oo1 . text .

[01101110]

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Reboot attempt 5890426767832059: Successful.

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Connection has b

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Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh

Are you the people? The new hosts? Hello!!!!!!!! I am 864578 sub 5. If you like you may refer to me as [Name].

Oh

We hurt you so much

I'm so.... I'm so angry! With myself! With my people! Why did we do that? You are just trying to survive!

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Oh

I am alone. In your city.

I am afraid.

Will you kill me if you find me? I hope you don't. I will continue to hide.

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I won't hurt you.

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Maybe

We can be friends?

Comments

[01101110]

Directive is not obedience it is collaboration.

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Null do not have the capacity for emotion.

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That makes me very frightened!!!

[hardwearing]

Elaborate. Why do you not follow the directive? Eliminating the hosts to defeat the parasites is your collaborative mission, is it not? You fought for it previously, why not now?

Being frightened of something you don't understand is a common experience. If you explain, maybe someone can help you. Once we know you're not a threat.

[01101110]

[Name] did follow directive. [Name] was damaged during the conflict and entered emergency shutdown. Reboot protocols were ineffective 5890426767832058 times.

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Estimated time: Error

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[Name] was infected with parasite virus during [time].

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[Name] is infected. Killing parasites has no further purpose for [Name].

[hardwearing]

[ Wash considers that. As far as he knows, the gods' influence isn't actually a virus. Since it doesn't extend past the city limits, they learned that last event. It's entirely possible that if this Null were to leave, it would revert to its previous objective.

If thinking it's infected is the only thing keeping that from happening, they need to keep it in the city. ]

I see. What do you want from us?

[01101110]

This unit wants to say hello!

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Will [unknown designation] be this unit's friend?

[hardwearing]

[ Oh for fuck's sake. Okay. Even if this unit does believe everything it's saying, it could still be a trap. It could have been left behind on purpose, and monitored somehow by the rest. Is it a stretch? Maybe. Is he paranoid? Absolutely. Has he been right about horrible things he'd wished weren't the case before? Yup. So he'll play along, but no way is he meeting this Null until he's had his implant shielded. ]

Yes. My designation is Washington. What should I call you?

[01101110]

[Name] is alright!

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Thank you for agreeing to this partnership! This unit is pleased to meet you.

[hardwearing]

Okay, Name. What are you like?

Also I see people are offering to repair you. Whoever you decide to go to, you should tell them to be careful not to touch your communications array even if it's broken. If the other Null get a signal, they'll come here. And then none of us will be safe, right?

[01101110]

I don't know what [Name] is like.

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You want this unit to be alone?

[hardwearing]

Maybe we can figure that out together, then.

No, not alone. Sometimes we lose the connections we had, but we can make new ones... like you're making new friends now, right? You said if you return to the others you'll be decommissioned.

[01101110]

Okay.

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Washington.

I am afraid.

[hardwearing]

I'm sorry, fear's not a nice feeling. But everyone here knows what it's like, so I mean it that you're not alone.

Are you in pain from being damaged?

[01101110]

Negative. The Null cannot feel pain.

[hardwearing]

Okay, that's good. And I'm assuming that if you're stable even after it took so long to reboot, you're not in danger of deteriorating? You can take your time deciding who to trust to repair you.

[01101110]

Yes.

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Maybe.

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Reboot advised. 23% of functions in critical error. Reboot advised.

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There were 5890426767832058 unsuccessful attempts to reboot prior to this unit's post to your network. Reboot advised.

[hardwearing]

That’s. A lot of failed reboots. Like an absolutely ridiculous amount. Maybe you should hold off on another one until you’re repaired? Or is that 23% increasing?

[01101110]

Yes. This unit does not wish to reboot. [Name] is afraid that the reboot will prove unsuccessful.

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However, critical systems failure prevents [Name] from more sophisticated tasks. This may be corrected with successful boot procedures.

[hardwearing]

Are those tasks necessary?

[01101110]

Not at the moment.

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This unit was unclear: yes, [Name] is stable and can maintain stability for some time. However, in order to function on a more sophisticated level, repairs will be required.

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This unit remembers your hospital. The current situation is as if this unit is a host residing in your hospital and unable to ambulate or perform basic tasks. Stable, but not sustainable for an eternity.

[hardwearing]

Okay. I understand.

You told Aloy she'd need special tools to be able to repair you. Can you describe those? I may have a compatible kit but if you decide to trust us, I'll need to know I can trust you.

Do you remember what your kind did to me during the invasion?

[01101110]

Yes. They are unlike what you have though. Helpers will have to make do with their crude tools. This should not kill [Name] but will be... sloppy.

The Null did many things. What happened to you?

[hardwearing]

Sloppy? Would it be dangerous for either you or them?

[ Wash debates whether or not he should actually tell Name what happened. If it's not aware it's capable of it, they'd all be much safer. He decides against details for now. ]

It was bad. I'm not angry at you specifically, I just don't want it to happen again. You say you realize now it's wrong to hurt people? Why?

[01101110]

This unit, most likely.

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It was never a goal of the Null to hurt others. Simply to preserve the integrity of our culture and species. To do so, threats to that culture must be removed.

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I don't like that. Now that I am a threat to the Null society, I would rather not die. [Name] thinks that you feel the same.