CHAPTER 5
863.190
[LIVE BROADCAST] - LOCAL GROUP [LIGHTONTAINTEDGLASS] LightOnTaintedGlass
NPM: Hey, does anybody know what else you can do with spare iterator neurons?
NPM: I… can’t repurpose these for myself sadly
TC: The Neural Matter you got from Cage of Membrane, Correct?
NPM: …Yeah?
TC: Hm. Elaborate.
NPM: Well…
OOQT: I think you should tell Membrane personally about it.
COM: no need, i-i think everyone should-d know if something has g-gone wrong
NPM: The growth of the neurons is… wrong. Some time in the right conditions and it begins to grow erratically. I almost thought I got the rot!
NPM: It’s unsafe to use for myself! The genetic information of these neurons are damaged in some way
NPM: Also, aren’t these the neurons made for O-
TC: Yes.
COM: oh. oh no. did i-i mess those up? im really s-sorry
COM: it might be best to g-get rid of it
MLOC: Nono it’s okay!
MLOC: You still can do stuff with it. A lot of it is malicious and I do not believe I should say, though I don’t believe any of you to be in the position where you would need to make such bioweapons.
MLOC: Not anymore, at least.
TC: …
MLOC: Someone needs to tell Open Waters about this issue, if it’s not already experiencing issues over it.
NPM: I’ll do it
OOQT: Is this the first time anybody other than Catastrophes is speaking to them?
863.191
I can’t keep putting it off!
I need to know what Nine Purple Mountains said to it! Was that Neural Matter actually for it? They could’ve been totally unrelated! Membrane hardly remembers anything, memory wipe or not. That data doesn’t belong to her.
====
Should I have Interfered? Can I even ask? Should I ask?
It might still be stored in its Communication Manifest.
Why else would they give me the encryption key if I am not intended to use it for its purpose…?
863.208
[RECORDED BROADCAST: 863.190] - PRIVATE Nine Purple Mountains, Open Waters
NPM: I need to tell you something important!
OW: Oh, what ?
OW: Why are you telling me directly ?
NPM: It’s related to you!
NPM: Alright so I might have some neurons with the same genetic information as you-
OW: Why do you have those ?
NPM: Haha long story
NPM: I promise I didn’t steal anything from you, I could send these back if you really want
OW: Oh I have enough thanks . I was just curious . What were you trying to tell me ?
NPM: Okay ok ok. So these neurons have crazy abnormal growth.
NPM: Like, disease levels of growth. And sitting it’s all gross and lumpy in my Labs. It looks… wet and squishy. Euuughh
NPM: Maybe I got the bad batch?
OW: Oh .
OW: Wait, that's not normal ?
NPM: WHAT?! How bad is it? Does nobody check your can?
NPM: I suppose if you’re fine with it then there’s no issue?
OW: Yeah, no issues here
OW: I don’t really want to talk to my supervisor that much
NPM: Why not?
OW: I’m not ready to have that conversation with them . Maybe on my own time .
NPM: Oh I feel that… I won’t tell…
NPM: …Not until I figure out the truth! What if it was sabotage??
OW: Sabotage ?!
====
Of course NPM would let something like This go. Maybe it is being Supervised correctly, and they had simply deemed it not an issue. Supervisors aren’t allowed to hide that sort of information, though. Are they? I’m more than sure they’d know by now.
Besides, it said that it wasn’t ready yet.
It doesn’t know what could happen though! It is my duty to my creators to be sure that everyone is safe and-
Hold on. The Overseers I had sent have communicated with Another Overseer within the Arrays. I may have gotten Caught already. Uh oh.
That One is… orange. Can Horizon of Sulfur still send those? Please PLEASE let this just be Timing In A Splay or… whoever else is outside the Group…
863.290
It seems nothing has come of that Overseer Encounter, I believe I’m Safe for now. I’m not sure why I’m worried to begin with, I WAS given This Power, after all.
Extracting the transmitted data from the Overseer (It was strangely difficult, but still didn’t take too long), I have some… Interesting things.
This Overseer has much footage of OW’s can. Perhaps it was forced to be sent out? Hm. I don’t really have a Theory yet. Along with the Footage is some sort of Encrypted data file? I am not too Sure what this is. I’ll put it on the backburner for now. It could possibly be just Erroneous Data, but I can never be too sure.
As for the Footage… it isn’t too obvious, though I can start seeing odd growths on some of the strata. The swarmers and inspectors shown in the footage seem to be healthy though.
Was that Overseer Intended to share this with me?
863.344
[LIVE BROADCAST] - PRIVATE Horizon of Sulfur, Thirteen Catastrophes
HOS: YOU HAVE THE-THE-THE
HOS: THE
HOS: [[INVALID REQUEST]]
TC: The Overseer?
HOS: -THE
HOS: yes
HOS: PLEASE. return.
TC: Uh, I Apologize. I cannot do that. I do not control Your Overseers.
HOS: NO
HOS: Don’t… of the-
HOS: [[INVALID REQUEST]]
HOS: [[INVALID
TC: Of what?
TC: Hello?
TC: You’re acting Weirder than usual. Is everything ok?
TC: No Response…
863.809
[LIVE BROADCAST] - PRIVATE Missing Link of Chain, Thirteen Catastrophes
MLOC: I don’t usually contact you, but you’re the closest to Open Waters that I know of.
MLOC: I have some questions.
TC: Sure. I’ll answer what I can
TC: Also you changed your name?
MLOC: Yes, but that’s not the point.
MLOC: I’m just asking for full honesty from you. I know I’ve been hostile in the past, but this is for the sake of proper documentation. This is business.
MLOC: Is Open Waters diseased or not?
TC: What? No. Did NPM say anything?
MLOC: You are my last hope on this, nobody else I have spoken to will tell me directly yes or no. Catastrophes, it’s the only favor I ask from you.
TC: This is going into your Private Archives, yes?
MLOC: Just ANYTHING to get my hands on that information, please!
TC: Yes, well, I would not call it “Disease”. It has small Neural “Overgrowths”. No, it does not seem to Care. No, this was never Mentioned to me or anyone else. I doubt its Supervisors know right now, either, and they do not plan on investigating.
TC: I… wouldn’t keep Talking about it behind its back though. I feel bad about it. This isn’t something it can control.
MLOC: You answered the questions I was about to ask, oh wow.
MLOC: Thank you for being honest for once.
TC: You don’t need to be snarky about it…
863.900
I’ve been contacted more than I’d like this Cycle.
My citizens have been oddly quiet, too. There are a lot of things I need to think about. And why did NPM not say Anything, Despite KNOWING about the problem OW was beginning to have. And wouldn't everyone just Assume that was the Case, Anyhow??
Perhaps I’m simply Getting a poor Perspective on things? I have not been Checking any of the local chats as of late.
I need to speak to a face that’s not attached to an umbilical arm for once in a while.
864.495
[LIVE BROADCAST] - PRIVATE Cage of Membrane, Thirteen Catastrophes
TC: What happened to the Neural Matter you’d sent to NPM?
COM: i-i was trying to not-t think about it t-t-too much
TC: I think it’s Important to at least mention it.
COM: i made a t-terrible mistake, and i c-cant even remember what i did!
TC: It’s not really your fault though, whether or not you Remembered. You’d never do something like this on Purpose.
COM: but… i still d-did it
COM: why d-did i even make t-those again? i just… cant-t recall!
COM: h-how is anybody going to trust-t me to do anything if this k-keeps… happening
TC: Look, we can try and Fix this the best we can. I’m sure the Mistake you made wasn’t even so bad.
TC: Have you spoken to Chain yet?
865.339
[RECORDED BROADCAST: 865.339] - PRIVATE Oblivion on Quartz Towers, Thirteen Catastrophes
OOQT: You’re not sneaky.
TC: Tell me. What do you Suspect of me?
OOQT: Intercepting! You rat!
TC: And when Missing Link of Chain does it you just let her? I was Assigned to this role!
OOQT: Oh were you now?
OOQT: Did your supervisors go inside your chamber like “Catastrophes! Go Invade this Other Iterator’s Privacy? Why? Because you’re our most Special-est Little Boy ever and we let you do everything!”
OOQT: At least Chain does it with some tact.
TC: You’re just saying that because You Hate me!
OOQT: And what about it?
TC: Take your Pettiness and go bother someone else with it. I don’t have the time or patience for your Immature Mockery of Our Creators!
OOQT: Immature? Immature??
OOQT: Fine then. I’ll leave.
====
Who cares? Who Cares if I’ve Intercepted Open Waters? I know others do it too. I just can’t say anything about it because anytime I do, I’m the one that’s making a big deal out of it, Apparently!
Quartz Towers should mind her own business. At least Chain threatens me over Important things.
Ugh. But if Waters is told that I’m being nosy, then that might make this whole situation worse.
I was a bit too reckless here.
865.340
[Pearl - Ivory]
“I must notify the Community atop Open Waters’ settlements that there is an Issue to Be Addressed at once, lest it manifest any worse unchecked.
Within its can, red tumor-like neural overgrowths have appeared, most especially in the upper-western quarter of the can.
As of now, it is completely Benign. Though for Reference, next time please keep an eye on it. As I know it, Open Waters is not My Responsibility in these matters, I am simply here to help it Accommodate.
- With All Regards, Thirteen Catastrophes”
====
I believe that this Pearl should Suffice. We’re not looking for Perfection here.
I won’t send a Broadcast, as there’s a better chance of it being Read via Pearl. Well, that and I can’t risk sending this across the Public Broadcast Systems.
Perhaps I should have asked their Names first… No Time For That! Off it Goes!
865.450
I have Received the Pearl back, Presumably with a response.
====
[Pearl - Ivory]
[My previous message was not written over. Odd.]
“It is with much Gratitude We (House of Bows) acknowledge Your Warnings and Concerns.
I, Unending Canvas, Intermediate Storm, Head Supervisor of Open Waters, Previous High Council Member of The House of Bells, say with Due certainty that your words will not be Wasted Here. I will Discuss this with Our Iterator of Concern, as She too must be made Aware as well, Effective Immediately.
Your Warnings and Concerns will be Credited.”
====
She?
Well, I’m not sure what to do with this Pearl now. I suppose I’ll Keep it. It would work as a Nice Place to store my Future conversations with Unending Canvas in conjunction.
866.100
[LIVE BROADCAST] - PRIVATE Open Waters, Thirteen Catastrophes
OW: You told him ?
OW: How did you know ? Have you been spying on me ??
TC: Told Him what?
OW: The overgrowths… ?
TC: I-I don’t know what You’re talking about.
TC: I just noticed Your Supervisor wasn’t Supervising you. So I Informed him.
OW: But he directly said to ME that you told him that exact thing
TC: It was just a Misinterpretation, don’t Worry about it.
OW: …I guess!
871.002
[Pearl - Ivory]
“What are your Goals with Waters? Once SBC’s citizens have settled in, then what? She would need something to Achieve.”
“Yes, Yes. Open Waters was not built initially with the goal of solving the Big Problem in Mind, against our better judgment. Brilliance Struck, though! A smaller can does not Entail less Processing Strata! She will perform Equally to her Esteemed Peers, with the Same Goals no less.”
872.344
[LIVE BROADCAST] LOCAL GROUP [LIGHTONTAINTEDGLASS] LightOnTaintedGlass
NPM: I had those neurons from Open Waters confiscated. I only NOW find out I’m not supposed to have those?
TC: You should have Asked your Supervisors if you were Allowed to have those to begin with.
NPM: They just didn’t want me to find out it was SABOTAGE! I know what you’re hiding, Catastrophe!
TC: Why would we Sabotage Open Waters?!
NPM: “We” SO YOU ARE INVOLVED?
NPM: Of course you are, why am I even mentioning it!
TC: What?! You’re being Ridiculous.
NPM: Then what could it be?? What’s the reasoning behind the genetic deformities??
TC: I don’t know but I do not see Why-
NPM: No, no why would I trust what you say?
TC: Sure. Don’t listen to me. That’s fine too.