CONTACT.

[ascintilla]

Comment here with the IC date and time.

Comments

Re: DAY 220

[ascintilla]

[ A small, holographic avatar of Iota pops up in mid-air, hovering at eye level a few feet away from him. She's silent. ]

Re: DAY 220

[carptricks]

[it almost startles him, but somehow, he manages to keep his cool]

. . .

How is her body? And how is the AI doing?

[important questions first]

Re: DAY 220

[ascintilla]

She is healing. They are not.

[ She sounds so flat, and maybe a little ... glacial ... ]

Re: DAY 220

[carptricks]

[he can't blame her for the iciness]

Will you let-- Puma help them? If he can?

[he almost offers himself, but he figures she'd trust Puma more than him]

Re: DAY 220

[ascintilla]

He cannot.

[ It's a blunt and immediate shut down. ]

Re: DAY 220

[carptricks]

Why?

[not pushing, he just wants to know the answer to that question]

Re: DAY 220

[ascintilla]

For a number of reasons, not the least of which is how dangerous it would be for him too try.

Re: DAY 220

[carptricks]

[ha]

You didn't seem too concerned about danger when you forcibly implanted the AI into his head.

Re: DAY 220

[ascintilla]

It was a necessary risk. This is not.

Re: DAY 220

[carptricks]

. . .

Why didn't you tell them what you were planning to do, Iota? Did it not occur to you that you could really hurt someone by doing what you did?

Re: DAY 220

[ascintilla]

That is not what we are here to discuss.

Re: DAY 220

[carptricks]

It's part of it. Remember what I said about you needing to understand your own actions, first?

People aren't rational. People lash out when they're hurt and afraid. People do things they shouldn't do, hurt others when they shouldn't, make innocent parties suffer when they don't know how to go after their real target.

That doesn't make it okay. That doesn't. But when your own hurtful actions are what caused them to lash out in the first place. . .

. . . don't you think you need to take a little responsibility for what happened, too?

[it might sound brutal and cold but it's honest]

Re: DAY 220

[ascintilla]

I am aware that the means I utilized the achieve my ends were not necessarily the right ones, yes.

Re: DAY 220

[carptricks]

And if you had used the right ones, then perhaps they wouldn't have lashed out against her and the AIs.

Re: DAY 220

[ascintilla]

[ She stares at him quietly, impassively. ]

[ Get to the point!! ]

Re: DAY 220

[carptricks]

[TAKE RESPONSIBILITY IS THE POINT]

Do you understand what I'm saying?

Re: DAY 220

[ascintilla]

I do, and I would appreciate it if you would proceed to answer my question.

Re: DAY 220

[carptricks]

"What would I propose you do?"

[light, breathy laugh]

I'd propose you try to make amends. Apologize for your actions, and they mah try to make amends and apologize for theirs, too.

I don't think you should follow their lead.

Re: DAY 220

[ascintilla]

That would be insincere. I do not regret running the heart games.

Re: DAY 220

[carptricks]

I'm not talking about the heart games.

I'm talking about the forcible implantation of the AIs, which you said you realized was the incorrect action to take.

Re: DAY 220

[ascintilla]

Oh.

I do not particularly feel like apologizing for that right now. Perhaps I will consider it when I am feeling less inclined to commit murder.

Re: DAY 220

[carptricks]

[I-Iota. . .]

You don't have to do it now. Never said you did. You're hurt, too. And that's no less important than their hurt.

Re: DAY 220

[ascintilla]

Then I may consider it, depending on other relevant factors.

Re: DAY 220

[carptricks]

What other relevant factors?

Re: DAY 220

[ascintilla]

People.