hadriel | eleven ✤ voice

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eleven ✤ voice

I appreciate the vote of confidence, though I do understand that it was more for Sorrow than for myself. Nevertheless, we will be undertaking an investigation shortly. Our main goal is to uncover any allies the Null have in the city - this should be no surprise.

However, I will admit that we have not conducted an investigation such as this before. Our kind never had any need to. As such, we would appreciate any constructive input you would like to give, as well as any assistance you may wish to offer. We have discussed this and decided on a course of action already, but Sorrow and I have agreed that some of you may have more experience with this sort of thing. It would be foolish of us to ignore that. We are listening to your suggestions.

However, please note that I said constructive input.

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This investigation is meant to uncover facts. The consequences of that are still under discussion.

You are welcome to provide your input on that, as well.

[She's just going to lock this here and now in the event that one of those damned dirty synthetic allies are watching.]

Told this to Fear, but in case the message got muddled through the grapevine:

Your best bet is to appeal to their interests. Approach it less as an interrogation and more like a business deal -- you're trying to win them over by proving you're the better choice.

That means no physical torture, that will only breed resentment. And mental torture will only sow mistrust. You have only one chance not to fuck this up.

Would also suggest trying the "good cop, bad cop" routine, but you two might either be too good or too shitty at it.

I will repeat what I said to another: if you believe I would support torture, you have very little knowledge of my character.

Thank you for your advice, however. I would wish that we did not have to win people away from the idea of committing genocide, but that seems to be where we currently are. Your suggested tactic is an interesting one.

Well, that's not directed at you so much as Sorrow. You'd suck at torture either way. No offense.

Thing is, your kind's methods of drawing power from us are fresher in people's memories than what little knowledge we have of the Null. Am personally no fan of synthetics, but not everyone has experience with their nature. Some might even prefer their style of straightforward logic over unpredictable emotions.

Problem is, our only option is to take your word at face value, and a lot of people think you're all lying assholes. Proof that the Null are the enemy and the damage they cause might earn you more points. Seeing is believing.

We have not lied to you. We concealed information for some time, but since then we've been entirely truthful. I understand the perception is otherwise, but I can do very little about that. No matter how honest we are, people will assume we're lying.

[So there's no point in beating that drum, really.]

I do not know what more proof to offer. They attacked us not so very long ago - surely many of you remember that. The damage to the city itself is also clear. The deaths of our race, our hosts - is that not sufficient?

In some cases, withholding information is the same as lying, if not just as bad. Your openness now is appreciated, though.

[Even if it isn't enough for others. Rey is on the fence on the matter.]

Honestly? It isn't. Not when you're able to alter our perception of reality as well as mental and emotional states. Tranquility seems more than capable of that. For all we know, you could be using that ability to your advantage over us right now. Not saying that you are, but it's a possibility to some.

And even though we were attacked, we didn't see our attackers. Sometimes, people need to be thrown into extreme consequences before they can be won over -- and that one we just barely evaded.

At this rate, it is only a matter of time before they find us again and attack. Until we get more information upon Rage and Delight's return, we can't be sure of remaining hidden or escaping.

All anyone needs to do is be as obstructionist as they usually are. Sooner or later they will have proof, likely of the violent and final kind. I would prefer that not happen to anyone.

What sort of information are you aiming to get out of their recon?

Hey, beggers can't be choosers. Maybe if your Door brought in agreeable people instead of "chaos and evil" or whatever, you'd find less obstructionists to contend with. Not saying that it's a lost cause -- just a bigger pain in the ass to work with, as you well know.

Where the Null are now. How close they are to us. How they are finding us, if possible. Whatever else they're able to discover.

I am well aware, yes. I often wish the Door had another setting, or that there were another way to gain the power needed.

Guess that makes sense. Any idea how much time had passed between your last encounter with them? Just wondering if they had the time to make any technological advancements.

Sorry to tell you, you're stuck with us. But you probably knew that already.

[She figures that if Hope had the chance to get rid of them all, free of consequences, he would.]

Not that long, but that means little. They are capable of advancing very quickly if they feel it necessary.

And yes. I've accepted the fact of you. I have tried to make this easier on us all.

They've definitely seemed to have advanced enough to be able to set up a private line on your own network, and claim to have a "conduit" to send weapons to. So that's not surprising.

You might've figured out by now that even that isn't going to be enough for some. If it's any consolation, though, not all of us think that way.

Yes. I don't know how they accessed the network or how they hope to send something here. It's unsettling.

I do appreciate that some of you are more practical - and more helpful. There is no reason why we can't work together. The Null threaten us all.

Their wording sounded very definitive, and they don't seem like the type that would bluff. If they can somehow transport weapons here, who knows what else they can bring over.

You guys do shit sometimes that piss me off, and that shit can sometimes stir up discord between ourselves as well as you, but am not one of those who has any illusions that we'd last very long if you got killed. Don't trust the synthetics to know how to keep us alive, either.

Yes. They do not tend towards deception of any kind, though sometimes their actions can seem that way.

I appreciate your candor, also. I think we regularly get on each others' bad sides, but the alternative to cooperation is death for everyone in the city. I can only hope that most understand that.

Yes, that happens when dealing with something that doesn't think like a normal person. The artificial intelligences from home had a similar chaotic reaction towards the concept of emotion.

Can agree that losing you would be a shit deal for a lot of people here. Don't trust their opinion that what you do is "unnatural" while promising us an "absence of death" -- whatever the hell that means.

[Rey has a few guesses, and none of them any good.]

My death would be unfortunate for everyone here. I do not wish to put my value above anyone else's, but my death would mean every other death here becomes final. The other gods are not able to bring people back to life the way I do.

I appreciate your support, such as it is.

[sigh]

Some of us don't really have a much better alternative.

I suppose not. Regardless, it is appreciated.

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eleven ✤ voice

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