would probably be best if you took a pinch of salt and threw it over your shoulder, and fast!

Crap, salt, salt.. where can I find that? Isn't there some kitchen around here?

[ The problem with being so supersticious is that she easily freaks out too, welp. ]

Yes! There's a cafeteria on the first floor! You should be able to find some salt there.

[Good, because while Tohko tried to hide it, she was terrified of poltergeists.]

Alright, I'll go find some salt there for sure then.. don't worry, Amano-san, I'm on this one! I'll make sure to revert it with that!

Alright then! Be careful! Don't let the bad luck make you trip down the stairs or something!

.. Ack, I didn't even think about that.. h.. hey, if you don't see me around anymore all of a sudden, then you know what happened to me, okay?! I'll be relying on you!

[ It probably won't be that bad, Asahi.. ]

Don't worry! If you don't come back in the next twenty minutes, I'll come running out to give you backup!

Thanks, Amano-san, I can at least count on you.. [ Phew. ] Then just wait for me!

Of course you can! I'm not going to abandon you to bad luck. Don't worry, I will!

[..Tohko was seriously counting the time here.]

Name them?

*Why not ask them their names, he nearly says. But he learned about the designation system from R-037 and he doesn't want to so much as imply her existence even to people who hadn't been down there, and certainly not over the network. She and her gang must be protected at all costs.

Besides, his own is right behind him anyway. He looks over his shoulder at it.*

Why not ask them if they have names? They aren't likely to answer, but it would be rude to push a name on someone without even trying, wouldn't it?

[While Tohko wouldn't have minded knowing 'Ivans' name, she had been around the retrieval units long enough to assume that, normally, they couldn't speak or write. They were alive..but they didn't have enough consciousness to communicate. At least, that's what she thought.]

I do agree with you..but I don't think they know how to talk or write. Whenever I've talked with Ivan, he just never replies, or makes a motion that he understands or knows what I'm saying at all. I do think they're alive..but I don't think the Administrators have allowed them to speak with us, even though I would like to talk with them.

But you know..if they ever do start speaking and give themselves a name, I'll stop handing out nametags like this.

The worker units speak, if you ask them a direct question, but they will not answer all questions. Perhaps to minimize distractions while they work.

We could pester Jason by asking for their names, but what good would we do as flies at his ears at this point, or at all?

Though, now I am curious. We have an identity to this tower regardless of our names; it is on the network. Surely they are known to this tower in such a way as well. I wonder which they are.

Ah..I didn't know that. That's probably why they won't reply to other things. I've sometimes asked Ivan how he was doing or joking asked whether he'll help me move a stack of books, but he never replied.

However, you are right. We could ask Jason, but we have more important things to worry about, and it's probably best to not attract unwanted negative attention like said flies.

..I don't think the Tower is sentient..but they probably do have a name just like this place does. I'm kind of curious about what their true names might be too, but, until the time comes where we find out or they can tell us, I guess we'll just have to do with makeshift names for them.

I never did say the tower is sentient.

Do you see the letters and numbers beside those you haven't assigned a name? Dax once said it's the way our collars - our bodies, I suppose - access the network. So if these bodies have identification within the structure of the tower, why not the workers and retrieval units?

Ah, so that's what you meant. I'm sorry for the misinterpretation then. I didn't know that Dax had said that, but you're right. If we're able to be identified by those letters and numbers, the workers and retrieval units can probably be identified as well.

Going by that and other things we both know, it's possible that the drones who aren't fully conscious like you or I could become so, since they have a sentience that can be identified here.

I don't know that it means they have sentience, but if they can, I should hope they do.

*Of course, he knows the truth, but really. Not even he should know it, for her safety...*

I believe they do, even if it's very small. Not that I would know how to reach it, assuming it could even be. I'm pretty terrible when it comes to technology, so my opinions aren't worth much in that area sometimes.

[..And Tohko was using a bit of the truth to throw the Administrators-if they were reading this-off their tracks.]

What brings you to believe they do? One of your books?

*Here, let him help with that cover.*

[She could use all the help she could get in that area.]

Of course! Several books, in fact! Androids and other artificial lifeforms created by humans and gaining their own sentience is something that has been written about quite a bit! If its been written about quite a bit in those books, I'm inclined to think it could happen here, considering the nature of this place.

I thought so. Sometimes I think your perception is skewed by these stories, but in a place like this, anything could become useful.

It might be..but if that perception has managed to let me help and understand a few people here, and if it can help later on, I don't mind!

[Text, posted on July second]

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