001 [Video]

[missiondeterminant]

[For those who frequent the tops of the various climbable buildings in Hadriel, they might recognize that this broadcast is from the roof of one of them due to the angle; otherwise it's just a rapidly darkening cloudy sky for a backdrop, sun setting and rain clearly threatening to roll in at any time.

It's pretty, and that may or may not be the reason why Connor is out on a roof in the first place, but it's definitely not the point of this impromptu broadcast. He's just been wondering some things, and it's in his nature to actively search out answers rather than waiting for them to come to him, so he's decided to just go for it.]

Hello everyone; my name is Connor, and I just arrived a few days ago.

[Always good to start with introductions, and also to avoid saying exactly how many days or hours it's been since a given time when pretending to be human. He's getting a little better at this.]

I've been catching up on the situation at hand, and although the context is somewhat different, there are parallels to current events in my world that are difficult to ignore. Before I arrived, we were dealing with what might be the beginning of a civil war between humans and machines.

[He's trying to tread carefully, projecting enough genuine interest without sounding over-invested. He's just asking, after all, nothing more; there's definitely no personal reason why he wants to know.]

So I'm curious; I'm aware that what the Null have done is enough reason to be against them, but does what they are play any role in your feelings toward them?

Comments

[survivethis]

[His tone makes Jill smile a little.]

You want to hear it for yourself, don't you.

[She's figuring as much. Hearing the testimony of the gods through another party probably won't satisfy him.]

Some people can only trust what they get directly. I don't like taking anything second hand, either.

[Not unless it's coming from someone Jill absolutely trusts, and that's a small pool.]

[missiondeterminant]

I would. I'd also like to ask questions that I have no reason to believe have been asked.

[At least no reason to believe yet, anyway; he'd love to be proven wrong, but there's a frustrating lack of reasoning here so far that makes it difficult for him to believe people are being objective. Maybe they really aren't anti-machine, but there has to be some reason they're so firmly on the side of the beings holding them all hostage and using them as batteries.]

If you do get any information, however, second-hand or not, I'd like to know what you find out.

[survivethis]

What kind of questions?

[If people have been here for two years, Jill would've figured they'd ask just about everything, but sometimes a fresh perspective is what's needed.]

And sure, if you would do the same.

[Sharing info would be a benefit to them both.]

[missiondeterminant]

Technological questions, mostly.

[And it's... More or less a truthful answer. There are some details about how and why the Null are doing what they're doing that are related to technological aspects of them, and he's very interested in the history behind their motivations.

As for her last comment, he agrees in good faith, even though he isn't necessarily promising to tell her everything; anything he can that he doesn't think will be a risk, though, he's willing to share.]

Agreed.

[survivethis]

I see. You know a lot about tech, then?

[Perhaps he worked in the field.]

[missiondeterminant]

There's very little in my world that isn't dependent on technology.

[So yes, and also the whole being an android thing but he's just not going to mention that.]

[survivethis]

Just how little are we talking?

[Jill thinks there's a lot dependent on technology where she comes from, but half the people who own an iphone don't really know how to use one.]

[missiondeterminant]

Unemployment is at nearly 40% in my country, because many industries are completely reliant on machines and technology.

[He feels that's probably the best way to illustrate his point, but even many really minor things are technology-based at this point.]

[survivethis]

Oh my God. That's terrible.

[She knows technology is pushing people out of their jobs, even in her time, but 40% was incredibly high.]

It must be difficult.

[missiondeterminant]

It's part of the reason tensions are so high; the situation is not good for anyone.

[Not for the humans who are out of work, not for the androids who are being used as free labor, not for anyone who has to try to keep the peace.]

[survivethis]

I'm sorry things are so difficult where you're from.

[Not that Jill's life is easy, but she supposes every world comes with its share of problems.]

[missiondeterminant]

Thank you, but it seems the same can be said for many of those here.

[Connor knows the situation in his world is really not great, but he's heard plenty of other horror stories so far.]

What's your world like?

[survivethis]

It's... pretty average, I guess, except for the viruses and the zombies walking around. They're not everywhere, at least, but it's the job of my organization to make sure outbreaks are contained.

[Every world does have its own problems. Hers are just the walking dead.]

[missiondeterminant]

That doesn't sound average, although 'average' is course subjective.

[It's... Sort of a joke, since he's aware his own situation with androids existing and all that is definitely not normal to other people.]

When you say zombies, what do you mean?

[Since what Connor knows of zombies is limited to his cultural and media databases, and those entries all vary wildly in details.]

[survivethis]

There have been a number of viruses that kill people and reanimate the corpses.

[So... yup, zombies.]

But there are others than take over a body through a parasite. The person isn't alive, though.

[It's kind of disgusting.]

[missiondeterminant]

There are parasites that can do such a thing to insects, in my world, but not humans. That seems unpleasant.

[And unsettling in a weird way he can't quite place, with emotions still being so new to him.]

[survivethis]

It's not pretty, that's for sure.

[But at least they don't have such things here. So far?]