hadriel | first puzzle; voice + text.

[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.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

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

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

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.

Edited (icon) 2016-01-16 22:21 (UTC)

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.]

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

What does death by asphyxiation feel like?

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

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.]

I wouldn't say it like that.

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

[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.

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.

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.]

How would you say it, then?

More like people do weird things when they're panicking.

[And they can't really be blamed for that; what someone considers common sense might go completely out the window when they're really scared.]

Asphyxiation is a slow, torturous way to die, and I don't for a second believe that you're not fully aware of that. Furthermore, I don't believe you chose this method out of anything resembling kindness. This is about you and power. You take power from our fear, and facing a slow death by suffocation is guaranteed to generate more feelings of fear than attacks by monsters, yes?

Edited 2016-01-17 03:13 (UTC)

I suppose you have a point. Thank you, I'll make that addition. I take it you've been buried?

Not kindness, no.

[A pause.]

An attempt at compromise? I could have done something far more painful. I didn't. If you can't recognize that, then I suppose I won't make the effort in the future.

No problem.

Yeah. It kind of sucks.

You're taking it remarkably well, all things considered.

Thanks.

[He's been told that twice now and he feels kind of ridiculous accepting the compliment because sure, he's outwardly more or less calm for now, but he's definitely not taking it all that well internally.]

Not a whole lot of options, though.

[It's either try and stay calm or freak out and use up a bunch of oxygen, and one of those options is obviously better than the other.]

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

But you do have options. It's good that you've chosen this one over the others. Panicking in times of crisis isn't productive.

No, I don't think you should do us any more favors in the future.

[Because really, how could it be any worse than this.]

You don't deny that all of this is about collecting power for yourself?

[Not that Beyond expected it, but - it's irritating, being dismissed.]

What say you? Unlikely to remain dead?

I'm surprised you give two shits.

Alright.

[Soft, accepting. Fear hums for a moment, before he responds.]

What else would it be about? Torture for torture's sake? There'd be no point to it.

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