CHAPTER 4
820.004
Right now, it is midnight. Not a single footstep can be heard within any of my house’s buildings. Complete Silence.
Though I know this is a momentous occasion. I must admit, this has been a messy project, I can only hope to eventually rectify this with not only my supervisors, but my cohorts as well. It is hard to communicate in times like these. I hope they may understand.
820.007
As I look over footage from its chamber, I’ve only just now realized how… little the puppet is. It is already odd observing a Completely still puppet, it’s even more odd to see one that would have to look up to speak to you, had it not had its umbilical arm.
Actually, the can as a whole makes me feel uneasy with every creak in the machinery. It was such a rushed endeavor… I can only hope it ends up successful. As far as I can tell, its neurons are functioning as intended, as it sits in stasis.
I’ve attempted to run over many Simulations of all the possibilities that can occur. It may be a waste of some of my resources, but I must assure myself that this is Required. What if the iterator never wakes up? What if it’s Belligerent, Disobedient. What if a critical error occurred, and it was far too late to fix it? Perhaps it is forever restrained and unable to communicate. I have heard many stories of terrible things happening to experimental or unorthodox iterators.
I place trust in them.
820.040
I am finally allowed to view the Inception! Exciting! I am not allowed to speak to it yet, they still have to go through Standard Checks. There’re so many overseers gathered, some from the other’s cans! Unending Canvas, Intermediate Storm is standing in front of the puppet sitting on the floor, typing away at his Devices. I can’t see what he’s doing very well though.
I really Can’t get over how he Towers over that puppet… What was the Design Process behind it even? I guess because the can is small Means the puppet should be too?
Whatever, I must focus on this! Taking note of how it behaves will assist me in helping it.
820.155
It’s not my job to Test new iterators, nor am I Typically allowed access to inception logs. This is an Exception. I am grateful to my Creators to have the privilege to view these.
INCEPTION
[1]
: Hello.
[The Iterator did not respond.]
: A Reply would be Kind.
OW: Hello
: Do you know what you are?
[There is a long pause.]
OW: Am I an Iterator ?
: You would be Correct, yes. You are an Iterator.
: Do you know your purpose?
OW: Tell me
: You are to answer the question.
OW: I-I don’t know
[The Iterator is getting increasingly nervous. A gentler approach will be needed next time.]
: As an Iterator, it is your purpose to Solve The Great Problem. You will figure out the rest as we go.
: Understood?
OW: What is my name ?
: Your name is Open Waters. Do you Understand your Purpose now?
OW: Yes
: Then we may Conclude this Session. You are Free to ask your Supervisors any questions.
: We wish to Help You as much as you will help us.
[2]
OW: Supervisor, I have a question
: Yes?
OW: Am I expected to manage this city ?
: Affirmative.
OW: On my own ?
: There are Nuances. You need not Worry About it.
OW: Okay…
[3]
: Hello again.
OW: Hi
: We request your Current Status.
OW: Status on what ?
: How are you doing?
[The Iterator does not respond]
: I see.
: Another iterator will Assist you soon.
OW: Understood .
[Addendum]
: Open Waters seems Unaware of itself and Overwhelmed. It will frequently Ignore Questions. Its processing capabilities remain the same. This behavior will not be Tolerated In The Future, however.
A great deal of patience will be Needed.
820.160
I’m still thinking over how I should approach Open Waters. I likely Shouldn’t worry. It’s good that it was Responsive to begin with.
It seems that all it needs is a Helping Hand. A hand I can Provide.
Soon it will have access to its broadcast systems, I should keep an eye on the group again.
820.165
[LIVE BROADCAST] - LOCAL GROUP [LIGHTONTAINTEDGLASS] LightOnTaintedGlass
COM: is-is anybody elllse in need of s-s-some spare neural packages?
COM: …overabundance
NPM: Huh? How does that happen
COM: production~
NPM: Memory crypt stuff?
COM: ha-ha, nnope
NPM: OH WAIT IT WAS THE-
TC: Hello.
COM: hi-i cata…ophes!
COM: how how did it g-go?
TC: It went well, expect to start seeing a New iterator in the group.
OOQT: Are you not going to acknowledge anything that happened related to this iterator earlier?
OOQT: Just a few cycles ago there was a fair bit of censorship about it.
TC: I have very Little control over w-
OOQT: Don’t lie to me. Sniveling coward…
COM: s-stop! it-it’s not-t the time to fight…
COM: lets be sure to wel-welcome our new new groupmate first, at l-least!
NPM: I kind of miss when the broadcast system was dead for a few cycles now…
NPM: Also Membrane give me your spare neural matter I want it
====
How Welcoming
820.548
My first Conversation with Open Waters… goes As Follows:
[RECORDED BROADCAST: 820.300] - PRIVATE Open Waters, Thirteen Catastrophes
TC: Hello.
TC: I’m sure this is your First Broadcast. Feel Free to take your time experimenting with your Broadcast Systems, whatever you need to make you feel comfortable.
TC: I’m Thirteen Catas-
OW: Where’s your can ?
TC: That’s Not-
OW: I want to check something, what are your coordinates ?
TC: …I-
OW: Oh nevermind
OW: I think that’s you… I have the map pulled up
TC: May I Continue?
OW:
TC: As I was Saying, I’m Thirteen Catastrophes. I’ll be the one to check up on you until your Supervisors believe you can manage On Your Own.
TC: If you have Questions, you can go to your Supervisors, and THEN go to Me to Answer if they Fail To.
TC: I believe that’s All…
OW: Your can is larger .
TC: …It is. Yes. Did they not Tell You?
OW: No . Why am I different ?
TC: I’m not the One to tell you that.
OW: Ok then
OW: Bye
TC: Goodbye.
825.338
My first Check In.
[RECORDED BROADCAST: 825.300] - PRIVATE Open Waters, Thirteen Catastrophes
TC: Hello again. Checking in.
TC: How have you been Settling In?
====
I didn’t get a response.
[RECORDED BROADCAST: 825.320] - PRIVATE Open Waters, Thirteen Catastrophes
TC: Open Waters?
OW: Oh I didn’t realize that was you
TC: It tells you who’s sending the Private Broadcast…
OW: I’m just getting a lot of messages right now .
TC: From Who?
OW: I didn’t check, I’ve ignored all of them
TC: You probably Shouldn’t do that.
TC: Can you send me your Incoming Requests?
OW: I don’t want to do that
TC: Why Not?
OW: What do you need it for ?
TC: Because I Want to help you?
OW: I’ll answer them on my own time . It’s fine .
OW: Bye
====
I don’t really care what they do, so long as it isn’t anything Ridiculous or Stupid. I can’t make it my business right now, I have Better things to attend to. My only Task is to make sure that:
One, Open Waters is ok.
Two, Open Waters knows what they're doing
Beyond that… I Don’t Know.
It seems to be doing well. I really don’t Know.
828.355
[LIVE BROADCAST] - PRIVATE Open Waters, Thirteen Catastrophes
OW: Hey
OW: Hey
OW: Hi
TC: What is it? Do you have something you Want to Ask?
TC: You do not need to Spam Me. I always answer when I can.
OW: Okay so I don’t want you to think that I snitched on you or anything . I have no personal part in this
TC: What are yo-
OW: But, uh, I heard through my city’s overseer network that 1st Community, House of Bows had to address something, and they mentioned your name ?
OW: I wasn’t really listening . But they sounded very serious and I just feel as if you should know
TC: I appreciate your Concern, but I don’t understand Why you need to give me any warning. It wouldn’t matter if I’m Warned about a meeting or not.
OW: Sorry I guess .
TC: Well can you tell me anything else you heard?
OW: No . Ha ha
OW: Like I said, I was not listening
828.701
I don’t know what it was talking about in our previous conversation?
I’m just-
Should I be worried?
Aside from that… I may not be able to handle this Task on my own. I’m not sure how to approach Waters, or even what it thinks of its own Situation. I should go to Cage of Membrane, she might be able to help.
As well as that, I’ve been quite distant from my Group Lately. More than usual, at least. There’s so much work left for me to do though… I’ll get in deep trouble if I am in any way Distracted.
829.455
[INCOMING REQUEST] - PRIVATE Sixteenth Boundary Collapse, Thirteen Catastrophes
SBC: Catastrophes please it doesn’t have to be the way that it is.
SBC: I don’t want you to get hurt.
SBC: Please listen.
====
Not this again.
Boundary was given autonomy again about 9 cycles ago… sometimes I regret that decision. I don’t know what they’re so concerned about. They have their own problems to worry about. The war is over now. Why can’t they just leave me alone?
I don’t want to just block them though, I have to keep everyone within contact, no matter who.
830.009
[RECORDED BROADCAST: 830.009] - PRIVATE Open Waters, Thirteen Catastrophes
TC: Hello again.
OW: How often will you do this
TC: Every few cycles, until my Creators give me Orders to Cease.
TC: Did you answer those messages?
OW: No . I didn’t really want to talk to them
TC: What, Why??
OW: Are they from my “Local Group” ? I’m not required to respond anyways . So why should I ?
TC: Tell me who sent the messages.
OW: “Horizon of Sulfur”
OW: “Missing Link of Chain”
OW: “Nine Purple Mountains”
OW: Who are these iterators ?
TC: I would Not recommend ignoring Horizon of Sulfur. Respond Immediately.
OW: Like now ?
TC: Now.
TC: Stop Messing around, and be an Iterator.
OW: sure .
====
No no no no- I hope that those were recent messages. Sulfur… He’s… I don’t know how I feel about him. That’s not the point. I need Waters to stay out of his way.
831.844
[RECORDING LOG]
TC: Splintered Light, Five Rusted Bolts, What is this Meeting’s purpose?
SLFRB: We must discuss your current Performance.
TC: I see. That’s Fine with me.
SLFRB: Open Waters appears to not be making any Progress in terms of Adjusting (It is Antisocial and Unable to maintain a City). We are currently Discussing Plans to investigate any System or Equipment failures.
SLFRB: You have so far Failed to serve your Role in assisting it. You are one of our most diligent (and Loyal) Iterators. It is Incredibly Disappointing for you to falter in such a way.
SLFRB: We Trust you to Do Better.
TC: I Apologize. I do not have experience in mentoring though. There’s only so much I am capable of Achieving-
SLFRB: This is not the time for Excuses, Catastrophes.
TC: I understand. I will do better.
832.105
[RECORDED LOG]
TC: Question:
TC: Am I the only iterator Counseling Open Waters? If So, why do I have so little information on it?
TC: If possible, I’d like to Please ask for Open Water’s Broadcast Logs. It’s necessary for my Work.
====
SLFRB: Yes, you are the only one Assigned to this Task, as you are the Closest to it.
SLFRB: Be patient. Open Waters has only been conscious for a handful of cycles. We Promise you will receive your Desired information when we (both Our Council and House of Bows) are able to cohesively Document it.
TC: You don’t have… Anything?
SLFRB: Patience! Patience.
SLFRB: It is assured that this will be an Easy task With or Without any of that.
====
Nothing.
834.380
[LIVE BROADCAST] - PRIVATE Cage of Membrane, Thirteen Catastrophes
TC: I need your help. Badly.
COM: oh! hi c-catastrophes
COM: its been a-a while
TC: How many cycles has it been since we Last spoke?
COM: hmm… i think around 40
TC: …
TC: Yeah.
COM: is something w-wrong?
TC: I’m not sure if word got out or not, but I’ve been appointed as Open Waters’ “Overseer”. It is part of my Job to look over and guide it, and I do not know how to do that.
COM: oh yes… chain told me. she mentioned how t-the little one would not respond to her messages. do you know why that is, actually?
TC: Somewhat. It said it just didn’t want to talk to any of you.
TC: I am bound by duty to Help it. Yet it’s adamant. It’ll speak to me, of course, but I’m afraid that it will soon start Disobeying.
COM: well, i have n-no idea what you’re d-doing exactly. but knowing you as you are, perhaps you’re not approaching it-t right
COM: being m-more casual would ease it up-p-p
TC: Sure, but I still have to assert my Authority.
COM: thats…
TC: Well, when I put it bluntly like that it sounds a lot worse-
TC: I don’t want to be overwhelmingly Authoritative of course. But it still needs to know that it should Answer to me.
COM: how much power d-do you really have? y-you don’t cont-trol it
COM: open-n waters is st-still your peer
TC: Hmmm.
TC: You should try to message it sometime soon, actually.
COM: ah, later! i’d like to give it some space~
[PLACEHOLDER]
835.006
Perhaps I too should give it a bit more space. Though, I’m not Confident in how well it’ll fare on its own.
[PLACEHOLDER]
838.439
[RECORDED LOG]
TC: How is Open Waters’ Performance?
TC: Last time you had Mentioned possible issues too…
SLFRB: By Council Decision it was voted that an Investigation would be Unnecessary and a waste of their time.
SLFRB: Personally I would have Never done such a thing Myself, although Other Houses tend to treat their Iterators Differently. Unless it shows that something Must be done (Extreme Action), I am Uncertain that the House of Bows will Act Upon anything.
TC: Yes, but its Performance?
SLFRB: I am not the one to Ask. Open Waters is Your responsibility, not ours.
SLFRB: We only Receive the reports.