four. video.

[crypdick]

[ The Outsider is in Jeopardy, on a roof near the church of the ancient web mistress. He has a jar in his hand with two spiders in it, which draws his black-eyed gaze more than the camera.]

Look at you all, scrambling for answers. Some of you even have the answers already, don't you?

You're in the thick of a storm, a ship-killer. Will you sink? What will you do to keep afloat? Will you throw a pair overboard to appease the seas? Or will you go down with the ship, standing tall until the water takes you?

[ He looks away from the jar to look at the camera.]

For those of you who are willing to take action yourselves, the best you can, what do you need to succeed?

Comments

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[the_caped_crusader]

You.

video; private

[crypdick]

Do you?

I wonder. Do you need me, or do you need people?

[the_caped_crusader]

You're clever.

[ he smiles a little. ]

I like that. If you've come that far, then you already know my answer.

[crypdick]

So you're manning a ship. Are you anywhere close to a full crew?

[the_caped_crusader]

As long as we're talking in metaphors here, consider this a ship sinker. It's all hands on deck for this one.

[crypdick]

Why be picky when the stakes are so high?

[the_caped_crusader]

Normally I would be, but I suspect you probably know that. I don't know anything about you, but we have neither the time or resources for scrutiny right now. There's less than a week until all of this happens.

[adamantlyardent]

Why are you like this? I’m asking in earnest.

[crypdick]

"Like this"?

[adamantlyardent]

Yes. Like this: Looming on high as you are, prattling off in metaphor, positing questions as if you’re merely sat down at a book club, speculating on the next chapter.
Has it occurred to you that you’re as much a character in this novel as any?

[crypdick]

My last chapter had already been drafted, the end so close I could taste it. But here I am, my future still being written.

Perhaps if there are enough who choose to act, it will continue.

[adamantlyardent]

Yes, far be it from you to lift your own pen.

voice;

[photophobic]

[Could Kylo sound more any more bored and unimpressed? We Just Don't Know. But he is still responding...]

How could we fail with pointless, unsolicited commentary on our side?

voice;

[crypdick]

Has there ever been questions posed in this network that were solicited?

[photophobic]

Transparently rhetorical questions too. Fortunate. That someone has been stockpiling all these essential resources.

[crypdick]

But of course, there must not be something I want. To give them out so freely, how could I want something in return?

[photophobic]

I know what you want.

[crypdick]

Oh, of course you do. You alone can peer into the heart of the Outsider.

[photophobic]

I don't have to. It's in your name.

audio;

[dragony]

Bit more than a ship-killer, but I don't suppose the drowned care much if the ocean dies with them.

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[crypdick]

I suppose there is very little that compares to an apocalypse.

[dragony]

Little that I've found, at least.

What would you be willing to offer, to preserve the world you're bound to?

UN; Lyra. Text

[by_candlelight]

Personally I'm hoping people stay pragmatic about this. Sacrifices suck, but when you're dealing with the end of a universe in comparison to two lives? The answer is obvious unless you put ideals before reality. Assuming your goal is to save as many people as possible.

[crypdick]

Pragmatic. So many things have been done for pragmatic reasons. But then, it is the end of a world.

Would you sacrifice yourself?

[by_candlelight]

Pragmatism, like all things, can be abused, yes. This being the end of the world makes it a little more needed than usual.

Absolutely. I may not like the idea of sacrificing myself, but I'm not going to put my feelings above the survival of an entire planet.

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[forcelight]

And what will you do? Talk at Atropos?

You speak as if you're not involved with any of this. With us, with living here.

[crypdick]

[ He raises an eyebrow. ]

Who knows, maybe Atropos is someone who is actually worth talking to.

[forcelight]

[ She clenches her jaw. Yes, she's learned that sometimes there's more to people than meet the eye. But they're talking a higher power that wants to destroy everything. ] Or maybe she can't be reasoned with at all. We don't know, and I don't think we should waste time trying to figure that out when the entire planet is at stake.

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[bifroster]

[Jane considers this long, hard, and literally.]

Some more data would be great. We know when this is going to take place, likely where, but we don't have many details of how to stop it. Not that we're not working on that front already. But ... my question is this: are you going to help us in some other way than make us pause and consider our actions? Because that was a really good question.