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[archimedeia]

[ There’s less darkness in the video this time, revealing some grease and blood stains on Resnik and Ward’s faces, and more of the hallway behind them. ]

So you finally get it? We’re all connected.

[ She seems somewhat relieved, but there’s a tired flatness to her voice as she carries on. ]

That membrane Charles was referring to is a link between all of us: it’s been there since you boarded this ship. [ A glance at Ward accompanies the mention of ‘us.’ ] I know you blame us for not explaining. [ She sounds fairly resigned to that, as if she doesn’t expect to change their minds, but she does want to explain now that she can. ] We couldn’t. But it’s trying to cut you off because you’re gaining control over it. It’s because of you that we can explain now—hold onto that. You have the power to change things, just like it’s had the power to look into you.

[ Ward's expression is grim lines edged with weariness, a lingering caution that doesn't leave his eyes. There's a thin trail of dried blood drawing a line down the side of his neck. ]

This isn't what it wanted, and this won't be the last time it tries to stop you. [ A warning. More warning than Resnik had wanted, but he doesn't look to her as he continues. Resnik, on the other hand, sends a tight, sidelong glance his way. ] You know what it can do.

So you know why we can’t let a man like van Rijn get his hands on it.

Comments

anon voice;

[lostsoldier]

[ There's a beat, like he might just leave it at that, Charles is probably right, it's probably nothing, but – then the voice function turns on instead. ]

No. [ Hesitant, like a row of gear teeth clicking gently into place. ] It's always hot around Charlotte, isn't it? Not always, but — in Engineering, in the stasis dreams of her, in the dreams we all saw last month, in the Crew Quarters as soon as we got close to her. Always feels like you're on a barbecue, doesn't it? I figured the heat in 26 and 27 were because Engineering was going all to hell, but there was never any sign of a mechanical cause. We just assumed that because that's when it stopped. When she came through is when it stopped.

Charles, what if we started bringing her through two jumps earlier? In 26 and 27, when the heat started. What if the last memory swap was when we started gaining control? Just like now, only whatever's in our heads wasn't trying to pull away from us then, it was — I don't know, trying to pull us in. Davis said we were supposed to be in already.

Only we didn't let it. We pulled back. We pulled her back.

voice ;

[50000volts]

[ Don't mind Darcy, she's just going to jump in here. Cool? ]

Do you remember the apparitions in the halls? One of them passed through me, and it was like being in an oven.

Do you think there's a correlation?

anon voice 4ever ;

[lostsoldier]

[ Interesting. ]

Could be. Hard to say for sure, but it wouldn't surprise me. If those things were some kind of shadows of the original crew, or something like that?

[50000volts]

Maybe we're existing concurrently with the original crew?

[ Careful, Darcy. That sounded almost scientific. ]

But not all the time. Like there are cracks or leaks? And that's how Charlotte came through?

[forgodssake]

I've wondered that too.

[ May as well just swing in. ]

I related it to an echo of the past, but like an echo, happening in real time. Interactions with shipwide phenomena, like toying with the murals, the compulsions to scratch the walls, staring into mirrors that warp-- they all may be something like prodding at the divide between us and those events.

I don't think you're wrong, about the heat, soldier, but the Wardniks are saying we did an actionable thing. I don't know if we brought her so much as Charlotte brought herself, when that all began -- but what we did do was have a group of us drag her back completely, as you did Felix. That's the only action I can identify.