Five Explosions [Voice] Now Hiring

[idmakeitaweek]

Some of you may know my name is Tony Stark. I previously and now most recently run City Solutions. I've started up a small division of Stark Industries within the City Solutions building. I'm currently working on various weaponry, curse specific if necessary as well as other projects

Comments

video;

[citadelspirit]

[An image of SHODAN's AI face, as seen in her userpic, appears over the screen. Her thought-voice is much more alien and machine-like than is her human tone.]

Recall, Tony, that I am still here. You've nothing for me to do -- and so I have developed quite a repertoire of my own technology, aside from the neural interface and mainframe that you saw. I work both in biology as well as hardware and software. What is it, that you plan to do?

Re: video;

[idmakeitaweek]

I do recall you're still here SHODAN and I'd love to have a chance to see some of the things you can do. I'm sure it could be an asset to us all.

As far as what I plan to do...I'm not certain yet. Hopefully something that will make the City a safer place during curses. Perhaps figure out what this place is and maybe a way to get out.

Re: video;

[citadelspirit]

Let me know, when you wish to see me. I tend to keep myself busy -- though quite often I am down at my workstation.

I wish to look for the latter as well. What have your efforts yielded, with regards to the City and the leaving of it?

Re: video;

[idmakeitaweek]

So far, not much. I want to use the suit to travel to the barrier and run some tests there. If it's energy I might be able to disrupt it.

I also want to get a look at the clock and carousal but I'd rather be more prepared for that as well.

Yours?

Re: video;

[citadelspirit]

I have heard that the barrier around the clock mechanism carries with it technology and skills from residents. Magic, psionics, various technologies -- and therefore I am trying to learn about the areas of which I know less.

Re: video;

[idmakeitaweek]

You don't think the clock is our means of escape then?

Re: video;

[citadelspirit]

From my investigations, I have reached the temporary conclusion that it is not possible to break through to the clock without a concerted City effort of current residents and a compilation of magical and technological techniques that may not exist here any longer, but were scavenged by the controllers here to guard their machines.

I do not think the clock is our means of escape. What it is...is a bargaining chip. I have seen and used devices in my world that are capable of reshaping reality itself; they lend enormous power to their wielders that strikingly resembles the power of the charlatan gods here. The clock is likely tied to whatever means they are using to control this place, and if we so much as perturb the clock, we have become as equals with them.

They are our means of escape. The clock is our means to them.

Re: video;

[idmakeitaweek]

Huh. As long as we can be assured they aren't trapped here as well. I hardly see how baby sitting a bunch of us would be a deities' choice of ways to spend eternity.

Re: video;

[citadelspirit]

...Given a recent conversation, it seems that they are not the top of the chain, here. They have a superior, or more than one. "Just doing our job," said Laszlo Jamf.

But someone here controls the strings. From what I see, no one has yet gained access to this higher tier of individuals. Our only mode of contact is with the underlings.

As for babysitting -- no, they wouldn't want to deal with us unless they gained something. More protection for the clock could be one result. Theories range widely, but a prominent one is that negative emotions fuel the clock and carousel.

Re: video;

[idmakeitaweek]

It's definitely worth check into and that it feeds off negative emotions makes sense. Though I wonder why they give us good curses at all. I suppose it makes the following negative emotions that much stronger.

Re: video;

[citadelspirit]

Of course. Learned helplessness. Beat an animal into submission, and it starts accepting its state, that it will never have a good life again, that this is how the world works. But cycle up and down, positive and negative -- it carries a sense of unpredictability on top of the loss that is just temporary enough to allow retention of hope.

They have a remarkably good strategy, psychologically, though I can't say that I enjoy it any more than the next resident.

Re: video;

[idmakeitaweek]

Yeah...they definitely know what they're doing.