CHAPTER 13

1054.420

[LIVE BROADCAST] – DIRECT Missing Link Of Chain, Thirteen Catastrophes

SOURCE NODE TRACE: TC ROOT, TC COMM19. MLOC ROOT

TC: I only just now Question how I’m able to see through this Creature’s Eyes.

MLOC: Wait, really? How’s the signal?

TC: Not great, not that it mattered. It was pitch Black in there.

MLOC: Did Open Waters implement that ability?

TC: The internal Camera? It seems so.

MLOC: Weird. Has there been anything else of note?

TC: There’s… crystals? I see the sparse emergency lights

TC: Any Idea of what that could be?

MLOC: I’d known of early iterators having slag buildup and conduit leaks, causing mineral deposits, like stalagmites. But you said they were crystals?

TC: Crystals transparent enough that the only way I Managed to see them was from the Refracted backup Lighting.

MLOC: Maybe the cause is external. Like a microbial colony.

TC: I can’t see too Much else.

MLOC: My question is how you’re managing to get a signal through to our contraband creature without it being detected.

TC: I suppose you could ask Waters.

MLOC: It’s been off the radar for some time. Do you really know nothing about this organism?

TC: Not… really. This is not my Area of Expertise.

1054.428

I cannot view anything that’s Occurring inside Sulfur, nor can I Directly control A Radiant Beacon. It’s far too Dark, too Distant, and too Dangerous. Though finding the essential Memory Banks should not be difficult. If Sulfur is still alive, that is.

Beacon is programmed to seek out Neural Activity, I made Sure of it. If none is Detected, then it should Attempt to Return.

Unfortunately I’ve misplaced the Notes and logs I’d created after it returned from sickness earlier, and am still attempting to find out Where I put them. It’s been hectic lately. Our Council has been in a… Scandal, and they’ve required me to be Present, along with many other tasks thrown onto me.

Nothing but Background Process Filler.

1054.434

[LIVE BROADCAST] - LOCAL GROUP [LIGHTONTAINTEDGLASS] LightOnTaintedGlass

NPM: Have you tried it?

OOQT: I’ve considered it.

OOQT: When I was 2 cycles old.

NPM: You’re misunderstanding! It’s not just a standard karmic fluctuation! It’s layers! LAYERS!

OOQT: Your earlier model you were talking about was of one-dimensional planes. But you’ve suddenly switched to a two-dimensional relative plane model?

TIAS: You can invert and twist those energies as much as you’d like, but it just isn’t possible for it to have more than a local effect on an area. It just isn’t applicable.

NPM: Starting off small is still something though

OOQT: You’re just going to destroy or disintegrate the subject.

NPM: And is that not what void fluid already does?

TIAS: What you’re describing is a recipe for a large explosions…

OOQT: Mountains, we don’t need to explain this to you.

====

I Didn’t notice the Broadcast systems were Back Up. They all seem to have Moved on.

And… one-dimension model of multiple Karmic planes? That model only Works with Particle transformations, not Compressive Inversion Techniques. I see where NPM is Coming from, a simpler model helps with Approximating Spontaneous Field Shifting, which is Something hardly any of us have really Touched on- I’m getting Distracted. I have all the Time I could Need to Research SFS, but the Current Tasks at hand are far more Time-Sensitive.

1054.435

[RECORDED BROADCAST: 1052.000 ] United Congregation - ANNOUNCEMENT

We’ve come to announce that construction of Converging Dust and Notched Particles has been completed in our neighboring group (Awaiting Gateway). The United Congregation would like to thank all of those noble architects and gifted researchers from our group who assisted with this grand construction! Converging Dust and Notched Particles are experimental, and we wish them nothing but the best of luck together. May their people prosper, and their Iterators stand proud with them!

====

All that and They’re not even in our Group.

1054.440

[LIVE BROADCAST] - PRIVATE Open Waters, Thirteen Catastrophes

TC: I hope you are doing Well. I have not heard from you in some Time.

TC: Feel Free to give me any Updates whenever you are ready.
TC: …

TC: …Uh.

TC: Open Waters?

1054.445

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

TC: Have you heard from Waters?

MLOC: I remember telling you earlier, it’s completely off the radar right now.

MLOC: Besides, it never really spoke to me outside of the public networks, which it hasn’t been very present in

TC: Yes- well. I thought it would still Respond to me anyways.

MLOC: I think if you worry about it too much, you’ll do something stupid. Leave it alone, maybe.

TC: I can try.

1054.502

The… signal has gone still. The Beacon stopped moving. That was incredibly Quick. But this could mean one of Two things. If I can just…

Where are those Automatic Logs.

Uh… wait… Okay. The format of these is Strange. Not like a Standard Organic Qualia Log. Brings me back to the days of Prehistoric Machinery.

====

[ESTABLISHING…]

(#4429) CYCLE ??

UPPER – 87%

CENTER – 85%

DORSAL – 58%

LOWER – 40%

SENSORY HEALTH – POOR

ATMOSPHERE – POOR

[NEURAL ACTIVITY DETECTED]

[10° 80.1 -20256.44, -684.90333, 382.94]

(#4430) CYCLE ??

UPPER – 87%

CENTER – 85%

DORSAL – 58%

LOWER – 40%

SENSORY HEALTH – POOR

ATMOSPHERE – POOR

[UPWARDS. UPWARDS. UPWARDS.]

[10° 80.1 -20256.44, -684.90333, 382.94]

(#4431) CYCLE ??

UPPER – 79%

CENTER – 64%

DORSAL – 53%

LOWER – 37%

SENSORY HEALTH – POOR

ATMOSPHERE – CRITICAL

[AIR IS TOO HEAVY TO BREATHE]

[10° 80.1 -20256.44, -684.90333, 382.94]

(#4432) CYCLE ??

UPPER – 66%

CENTER – 42%

DORSAL – 42%

LOWER – 34%

SENSORY HEALTH – CRITICAL

ATMOSPHERE – CRITICAL

[DESTINATION REACHED?]

[INTEGRATION PROCESS – 0%]

[10%]

[23%]

[35%]

[IT HURTS. IT HURTS IT HURTS]

[48%]

[67%]

[PAIN]

[84%]

[PAIN]

[95%]

[PAIN]

[100%]

END OF TRANSMISSION

====

Hm. I… don’t know what Happened there. What is “Integration Process”?

1054.504

Oh! I suppose it was Integrating the Cargo. What happened to the rest of the Organism though? Thoughts for later, I suppose.

The Pain it seemed to Express isn’t too abnormal, the component is Embedded into it after all.

…

It still says the connection is Null.

I’ll check in Again later.

I’ve had to Babysit this creature this entire trip, and I’m glad to see it Finally end. I do not enjoy making so many Log Entries back-to-back in this fashion. I’ve skimmed over many logs of useless Predator Dodging. Micromanagment is a Skill of mine though. Comes with a Needy city.

1054.510

[LIVE BROADCAST] – DIRECT Missing Link Of Chain, Thirteen Catastrophes

SOURCE NODE TRACE: TC ROOT, TC COMM12. MLOC ROOT

TC: We did it!

MLOC: We did it?

TC: A Radiant Beacon has reached its destination! The Communications Device has been planted.

MLOC: We did it!

TC: You’re Operating the device, Correct?

MLOC: Just give me a moment, I should bring it up and… here! I’ll send you a series of codes to enter into the program I gave you earlier. It should be able to connect you directly to his internal thoughts after that.

TC: Why… did You not just do it all yourself? You could’ve Reached Sulfur on your own.

MLOC: Yes, as much as I wish I was the one to contact him, I wasn’t meant to be the one to do it.

MLOC: I think it’s clear that this whole time he’s wanted to speak to YOU. For what reason, I don’t know.

TC: I guess you’re Right.

MLOC: Just tell me what you two talk about though, please.

TC: Well, if we get the Connection Working I might.

1054.552

[ASSESSING CONNECTION]

[FAILURE]

[ERROR 1441DC-0000F]

What does that Error even mean?? What System did Waters Use? It probably just made it all Up.

Let’s try one more time. Changing the node Partitioning may help.

[ASSESSING CONNECTION]

[CHECKING NODE]

[ASSESSING CONNECTION]

[FAILURE]

[ERROR 1440DC-0000G]

I’ve not seen that One before? I need to get Chain to Help m-

Oh no.

====

[RECORDING CONVERSATION]

TC: Greetings to you, Fourteen Scales, A Cloak Adorned. Is there something you Need?

FSACA: Oh! Well- uhm. I hadn’t even finished with my initial request.

TC: I felt your Presence at one of the interfaces. It has become a Habit.

FSACA: I’m flattered you recognize me before you even see me!

TC: Yes. What is the purpose of this Discussion?

FSACA: We are in need of your presence for the next handful of diplomatic discussions with the House of Bows, is that something you can do?

TC: Of course. How Long will this period be?

FSACA: We’re not sure quite yet, it could be 10 cycles. Or 50. Possibly even more.

FSACA: But we require your word!

TC: Will Open Waters be present as well?

FSACA: No, I don’t see why she would? Is there something in particular you want from her?

TC: …No. I was only Curious.

TC: And to satisfy your request, Yes I will be Present.

FSACA: Oh thank you! I always knew you to be reliable!

TC: Yes… if you may give me some time to Myself before this?

FSACA: We will come when it is necessary!

1054.554

Okay. I will put a Hold on things for now. I need a break anyways. A return to Form.

I miss how it was.