lastvoyages IC Inbox

[neverjoinyou]

Leave a message. I will hear you.

Comments

[tetractys]

CAN YOUUUU WAIT A COUPLE MORE DAYS?

[neverjoinyou]

What if someone creates something that hurts them? I don't mean physically. What if, say, they're terrified of clams, and they think about clams, and now they're in a panic?

[tetractys]

KIND OF THEIR FAULT FOR BEING AFRAID OF CLAMS! HAHAHA!

UH, EH, OKAY. SERIOUS. I CAN'T FIX THAT PART, BUT THEY CAN IMAGINE SOMETHING THAT PROTECT THEM FROM CLAMS! OR SOMETHING THAT DESTROYS CLAMS! OR THAT THE CLAMS ARE FRIENDLY! THERE'S A LOT OF POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS BUILT IN!

[neverjoinyou]

Okay, even if I grant you that, they still need to know what's going on in order to implement them. Right?

[tetractys]

[BIG SIGH Luke found the loophole.]

YEAH...

LOOK, CAN WE AT LEAST PLAN WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SAY? I THINK PEOPLE COULD GET ONBOARD WITH THIS, BUT THEY'D NEVER TRUST ME TO TELL 'EM ABOUT IT.

[neverjoinyou]

[Okay he hadn't actually thought Bill would agree. He must really want this.]

Well, I was thinking, something like:

Attention residents of the Barge. It has come to my attention that the reason for the recent rash of gravitational and spacial anomalies is an attempt on the part of my inmate, Bill, to improve his situation. While I do not approve of the way in which he went about this, it's done now and it was done with safeguards in place to reduce the risk to all of us.

While I am dealing with this issue, you should know that you may begin to see things created by your own mind. Please keep in mind that they cannot harm you, and take precautions.

I'm sorry for the inconvenience this is causing, and I assure you I am going to take every available action to fix this.

[tetractys]

UH HUH. UH HUH. BUT WHAT IF WE DON'T SAY IT WAS BILL?

[neverjoinyou]

Right.

How long do you think it'll take them to figure that out? If I don't tell them, that's more time I'll have to take answering their questions.

[tetractys]

HERE'S MY PRIMARY CONCERN! I WANT TO BE READY WHEN WE DOCK. I DON'T WANT PEOPLE STICKING US BOTH IN A CELL SO THAT ALL OF THIS WAS FOR NOTHING.

WHAT IF YOU TELL THEM MORE ABOUT WHAT I THINK? WHAT IF WE CONVINCE THEM THAT I'M DOING THIS FOR EVERYBODY?

BECAUSE I KIND OF AM!

[neverjoinyou]

You're going to have to explain that to me.

[tetractys]

IF I'M RIGHT, AND THIS PLACE IS MORE OF THE SAME - ANOTHER MOVIE OR ANOTHER SHOW - THEN WE'RE ALL BEING LIED TO!

[neverjoinyou]

[Sigh.]

Bill. I'm trying here, I really am. But if you're wrong, you've inconvenienced, and possibly worse, a lot of people without their permission. I'm not going to tell people something I don't actually know.

[tetractys]

I KNOW ABOUT ME.

I'M GIVING PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET WHATEVER THEY WANT. THAT'S NOT GONNA BE ALL BAD, YOU KNOW.

[neverjoinyou]

But you acknowledge that there are ways it could go badly, right?

I'm going to go with you. I'm going to help you. But I need to be able to tell people how to protect themselves.

[tetractys]

OH SURE! WE AGREE ON ALL THAT.

LOOK, ONE PIECE AT A TIME. HOW ABOUT YOU TELL PEOPLE IT'S ME AFTER IT ACTUALLY KICKS IN AND WE'RE OUT OF DODGE, HUH? THAT WAY WE BOTH GET WHAT WE WANT!

[neverjoinyou]

And they're going to believe I know what's going on... how, exactly?

[tetractys]

IT'LL START DEMONSTRATING ITSELF BY THAT TIME!

[neverjoinyou]

Okay now we've gone in a circle.

What do you want me to do? Wait until we're ready to leave, then reveal I know what's going on, and have it under control, but not why, and oh by the way Bill and I are gonna be gone for a bit but don't worry?

[tetractys]

I SAY WE GET READY TO GO, YOU SAY YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, AND TELL PEOPLE HOW THEY CAN STAY SAFE!

THE REST IS UP TO YOU. MAKE ME LOOK SYMPATHETIC IF YOU WANT, BUT I'M NOT MARRIED TO IT!

[neverjoinyou]

[Luke rubs his face, trying to figure out how to keep faith with Bill and the Barge at the same time. He's not sure he can.]

How much time are we talking about?

[tetractys]

TWO OR THREE DAYS, MAX!

[neverjoinyou]

That's... a lot for me to sit on.

[tetractys]

SHOULD I HAVE JUST WAITED UNTIL LATER TO TELL YOU ANYTHING?

[neverjoinyou]

I'm not going to answer that. I'm glad you told me. Honestly, I appreciate it. I'm just trying to figure out the best way to help you, and everyone else.

[tetractys]

SO IT'S A YES.

ALRIGHT.

LUKE, DON'T YOU WANT TO SEE IF ANY OF THIS HOLDS WATER? DONTCHA SEE ANY KIND OF MERIT IN THIS THING? IF I DIDN'T THINK THIS WAS WORTH IT I WOULDN'T HAVE DONE IT.