ataraxion | video; mis-step seven [forward dated to 2/5]

[A burst of static opens the contact, then followed by the image of a woman with dark hair pulled back into a ponytail. She half-smiles as she leans on a wall, a wall she swears was trying to disintegrate not a moment ago. The little issues with the bridge are beginning to gnaw at the edges of her senses here and there, but her main problem is the condition she has. Rampancy. The deterioration of function and logic in an elderly AI. And all this overstimulation is starting to make it worse, to push her into places she thought she could hold off.]

It's loud, and it's small. No, it's big. Very strange in here.

[The feed ends. Later, another message is sent, her voice higher, more strained. Fear, anger.]

I only had the best of intentions. I wanted to do to them what they've done to us because I can't take it anymore and you shouldn't help me because what if they do it to you, too? No, don't. Don't tell them who you are. It's them and they know. They have the weapons, we don't.

[There's a loud sigh, and another burst of static distorts the image, and the feed ends. A few minutes later, it begins again, her voice calm, face placid. Sometimes she thinks she can control it. Sometimes she can. But sometimes it sends her to dark and dangerous places.]

The human mind is fragile, fragile like mine, it sort of... there's a hum, a buzz, static in my head and I can't process everything. Did you know I can think myself into nothing? I can. I probably should. It's too hard to do this, too loud, too much to want to know and not be able to think about because thinking hurts.

Pain is strange.

[A lengthy silence, filled with lines and static. Her voice is flat, as though she's merely curious.]

Am I going to die again?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I don't think any of us here can predict the future, so the jury's out on that.

[Despite the levity of his tone, her message unnerves him. For all he knows, maybe the trapped people will die while the rest of them sit out here helplessly.]

What exactly is happening over there?

[He wants to ask if she's okay, but the answer to that is already obvious.]

...I don't know. Have you ever died?

[A sigh.]

It's a little frightening. And in here, it's just... quiet, loud chaos. We;re working but nothing is helping.

[He flinches at the question. Answering that would require explaining things he doesn't want to explain. Immediately he feels ashamed of the thought, but he finds himself hoping she's distracted enough that she won't notice him not responding to it.]

What're you guys workin' on? You think whatever you're messin' with is tryin' to screw with you?

[Well, more succeeding than trying it seems.]

I'm... trying to adjust the comms system to give us a better signal. [She sounds a little pathetic now, ducking her head and shaking it.] I was going to work on the doors next. I think we've done something ill-advised, and that we may suffer some for it. That's... all.

Yeah, "ill-advised" is one way to put it. But at least you're doin' somethin'.

[He doesn't know if he's relieved or not that he didn't ask to go with them. He does know that he feels pretty damn useless.]

Something that ends in nothing. Right now I don't know what will happen. I want out. I need to be out. I have things to do.

Don't we all.

There's no trapdoors or anything? And no way to unlock the way you got in?

[He knows the questions are probably pointless, but he's stuck for what to say. The longer those people are trapped, the more likely it seems to him that they really are done for.]

We've tried--we're trying still.

[A frown, and she seems to shrink back a bit. She's lost hope already, as days and minutes and hours seem even longer than they did before. How long has she been in here???]

[He nods.]

Good. No point givin' up now.

You think it'd be too dangerous to try and blast the walls away?

[But it's probably metal in there. Even if someone did have a gun, the bullets would probably ricochet and hurt someone. ]

[She looks horrified.]

Yes! There are too many people in here, the space is too small, it's too dangerous. Don't try to get everyone hurt!

[He holds his hands up defensively.]

Hey, I'm not doin' anything! I'm not even there! I was just askin'!

[She frowns mightily, seriously.]

No, you're trying to cause more problems!

[He frowns back, concerned with how badly that place might be messing with her. Or maybe he is just that good at causing problems.]

Calm down, how can I cause problems from here? I might as well just be a voice in a box.

I don't know, but if anything you do hurts anyone I know...

[She pauses, then sighs.] No. I'm sorry.

I never said-!

[He cuts himself off, echoing her sigh. He shouldn't yell when who knows what's happening to the people over there.]

It's fine. I'd say the same to you if I thought you were gonna hurt any of my friends.

If anyone hurts them... If it's anyone's fault... What if it's mine?

Hey, don't say stuff like that. You're not doin' anything to hurt 'em, are you?

I'm not doing anything... at all.

[He thinks he understands where she's coming from now. Even when it wasn't his fault, his inability to help his friends made him feel guilty.]

...Sometimes it seems like you just can't, huh? But there's gotta be somethin'.

We're trapped. We can't even access the systems.

[Damn it. He should have guessed.]

Then... Okay, maybe there's nothin' you can do now, but I bet they'd appreciate it enough if you just got yourself outta there in one piece.

[Also probably not possible.]

I suppose we must leave sooner or later. I doubt they'll keep us in here forever. Don't you think we'll get out?

[He's tempted to try and be nice; after all, if he lies and says everything will be okay, it's not like she'd know for certain he's wrong until the very end. And then she'd be dead anyway.

He brushes that thought away with a shake of his head. That would be disrespectful to baby someone that much.]

Honestly? I have no idea. It could probably go either way.

...So don't give up, all right?

No.

[She sighs, wrapping an arm tightly around herself.]

No, I won't. We'll think of something.

[He nods, finding himself unable to force a smile.]

Good.

I don't really know anything about all the ship's weird machines and stuff, but is there anything I can do to help on this end?

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