first puzzle; voice + text.

[recinerate]

[Beyond quit giving network-wide addresses long before he ended up here, but - someone needs to be the voice of reason, apparently, and he is something of an expert on death.]

Those of you who have been buried alive - please listen closely. You have a very limited supply of oxygen to work with, and it would be in your best interest to conserve it as long as you can. Stop talking.

[He's already counted two other broadcasts from people who seem to have been buried; he can only imagine there are more that haven't been open to the entire network.]

If you must communicate, do so by texting. Otherwise, lie still and try not to breathe until you're rescued.

[He pauses for a moment, weighing whether what else he wants to say will ultimately be helpful. He decides it is, and continues:]

You may find it a comfort to know that if you do happen to die before anyone reaches you, it's unlikely you will remain dead. However, death by asphyxiation is supposed to be quite unpleasant, so it's best to avoid the experience if you can.

[He sighs. He doesn't know this from experience, exactly; while he has died twice, it happened quickly both times. A prolonged exposure to death is torturous, and he finds the back of his neck prickling with anger over it. It doesn't take a genius intellect to deduce that Fear is behind this, or what he aims to gain from it.]

Those of us who've not been buried - has anyone made anything resembling a strategic plan for rescue efforts, or is everyone running amok with shovels in hand and hoping for the best?

[Shortly after this exchange with Chris, Beyond sends out an additional message via text:]

If you've been buried, please refrain from starting fires with matches or a lighter. At best, you'll only expend your oxygen supply that much faster. Use your phone for light if necessary.

Comments

voice

[isacrowd]

I'm starting to dig from the bottom of Hope's list of coordinates and working my way up.

voice

[recinerate]

Do you know if anyone else has had the same idea, or are you working alone?

voice

[isacrowd]

Kerrigan is sending her creature out to loosen up the dirt, and this guy Chris is trying to get people at least a little coordinated.

I'm not alone, though. [She is, but she isn't. Replicas count but don't count. It's weird. She's not going to bother trying to explain, so she leaves it at that. Let him imagine she's with other people if he wants.] At least, not right now.

voice

[recinerate]

Good. You'll be more efficient working with a team.

[text]

[thechoiceisyours]

It might be worth adding that anyone with lighters or matches or whatever shouldn't use them. Stick with the phones to see with.

[Who knows if people that aren't really familiar or comfortable with the phones might be tempted to use alternate sources of light, and that's a bad idea for several reasons including ones related to that horrible comment about suffocating to death.]

[text]

[recinerate]

Do you really believe anyone would be stupid enough to light a fire in such an enclosed space?

[He's honestly baffled by the idea. Surely no one is that dumb.]

[text]

[thechoiceisyours]

I wouldn't say it like that.

[But yes. Probably enough of a chance to bother telling people not to do it.]

text

[unknowable]

Well, that's... good to know. I guess.

What does death by asphyxiation feel like?

text

[recinerate]

I don't know from firsthand experience, but what I understand, from what I've read, you won't actually feel it, at the end. You'll fall into a coma before your body shuts down.

text

[unknowable]

Better than dying in incredible pain, I guess. It'd be more like falling asleep.

text

[lingeringfear]

You won't run out of air. You can scream to yourself or to others all you want.

voice.

[recinerate]

[You know what? Forget replying by text. Beyond is spitting mad, and he doesn't care who knows it, how it leaks out of the sharp edges in his voice.]

This is exceptionally cruel, even for you.

voice.

[lingeringfear]

Even for me? You all always complain about being eviscerated by monsters. There's no monsters this time. I thought that it was cleaner.

[Which is, unfortunately, a genuine sentiment. Sorry bro.]

text;

[hotspurred]

What say you? Unlikely to remain dead?

text;

[recinerate]

Correct. I have reason to believe that death is not permanent here.

[hotspurred]

...Of course. One should not be surprised to learn that this realm is fundamentally different.

[And yet...]

Be your reason more than supposition?

[morphinum]

I'm surprised you give two shits.

[recinerate]

I'm surprised you're able to make an analysis of my character solely through use of your fists.

[morphinum]

no I'm able to make an analysis of your character based on your pretentious ass use of the ancient roman language.

[Text]

[amos_moses]

Useful, but do try to be a little more cheerful?

People need to keep their hopes up, if you know what I mean.

And not being afraid will stick it to Fear, too.

[Text]

[recinerate]

False hope is only going to do everyone a greater disservice.

[Text]

[amos_moses]

Hope of any kind is more valuable than being realistic.

Especially when it comes to the kinds of games gods play with mortals.

text.

[fervence]

texting is hard though

text.

[recinerate]

So is breathing when there isn't any oxygen.

text.

[fervence]

i guess??