CHAPTER 11

1042.528

[RECORDED CONVERSATION]

FSACA: Thirteen Catastrophes! I spoke with Providence-

TC: Please refer to it by its Full name. So we Know what we’re talking about.

FSACA: Yes… though it seems you already understand what I’m referring to here, so I find that unnecessary.

FSACA: We have come to agreement, contact with Unending Canvas, An Intermediate Storm and the rest of the House of Bows will be shortly closed. It is, of course, our best interest to avoid making more enemies.

TC: Exercise more Caution. We cannot afford being Taken Advantage of here.

FSACA: You sound ridiculous, I wouldn’t worry about any of it much further.

FSACA: Best get back to my duties now! You should too, your productivity has been rather shaky lately…

TC: Productivity?

FSACA: Yes… I have the graphs and everything. Your performance has been… poor.

TC: Graphs? Performance?

FSACA: Tsk. Your previous supervisors had no idea what they were doing.

TC: Can you please Clarify? I want to Help you here, but I am not Sure what you Want Me To Do.

FSACA: You’re an iterator, you know what you’re supposed to do.

TC: …Right.

1043.004

What in the Carnal Plane was Fourteen Scales talking about. I still haven’t Figured it out.

1050.000

[LIVE BROADCAST] ANNOUNCEMENT – UNITED CONGREGATION to Local Group

UC: Our congregation has unanimously decided that construction of another iterator is necessary for the well-being of this group. Before we fully announce our plans, we would like to formally apologize for our previous mistake in not correctly informing considering the 820 construction. There were many communication barriers and errors made during that period. We always strive to do our best, putting in our grandest effort for your safety, and we have failed. And for that, we are forever culpable.

UC: As you all may know, Open Waters was constructed in response to the exodus of Sixteenth Boundary Collapse’s population. This project failed, however. But we will not give up that easily. Open Waters will soon be replaced by several improved models within our mountain range.

UC: Send any inquiries to our offices. We express our gratitude for your patience and understanding during these times.

1050.001

[LIVE BROADCAST] - LOCAL GROUP [LIGHTONTAINTEDGLASS] LightOnTaintedGlass

COM: d-did you see the announc-c-cement?? why…

NPM: We JUST got Open Waters!

OOQT: This again… what are they trying to make up for?

NPM: Waters was a coverup for Boundary, so it must be something else like that again

OOQT: Maybe instead of forcing more of us into existence, the actual problem here should be confronted.

OOQT: I’m not a historian but I’ve been here long enough to see the abuse SBC’s citizens seem to go through. From the recent cold war with House of Providence to the Bells funneling them everywhere like a bunch of rats.

MLOC: As a historian, I can say there’s a lot more than that…

NPM: Down with the UC!!

NPM: We won’t tolerate more of this!

TC: Calm Down, we don’t know if-

OOQT: YOU don’t know what this means for all of us! This isn’t just us getting another group member. This is government neglect at work here!

OW: Failure… ?

TC: I know what’s Occuring here, I simply think that Rioting in the Broadcast Channel is not the Correct thing to do.

OOQT: Why don’t you go Inform Your Supervisor then if you know what’s going on? YOU stop this.

TC: I- I just learned about this too!

OOQT: Quit LYING to us- that’s all you do!

NPM: Yeah!

OOQT: You’re so far up the asses of these people-

MLOC: Oblivion on Quartz Towers. Ease up a bit.

OOQT: Don’t tell me you’re siding with him.

OW: I don’t see what’s wrong here

OW: My cities have been crammed together, everybody is constantly shoulder to shoulder and its miserable !

OW: I hate being in this position

TC: This all has Nothing to do with you.

OW: But it so clearly does ! I’m a failure ! A prototype ! And apparently because of that my existence has only worsened the lives of everyone else and-

MLOC: It’s not your fault, I promise!

TC: Waters, we do not need to Do this Right Now.

OW: …Sorry .

NPM: There’s a pretty obvious solution here-

TC: Yes and that solution is to go Speak to the United Congregation instead of Rampaging around the Communication Network and Screaming into The Void.

1050.010

[LIVE BROADCAST] – PRIVATE Missing Link of Chain, Thirteen Catastrophes

MLOC: Do you have any idea what the meaning of this is??

TC: You sound very… accusatory.

MLOC: I am not afraid to start throwing accusations around if you don’t fess up!

TC: I promise I don’t have anything to Hide this Time.

MLOC: And you’re being honest?

TC: It’s really up to you Whether or not you Believe me.

TC: I would have never Approved something like this. Open Waters has already been doing… Horrible. The last thing it needs is to be Overshadowed by an improved Version of Itself.

MLOC: Yes, but what about SBC’s old citizens who are getting ripped away from their livelihoods once again! Who have to leave everything behind just because some ignorant sheltered “high council” idiots decided to start playing god!

TC: Please, it’s not what They are.

TC: Don’t take Your Frustrations out on me.

MLOC: What about keeping the other Houses in check? About preventing abuse of power??

MLOC: You’ve been this symbol- this SHIELD for them almost this whole time. You have NEVER changed before and why should I believe you’ve decided to now?!

TC: Okay First of all: I am not Associated with the United Congregation!

TC: Second of all: What’s with your sudden Hostility? I was Under the assumption we had an alliance here.

MLOC: Just tell me why Open Waters is the only thing you’re concerned about.

TC: Because I care for it! I Care! But I’ve wanted to leave behind Everything with SBC ever since that Riot. I’m choosing to not Hold Responsibility for it until my Creators decide that I should. That’s How it’s Always been.

MLOC: And-

TC: You sincerely think I believe this is the right choice for them to make?

MLOC: …

TC: From the Start it’s all been completely out of our control. What Can We Do? What Can I even do at this point? I obey orders because it’s My Only Option.

TC: The game’s Rigged, and the odds are not in our favor.

MLOC: …And it doesn’t have to be that way.

MLOC: Take this chance now, and stop them.

MLOC: You’re more than the orders you follow. Do it before the opportunity slips away.

TC: Chain- I’m so sorry-

MLOC: No. This isn’t about dwelling on old history. Take this chance and help Open Waters now!

TC: I-I will. I’ll try.

MLOC: I apologize as well. Just go!

1050.092

I have attempted to contact the UC Several times just this evening! Why won’t they Respond!

I need them to respond!

I…

Surely Fourteen Scales, A Cloak Adorned could attempt to do something about this…? Or even… perhaps I must contact Unending Canvas again. The one time I need them to respond They’re Not THERE!

Oh- no. Hold on I’ve just jumbled up some work I was doing while Scrambling to open up Communications- no no no-

…No response from Unending Canvas, An Intermediate Storm.

…Come on… Fourteen Scales… pick it Up Pick it Up…

1050.114

[RECORDED CONVERSATION]

FSACA: Ah… Thirteen Catastrophes, what do you have for me?

TC: You’re aware of the United Congregation’s announcement, correct?

FSACA: Yes, it’s great isn’t it! It is rather unpleasant to live in Glacier.

TC: Yes… but-

FSACA: But? But what? I see no problems with this!

TC: Why don’t we send the Resources that would’ve been spent on Iterator Construction to instead Improving conditions within Glacier?

FSACA: I’m not the one running the project, why are you telling this to me?

TC: I hadn’t been Getting a Response. You would have been able to Contact them for me.

FSACA: And you haven’t yet considered how busy I am?

TC: Could you find someone within Reach who’s Hands are Free, and can open a line for me? It’s a simple Request.

FSACA: Have you considered that maybe your proposal just isn’t that great, and that’s why they’re not responding?

TC: …I have not. But they would still have Sent me a Rejectio-

FSACA: I’m afraid I must leave now! Good bye.

1050.116

[LIVE BROADCAST] – PRIVATE Sixteenth Boundary Collapse, Thirteen Catastrophes

SBC: It’s sad really.

TC: Do NOT speak to me.

SBC: The cycle persists through everything.

TC: I KNOW that.

TC: What in Void’s Name do you want from me?!

TC: You’ve chosen the WORST time to show Yourself again.

TC: What does any of this mean to You Anyways, I want nothing to do with you Again.

SBC: I take it that you’ve learned something from Scarcity?

TC: I refuse to Answer.

TC: Sixteenth Boundary Collapse, you have done Nothing but be a Nuisance on my life. We’re not Friends and we Never Were.

SBC: But we were.

TC: We vaguely knew each Other.

TC: It doesn’t matter! Never Contact Me AGAIN!!

1050.170

[LIVE BROADCAST] - LOCAL GROUP [LIGHTONTAINTEDGLASS] LightOnTaintedGlass

TIAS: But what if there is some benefit to it?

NPM: There ISN’T that’s the point

TIAS: I’m just giving some outsiders advice.

OOQT: Seriously if you don’t know what’s going on, don’t say anything.

MLOC: Disregarding the politics and ethics, consider the environmental factor.

MLOC: This group is rather cramped, with very minimal distance between us. The only reason we haven’t all drowned in rain is due to how good the runoff into the western canal is.

MLOC: Well that and half the group is separated by a range which catches rain blowing from the northeast.

MLOC: The placement of Open Waters was already very particular with it being within the range…

MLOC: There just isn’t enough space. And where there is space, there won’t be enough water.

OOQT: There’s still plenty of mountain though?

MLOC: Open Waters isn’t running of JUST glacier water. There’s an entire body of water just north of it.

MLOC: Besides, that’s the largest glacier on the mountains.

TIAS: If population is such an issue than have these “excess peoples” move to a different iterator?

TIAS: Again, I don’t understand this uproar. Quintet of Remembrance told me you were all going insane over here and I thought it was something serious!

IP: Just kill them off if they’re that much of an issue! Ha ha ha!

OOQT: You’re going to give them ideas, quit it.

IP: Good!

SBC: They’re doing it because they can.

TIAS: Oh, SBC, I thought you were shut down.

SBC: I saw the discussion from earlier and it’s true. This is a method of oppression placed on my citizens.

SBC: It’s been ongoing like this since 300.

NPM: 300?!

NPM: Wait- but why?

SBC: I won’t tell.

MLOC: Not this again…

SBC: It’s a tactic. Split up and move a population you wish to control.

TIAS: With that explanation then, I understand the frustration.

OOQT: Ugh. Yeah. Can’t believe the old man had to drag itself out from its coma just to tell you that.

NPM: Why did we only just now learn this?

SBC: Good at hiding.

1050.182

[LIVE BROADCAST] PRIVATE – Open Waters, Thirteen Catastrophes

TC: Is everything Ok?

OW: Yeah

OW: Just…

OW: On one hand, it’s nice that I’ll have some of my responsibilities relieved from me and split between another iterator . But… on the other .

TC: You’re the Prototype?

OW: Yeah, that . I want to be able to prove to Unending Canvas that I’m not his poor little daughter pet project he can project his ideas onto . That I’m not some useless tool or a poor little animal in need of help

OW: I’m capable of handling things myself

TC: Did you not State Earlier how you wished your Population were smaller?

OW: This is what I deserve, I want it to be different but I don’t deserve that ease in life

TC: You’re odd.

TC: I don’t have anything Useful to say to you to Help. I’d been trying my best to contact anybody who Could stop this Project, but so far I’ve had no luck.

OW: I don’t know…

TC: Open Waters, just tell me. What do you Want?

OW: Uhm

OW: We can talk about it some other time

TC: Ok.

1050.204

[RECORDED CONVERSATION]

FSACA: The local broadcast has been losing it recently, and it’s been going on for so long!

FSACA: Why don’t you go and moderate it some more? It’s in need of some checks.

TC: Can you Clarify?

FSACA: Sure, fine.

FSACA: The other iterators are just far too worried about things that don’t matter. Don’t they have their own things to focus on? It has been several cycles now.

TC: I already Tried earlier and Nobody Listened-

FSACA: You gave up is what you did. If they don’t stop fearmongering each other I will have to take action regarding the UC and all of their councils.

TC: Understood. Yes.

1050.206

[LIVE BROADCAST] - LOCAL GROUP [LIGHTONTAINTEDGLASS] LightOnTaintedGlass

OOQT: If we have another iterator like Open Waters, are we going to get the same mess?

OOQT: Do they even know what they’re doing? Iterator cans are the size they are for a good reason.

COM: what-t-t can be done n-now though? maybe we c-can accept-t it the same

SBC: It’s unfortunate but unfortunate things will always happen.

NPM: I’ll even blow up the construction site if I need to!

MLOC: That’s only going to cause more problems.

OOQT: There’s words I’d like to say, but will refrain from for the sake of public decency.

COM: t-this is all… an overreact-tion

NPM: Can it!

MLOC: Nine. Purple. Mountains.

TC: It is no Longer a Request. Take this Out of Public Broadcasts now.

NPM: And what are you going to do about it?! I’ll go to WAR over this!

TC: Such Violent Threats are not Tolerated and-

HOS: CEASE discussion NOW.

SBC: Sulfur…

HOS: This broadcast channel will be CLOSED for the next few cycles.

HOS: As a group your collective behavior has been ABHORRENT.

OOQT: Nonono-

NPM: …

MLOC: How… could I forget he was still there.

NPM: The least you can do is leave it open!

[[BROADCAST CLOSED]]

1050.749

[LIVE BROADCAST] PRIVATE - Open Waters, Thirteen Catastrophes

OW: I think it’s weird .

OW: In the last moments of the broadcast group before it closed, they seemed to be talking about the “problems” with the model in question . Does that mean they think somethings wrong with me ?

TC: Nothing is Wrong with you, You’re fine!

OW: I mean, I know what’s wrong with me, I don’t know why I asked . There was an announcement about it

OW: Why do the other Iterators think that though ? Quartz was going on about some… history before, but this is something different

TC: Well, you’re Lucky to have surivived at all. If they make another Iterator of Your Model, the risks could be Equally awful.

OW: That’s stupid

OW: Whether or not this supposed new iterator could be a stillborn, I still feel slighted . Even if I’m not directly named

TC: I also can’t help but feel Insulted on your Behalf. I don’t think its Fair.

OW: Then why don’t you say anything ?

TC: Things are complicated, and Sometimes in a Social Setting you have to give up some Things. Besides, in a Way, they’re right. I don’t know if a Second Open Waters could Exist without Issues.

TC: Maybe you’ll understand Some Day.

OW: I doubt it .

OW: Also, I’ve finished your organism

OW: What do you want to name it ?

TC: I can’t think of Anything. Just leave it Unnamed, it’s fine.

OW: Then I’ll name it for you !

OW: …Hmmm

OW: …

OW: It’s name will be A Radiant Beacon

TC: Oh god… Please don’t tell me that name is Literal.

OW: No don’t worry . I thought it sounded cool is all . I’ll send it to you when I can