hadriel | [video] ready for more plot

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[video] ready for more plot

[Law would like to interrupt your currently scheduled sobfests and chest-unburdening to bring you something somewhat urgent. Maybe seeing Jon and Dany taking initiative inspired him, who knows.]

The Null are coming and the fight is coming, we know that. But anyone who was here for the last round might remember just how desperate it was. The only reason it stopped was because Fear moved the city, not because the Null gave in or we won or anything. I foresee the same thing happening again: that when they come, they won't stop coming until we're all dead or something else intervenes.

[he sighs; he hasn't asked Sorrow directly, yet, so he can't blab about his research into the gods. But he can dance around it pretty damn well, providing as much as he knows without going into his secret research.]

I have a proposal for a way to put a permanent end to the war between the Null and the gods, but I need assistance to pull it off. Technological assistance. I have some expertise, but the mechanics of this idea will require other skill sets which I don't have and can't learn in a few weeks.

The essence of the conflict is emotion; the gods live off it and the Null hate it, and the Null's own unique brand of logic leads them to conclude that the only way to protect themselves from emotion is to destroy the gods. Our chance at getting home dies if they do, but there are simply too many Null for us to fight - we can't win this war that way. Ending the conflict is going to take creativity rather than swords and magic. That's where I come in. The Null will have no reason to destroy the gods or us if they're put into a situation where whether or not they catch the virus becomes moot. Either they need to be rendered permanently safe from emotions, or permanently afflicted with them.

As a doctor, my preference is inoculation. But as much as I understand transmission of viruses and that emotion is likely a biological state, I don't have the means of adapting that to robotic systems. If a vaccine is impossible, then we can go the opposite way and turn it into a weapon. [his eyes harden] I have my own reasons to detest such a path, but if it's that or our deaths, then I'll take unethical means over death.

Contact me if you have the skills to assist with this. I admit it's out of my area of expertise. The sooner we get on this the better, because even with the most skilled fighters preparing for months, it's not going to be enough. If all we have is physical fighting, we're all going to die anyway.

[yep that's why he has the worst bedside manner]

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[Wryly] You've made me feel terribly useless, Law. I'm hurt.

[More seriously]

It's a remarkable plan you're considering. Quite frightening as well, in it's way.

[smirking right back] Don't blame me that you're not a skilled robot-builder.

It has some terrible implications, I know. But this isn't the time to be angsting over moral choices. Survival isn't just a matter of being stronger than the other side, this time.

It's probably for the best. I'm not sure Arda is ready for that branch of metallurgy.

[Crazy Uncle Feanor with robots, now there's a pleasant thought.]

It isn't, I agree. And I know you won't walk into this with your eyes closed. But there are some choices you cannot take back, either, and I hope anyone you recruit understands the gravity of this one.

I'm sure they will. At least, I would lay out all the options so that everyone is going into it with all information, no secrets. After all, both options require altering an entire species against their will. One will benefit them, the other, well. [FUN WITH EMOTIONS]

I know.

[And does Fingon know.]

They won't, of course- not until you've done it. But the realization you're responsible for the deaths of innocents is an ugly one, even if you've been feeling all your life.

Maybe, but if it's to prevent genocide, I think I can justify it to myself. I know most decisions in life are rarely black and white, but this is a shade of gray I never thought I'd see.

How many would have, even here?

It feels wrong to say "I wish you well" in this- but I do hope you will not need to take such a burden on your conscience.

That, I can't say. I don't know people well enough.

[snort! He shouldn't be smug but he is] Believe me, my conscience can handle it.

Hmm. Perhaps now that we've mentioned it someone will appear and volunteer their terrible story.

[Much better than him volunteering his terrible story, which may or may not be be applicable to emotional Null and is feeling awfully tempting at the moment....]

I will keep the resilience of your conscience in mind for the future, I promise.

[it's all good, Fingon, he won't pry]

Heh. Appreciated. Meanwhile, keep sharpening your blades or whatever you need to do to prepare. If my idea fails we'll still be in the thick of a fight.

I wish I could help, sir, but I am part of the swords and magic group and I come from a world with almost no technology... at least for how most intend it in this world.

Your plan, thought, seems a good one, I wish you the best of luck.

[he's not entirely sure what to say to that]

...okay?

[She answers this a little sheepishly, considering Law now has uh... first hand experience to the kind of technology she cna build.]

I, uhm, I will say, I tried to uh, h-hack them? Last uh, last time they came in. But as long as they have connections back to the uhm, the hivemind, they scrub their own code and fix anything you put in there. So it didn't work super well.

[A moment of silence.]

Also please tell me you're okay I'm s-so sorry about last month.

[d'aww Alphys]

I'm fine. Don't worry about it. That robot was impressive, you know.

Hmm. That could be an issue - I was sort of theorizing that the hive mind would be the way to spread things quickly, rather than trying to individually inoculate or infect thousands upon millions of them.

What it comes down to is determining whether their concept of a virus is code or not. I can verify biological origin, but not technological. Would you be interested in working with me on this?

[She is trying so hard. So hard. She nods along with what he says, trying to think it through.]

I would, uhm... I think so. I don't really want to hurt them-- I don't know if c-changing them is uhm, is right or anything, but-- maybe we could at least get them to listen to us. I think it would absolutely uhm, be code though. They're less than 10% biological now, from what has come at us, uh, b-before.

Less than ten percent... [hmmm thinking, thinking!] I've never had the occasion to work with cyborgs before, I only personally know one. But ten percent is still biological enough that I may be able to assist.

What do you think, if we're able to negotiate with them to provide a vaccine to protect them from catching viruses. Can we get one ready in time?

[he's of the same mind, his plan all along was to offer the cure to the Null as a bargaining chip to get them to agree to end their war. But Law's also mindful that there's a good chance the fuckers are going to throw a tantrum and refuse and need to be emotion-bombed instead]

[She bites at her lip with her buck teeth, mind reeling with everything that request entails, and starts chattering about it instead.]

Ohmygosh, I mean, t-that would need to do so much, I-- we would need to understand how they work biologically without feelings, or if they were removed somehow, or if they have blockers in place that just don't-- don't work, maybe? It would also have to p-patch in on their existing code, which I've never really worked with, and--

[She's forced to take a breath and compile her thoughts, even if that's difficult.]

It, uhm. There's a lot of factors.

[honestly that just makes him all the more excited to try it]

Are there others who've been studying Null technology? The more minds the better, for something like this. We also have a...particular resource to tap, for something like this.

[his next step is indeed to contact Name...]

[She hisses a bit through her teeth.]

Not... r-really. I mean, there are people who know some of the physical tech, like Newt, but the last time I uh... worked with Null stuff collaboratively, that is. Those people are gone, except for maybe Nick.

[With [name], she means. Curufin, Aloy, Caboose... none of them were here anymore. As always, she soldiers on alone.]

I also haven't really worked with their code, e-exactly. I, it, it would be hard, and...

[He's so excited, and it's every bit of restraint she's learned over years in the city to give even this response.]

I don't want to lie to you. About what I can do. I don't w-want you to think I can fix everything.

I'm not expecting miracles, Alphys-ya. If you can get Nick-ya and [UGH] Newt on board, even better.

We won't know if this is even a possible solution unless we attempt it. If it works, we may be able to shorten or even prevent all-out war.

[the confidence of a man driven but who also has very realistic and cynical expectations. He knows it's going to be a team effort so it's all good. Shame they've lost so many techies, though]

I'll contact Knock Out-ya as well. He's a mechanical being as well as a physician, he could be a good resource.

[She nods along as he speaks, trying to put it all in perspective. There's... a chance. But how will people really not be mad at her if they waste all their time?]

I'll, uhm... I'll try to talk to them, at least. Maybe somebody has ideas I haven't thought of, or... I don't know.

[The whole thing just scares her.]

I can try. Just uhm... maybe have a, uh, b-backup plan.

I always do.

[it might be just dying but that's still a plan]

[DYING IS NOT A PLAN, LAW,,,,]

Well, uhm... good. I'll-- I'll s-see what I can do, and uh... yeah. You know.

[She pauses for just a second, and then spits out again--]

I'm so sorry about the murderbot that's really not me you're actually okay right?

[dying is always plan Q!

Alphys makes him actually sniff something like a laugh]

Yes, I'm fine. I may not even have any scars, depending on how good a job Knock Out-ya actually did. You really did build that cool robot yourself, huh?

[LAW NO

At least he's... well, she's going to count that as laughing. It's something? She doesn't know if that's better.]

Uh... yes? Yeah I uh, I b-built it. It was mostly off the Null parts and uh, theres, there's just a lot of weapons lying around. People kept giving me guns and stuff?? I didn't think I'd ever use them, which is uh, probably why...

Clearly, no one should underestimate you in a pinch. Were you thinking of building any more like that for us to use if and when the battle starts?

[Finally, she laughs in response, a fluttery sort of nervousness.]

Well, I-- I don't think I have enough, uhm, m-material? To do that. This used up most of what would fit together, I mean, I have some replacements for some bits but not enough to uh, to do a whole other... thing? If that makes sense.

[A small pause.]

Sorry?

Why apologize to me? It's not like you promised me anything. I was merely curious. As long as you've got the one, you can probably fight the Null with it just fine.

[he believes fully that she can do it; whether she will, of course, is up to Alphys]

Well, I... I don't know. I guess I'm just used to saying sorry.

[She always felt like she needed to give something to make herself worth it, but she's revisiting a lot of old habits lately. Maybe that's just another one of those. An old, unneeded habit.]

I'll do my best. N-No matter what happens. Even if I can't use it, uhm, someone will be able to, to uh, keep people safe. And I, I'll look into what you asked. Anything I can do, uh, right?

Yeah, pretty much. Appreciate it.

[he may be an ass but he always gives credit where credit is due, and Alphys deserves all that credit - and gratitude]

[He may think of himself badly, but she thinks he's great.]

Heh, yeah. I'll s-see you.

[And she clicks off.]

What if you had a direct line to the hivemind? Would that maybe be easier than trying to hack an individual Null?

[She blinks once or twice, even if Rey can't see her, just a moment of surprise.]

It... y-yeah, it would be. Individual Null just flush their systems if they think they're infected. If we could change the base code, and then get them to scrub their local files, theoretically we could, uhm, overwrite the entire thing.

[Alphys pauses though, and quickly adds--]

I don't know if that's, uhm, r-right to do to them though. But it's better than dying, probably...

["They're machines, they don't really die," Rey wants to say, but she bites her tongue. Not only is that fundamentally untrue based on her experiences with synthetics -- Nick included -- she can't let her own bias affect her judgement here.]

Maybe we could infect them on the same level as that one calling itself "Name". Guess it'd be more... humane than just destroying all of them, and they might be more reasonable about wiping out an entire fucking species and anything near it. It all depends on what's possible and what the majority would prefer.

[If it were up to Rey, she wouldn't have a problem with wiping the Null out regardless of morals. But she knows better than to make that choice for everyone else.]

[She nods to herself as Rey speaks, trying to put it all together in her brain.]

I don't know if that's what they'd all want. The Null were uhm, t-trying to not be infected, right? Or well... they said infected, so I guess they uhm, assume it's some kind of disease. I don't know. [Name] seemed happy once they could feel though... but that's assuming it's even, uhm, p-possible.

By "vaccine", you mean something like an antivirus to protect the Null from being infected? It'd be possible if they were actually open to communicating a truce.

[Which, based on past incidents, they don't seem too keen on doing. Rey doesn't see the point in trying to negotiate with machines, but others seem to have value in it when it comes to things like Name.]

Stumbled on what looked like a communication hub back at the last planet. Might've found something to contact their hivemind, but we didn't want to mess around with that sort of thing to draw attention to our current location.

[Pause.] But if we had a way of a few of us being transported back there with a plan, we at least know a place where we can contact them without putting everyone in the city at risk. Tranquility at least seemed open to allowing Fear to send out scouts and such. Don't know about you, but sitting on our thumbs in a jungle doesn't sound very fucking productive.

...I agree, it doesn't.

[oh good Rey's smart, she can help]

Exactly, an antivirus. I know they're not good negotiators but maybe dangling the promise of never having to fear infection ever again will get their attention. We'd have to have that bargaining chip ready, though.

Knew someone who'd probably get something like that whipped up in a heartbeat. Too bad he's not here. He'd probably welcome the challenge.

[Not that Rey would wish Tejinder to be here and not back in the world they share, though things weren't looking much better for him than they were for Rey.]

Not much of a programmer myself, unfortunately. [Alphys is the only one she knows here that could be just as good as Tejinder, though.] But that communications hub might be our best shot at holding any leverage on them, whether we decide to weaponize the virus or use it to help them.

[Now the city's been moved, Rey isn't as remiss about going back there to check out that direct link to the Null.]

Yeah, well. Right now we have to work with whatever resources we have. I'm not even going to hope that the Door brings in someone anytime soon.

You're right, though. That hub sounds extremely interesting. Had I known it was there I might not have been so quick to vote to leave.

[nah he's still glad they're not in snow-land anymore]

Think it's better that we did leave. Didn't want to accidentally end up tipping off the city's location to the Null at the time. At least knowing that we have the ability to send out scouts helped with my decision. Now we might be able to go back and look into that direct line more thoroughly without the risk of getting everyone killed.

[Rey would have much rather gone to the Null planet, but she'd rather put herself in the line of fire than a bunch of people who may or may not know how to take down synthetic enemies.]

I suppose that's a plus. Better than freezing our asses off, still.

Either way, that hub sounds like our point of contact, so that's one problem solved. There are a lot more on my list still to tackle, though.

The ass freezing was never a problem, personally.

[Hooray for having total control over your body temperature.]

Yeah... Would have brought it up sooner, but didn't want some window licker who didn't know what they were doing to come and fuck with that shit if more people knew about what we found at the time. It looked pretty important. We know where it is and we can go back again, so that's what matters.

[snort! this is why he still likes you, Rey]

For you, I'm sure.

It does look like Sorrow's got a better handle on the Door. Being able to send a party back there might be crucial, now.

I can't see any of this ending well. But you equating viruses and emotions is a strange idea. Could we make strong emotion our "swords and magic"? [IF SO, HE IS YOUR MAN.] I wouldn't mind giving fully into my Sith nature if it meant our survival. Anger, fear and hate are all powerful weapons used by the Sith.

Edited 2019-04-10 10:22 (UTC)

That's not what I mean at all. Rage and Fear exist here with extensive powers and it does almost nothing when fighting the Null.

The Null consider emotions a virus as much as they call the gods parasites. I don't think it's entirely semantic, it's possible there's enough of a component that someone with the right technology can work with it the way I create vaccines and cures with regular biological viruses.

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[video] ready for more plot

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wow self good typing there

how did i also screw that up tbh. was i on autopilot. oops

we both rock

we OUT here

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[audio] OH HAI

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