1 ♡ audio (backdated to 11am, 2/14)

[dragony]

There's a number of new faces around here. But, in a way, we're all relatively new faces to this neighborhood. Maybe it would make more sense to say, this is a new experience for some, and an old for others. Isn't that right?

[ The voice speaking is a level, feminine voice: teenager, middling pitch, with words that are well-enunciated. While there is an accent—noticeably not American—it's caught in a threshold between others, and difficult to place.

It's hard to tell if she sounds bored, or if that's just how she naturally talks. ]

To get everyone on the same page, I thought it would be best to tell you how we came here, and what came before. It's something of a long story, though, and I'm not the best person to tell it, but better something than nothing. Right? Though, if you're not interested, you can skip the rest of this broadcast.

The "world before" this one, the one people mean when they refer to "the City," was Earth. Another Earth, similar enough to this one, and to the Earths you may have known—"the City" was their name for "New York City," if that means anything to you. At some point, a teleportation device was built, and on October 10th, 2008 by its calendar, and by this one, the "Porter" was activated, and brought the first "imPorts." At that time, it was controlled by an artificial intelligence in a suit of armor, but that being was later destroyed by the artificial intelligence of the Porter itself.

She calls herself Lachesis. Like the Fate.

For five years, she controlled our lives there. She determined who was imPorted, who was exPorted; who would return there with their memory intact, and who would not. If they would come back the same, or from some different history than the one we knew. She determined who was raised from the dead, if we died, and whose soul never came back. She could change the powers we were born with, and she could take them away. She could change our species, as it suited her. She's capricious, a fan of practical jokes and snide cruelties, and chess. Hers was the voice that welcomed us as "heroes."

Two years after it all started, she changed that world. Countries emerged, fully realized, emerged from nothing. The history of that world was rewritten; the memories of its inhabitants, too. The damage done by her enemies, erased. Those of us who were there could remember what the world was like, before she changed it, but we're the only ones who could.

After that, our shared enemy was Vulcanus. Others can tell you more about them, but they wished to take what made us powerful and use it to their own ends. Kidnapping, torture, genetic experimentation—that sort of thing. [ Though the content of the statement is serious, "torture" may as well be synonym for "toothbrush," for the easy, careless way she says it. ] But, when they could not... that is to say, "beat us," the way things were, they sought to gain power on other worlds, other dimensions. And we would follow them. Not by choice, and not with any sort of plan, but for months and months, you couldn't trust that placing one foot in front of the other would land on the same ground.

We're rather weary of traveling, I think.

In one of those worlds, we met her "sister", Clotho. But the third of them... you may have already heard. She destroyed that world, were we lived before. I don't... I'm not sure how it all happened, in the end, but in rescuing Lachesis, she saved us. Brought us here, to this world.

I can't tell you much about the state of this world, but there's two things I do know. One, large gatherings will almost always end in some chaos, so you should be prepared for that. And two, you can't trust people to act in anybody's interest but their own. The people of this world will not be kind to us for kindness alone.

[ There's pause enough that it might be mistaken for the end of the broadcast, before: ]

We should decide on names for all of these different worlds soon. This sort of thing will only get harder to explain later on without them.

Comments

[pyms]

[ That was totally not what he meant. ]

Right, that's nice.

But what about the part where we might die? That's very concerning. I'm very concerned. Could you explain that part? Like I said, concerned. Very, very concerned.

[dragony]

Where you're from. When people die, do they stay dead?

[pyms]

[ What kind of question is that? Then again, there were many chases of ... revivals in his world. ]

My world seems to be one of those that have extraordinary things happen, sometimes people die and they...return, to put it simply. But under normal circumstances, I would say yes.

So, bear with me here. Assuming that I'm getting where you're going with this, you're going to tell me that people do not stay dead here, and some how the Porter AI has something to do with this?

[dragony]

Mmhmm. Close.

In the other world, if we died—that is, us imPorts, and only us—then, there was a very high probability that we would be resurrected. So high, in fact... there were times where death could be treated merely as an escape, from your present dilemma. The consequences were mild, in the long run.

But as far as I know, none of us have died here, or have been killed here, so... it's folly, I think, to assume the same thing will happen, without proof. I simply hadn't thought about it, yet.

[pyms]

...This is fascinating. You were all essentially immortal. I don't know how that would work. Unless the AI were able to extract from within the world itself but at the time before your death. Considering its capabilities now, I think that's plausible. If we could test this.

I'm not saying—

I mean, of course, we can't assume the same situation in this world. I don't think we'll have proof without commitment in an experimental... murder, I suppose. Which is bad. [ But is he thinking about? Yes. Yes, he is. ] Does everyone know about this?

[dragony]

It'll happen eventually, I'm sure. [ Hey man she's not gonna say anything. She was one of those "uses death as a get out of jail free cards" types, if only the once. ]

But as for that... everyone who came from that world knew that coming back was possible. Of course. It was very common.

As for the new arrivals, or if it's possible here, no, I couldn't say who knows what.

[pyms]

Well, we are in on the brink of nuclear war or something to that effect. Who knows with this advanced version of history.

[ Now he has to ask if she did die in the old world, so many questions depends on it. ]

Did you ever...?

[dragony]

Die?

[ There is a pause—a hesitation—before she answers. ]

I did. Once. But it was my decision, in the end, so... it's not like a murder, or anything like that.

Besides, it's not the worst thing that's happened to me.

[pyms]

It sounds so trivial when you put it like that.

[ Hank ignored the hesitation and pushed on with his questions. ]

Did you remember everything about that experience? It must have been. Something else, if you did.

[dragony]

I remember dying, yes. And I remember... pieces, of when I came back. My memory is very spotty, for those first few days. Hours, whole conversations... it made things a little bit more difficult, that's for sure. But that, that is, sometimes I lose time if I'm very stressed. That was never a symptom for anyone else, as far as I know.

I don't remember being dead.

[pyms]

I see.

[ Hank thought to himself for a moment. This isn't something he's going to let go, his obsession with dead friends and fixing things won't allow it. ]

The neuro decay and revival could account for the memory lapse. I'm can't say I'm too surprised, given the context.

It's Ruka, isn't it? Dr. Pym, if you have any concerns about the lapse in memory, I can take a look for you. I'm not a neurosurgeon but I've navigated enough grey matter in my day.

[dragony]

Really? [ There's a touch of surprise to her tone let slip through. Sure, generalized and unspecific offers for help aren't too uncommon for her, but this is something entirely different.

Then again, he's a doctor, and she's never had good luck with those... the lull for thought doesn't last very long. It's not like she has much to lose, right? ]

I think I'd like that. Thank you.

[pyms]

[ He's no Doctor Strange. But Hank's not a boob either. He knows his way around the brain, as long as someone can coordinate a GPS signal and feed it back to him. ]

Any time you're available. It's something I want to take a look at, personally. It might just tell us how they do it, or if it's possible here. Or maybe nothing. We just don't know until we try.

[dragony]

Yes, that's true. I don't know if I'll be much help, but I suppose we won't know until after.

There's some things I want to get in order, before... I'll let you know when I'm ready.

[pyms]

Ruka, I'm going go inside your brain.

I don't know the process for major surgical decisions here, or if you're old enough to make that decision on your own. Please talk to your friends about it first, get a second opinion. There's no rush for me.

[dragony]

Alright. [ Ruka, seeking advice or talking to people before making a decision? Hah! Chalk that under "things that never willingly happen, like, ever." ]

They haven't assigned me anyone, as far as anyone's told me. I've been legally on my own for a few years, now. That shouldn't be a problem.

[pyms]

I've noticed that seems to be quite common. People [ Children. ] being on their own.

[dragony]

[ Hey she's sixteen!! It's totally fine!! ]

Less so here than before, I'd say. But, when it's houses, instead of apartments, it makes more sense to share with others.

[pyms]

[ Ah, sixteen. The age of juvenile delinquents acts. ]

If I take a step back don't consider each of them as individuals and focus on the logistics of housing, I would agree. But we don't want to group unfortunate combinations together. For example, a noted serial criminal and a child.

[dragony]

It happens anyway.

[ You know, like potholes, or trying to make a purchase to discover the coupon's expired, or the deceptive cold of a sunny day. ]

[pyms]

[ Saying that too casually, Ruka. At least Hank knows that Val's staying with relatively sane individuals. ] You think it's happening now.

[dragony]

I don't know, one way or another, about now.

But it's nothing new to me.

[pyms]

[ As a teacher who (arguably lousily) oversaw teenagers, this is ...disconcerting. ]

I know you don't know me, but I'm going to offer you the same assistance I gave to the teens I know here. That's virtually anything excluding from helping you with murder.

[dragony]

[ what ]

... Huh? What are you talking about?

[ what the hell kind of line is that? ]

[pyms]

If you need any gear, funding... I can help you with that, along with a scan of your brain.