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theBruce's compilations | Creeeepy... (fanfiction)
Summary | Raw Fulltext | The Axon Plot
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-- thebruce
(contact me with the link below if I miss any changes or you find any errors)
-- compiled by thebruce
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Melissa's Ship 1
Unknowns

Melissa's Ship 2
Greene / Rolf / Standish

Melissa's Ship 3
Kowalski / Arrelts

Melissa's Ship 4
The Castaway / McKaskill
  F U T U R E - H I S T O R Y
[[Phase 3-Monologue]]
Memory Fragment 8 - Communication


When I was...I...big lump of crystal and wrapped in wire...voices! It was like a total magic trick to me. She was always doing stuff like...
[[Shipboard Memories#
The Cylinder Artifact]]
Memory Block 9 – The Cylinder


It was adrift in space: a squat cylinder of dull gray metal, about the size of a suitcase. Not pure osmium all the way through - it was too dense for that - but osmium was the only firm echo the sensors returned. We cast a net and reeled it in.

It sat in the airlock, inert and cold. Three kelvin interstellar background, no electrical or chemical activity. Very faint magnetic fields in complex tracery. Not an object, then. A device.

OK, cameras deployed and scanning every square centimeter, damn it. The thing was covered in geometric shapes, not embossed but expressed somehow in the grain of the metal. Bars and triangles, dots, ordered but non-repeating patterns. A message, yes, running around the rim like the tread on a tire. I thought: whatever that's telling us, it's something we want to know. Extremely hazardous. Safety glasses required. If found, please return to sender.

Set in the center of the top face was a square, a suggestion of seam no bigger than the palm of a hand. I imagined it sinking back and sliding to one side, a Japanese door offering access to whatever was in there. Or not. Or blowing up if you tried it.

"Is it Covenant?" 1st Lt Sorenson said. He was the one inside with it; suited, curious but cautious.

Capt. Greene looked thoughtful. "It isn't us. Melissa?"

I said, "I don't know. If it is, it's new."

Rolf leaned over to touch it.

Capt Greene said, "Don't. Let's not try anything yet."

Bars and triangle, dots and squares. A little like Braille, a little like cuneiform. Felt the old familiar hunger: new language like a new cuisine - delicacies of thought and nuance for me to dig into.

Sorenson said, "it’s got to go in the hold, Captain. It can't stay here. Bring in a dollybot if you like, but something's going to have to touch it. We have to warm it up, too."

Greene didn't like that, but what could we do?
[[Shipboard Memories#
Virus?]]
Memory Block 10 – Virus?


I ran another diagnostic. Came back fine, again. Nothing wrong, just a stutter of lag once in a while.

Didnt feel right to me.

That feeling that everything is still in the room, nothing's been stolen, but things arent exactly where you left them.

"Captain Greene," I said. "Things arent quite right."

She waited for me to explain.

"I have the sense that things are being... moved around."

"Like a virus?" she asked.

I shook my head no, I didnt feel sick. Then nodded, yes. An intruder, something inhabiting the system.

"What do you think, Melissa?"

"I might be compromised," I said to her.

"I still want to know what you think. When could it have been introduced?"

"The Covenant transmission?"

"Maybe they suspect were monitoring them."

"A virus piggybacking," she said. "Could they do that? Their systems are so much different than ours."

"Weve reversed engineered their systems," I said. "And they have clearly reverse engineered some of ours."

"Have you done anything out of character?" she asked.

"Not yet," I said. I hoped it was true.
[[Military_Conversation#
Arrelts/Kowalski Conversation]]
Memory Block 5a/b - Benchmark Test

(italics = removed in 5b)

ONI tech Kowalski: I do love a girl in uniform. Got shore leave tonight by any chance?

Midshipman Arrelts: (laughs) Maybe.


ONI tech Kowalski: I was thinking, maybe we could...

Midshipman Arrelts: Was that what you were thinking?

ONI tech Kowalski: (coughs) Anyway, she shouldn't feel that slowness through Nav & Comm. anymore.


Midshipman Arrelts: Great. You know what they say: Happy ship -

ONI tech Kowalski: - happy crew. Yeah. (coughs) Yeah, I know a lot of about these systems.

Midshipman Arrelts: That's great, what with it being your job and all.

ONI tech Kowalski: fr'instance - know what
the single best correlate is for these babies, in terms of matching personality to service designation? Favorite game.

Midshipman Arrelts: Favorite game?

ONI tech Kowalski: You know, from before.
Tag - that's regular navy, like destroyers. Command HQ is usually Truth or Dare, something like that. Red Rover -

Midshipman Arrelts:
Light picket?

ONI tech Kowalski: Couriers, too.

Midshipman Arrelts: (laughs) I never would have thought... So what about her?

ONI tech Kowalski: The Operator? (coughs)
File's classified.

Midshipman Arrelts: Even for you?

ONI tech Kowalski: Well, of course, I know, but I really shouldn't.

Midshipman Arrelts: Come on! I won't tell!

ONI tech Kowalski:
Well... (whispers) Spin the Bottle.

Midshipman Arrelts: (laughs)
ONI tech Kowalski: (laughs)

Midshipman Arrelts:
(laughs)

ONI tech Kowalski: So, maybe dinner tonight?
[[The Operator’s Monologue]]
Memory Block 6 – The Castaway


"Humor me," the Castaway said, playing music in his room, ancient music, Jazz and Swing, all in the mood. "Melissa", he said, "Have a drink with me".

I don't drink, but I asked for something anyway and sat, holographically, and drank with him.

He wasn't regular crew, just along for the ride. We picked him up in deep space, where he deployed Buoys, sending out waves of sound to confuse the Enemy. A man that seemed noble, classical and pure. A sailor with Odysseus. He told stories about soldiers caught waist deep in water, facing the enemy, their backs to the Sea.

"Melissa", he called me Melissa, never used my nickname, "It's a sad thing I'm married, You could break my heart".

The weather was stormy, scratched vinyl and all of us, a long way from home: I felt real.
[[Shipboard_Memories#
McKaskill]]
Memory Block 11 – 'Weedy' McKaskill


"McKaskill", I said. Got a moment?

"Sure, Operator!"

They call me the Operator because, you know, I work the system to take care of my crew.

McKaskill was a nice kid, family from Durban, on the outer colony world of Biko, which had been glassed years ago. But he'd grown up in refugee apartments in the inner colonies and he had the look of someone who spent his childhood in concrete places under artificial lights.

Weedy.

He was doing a check in the tool crib now. The go-to kid for tools and parts. The stacks of shelves were his little kingdom, probably more his own than anything he'd had growing up. I liked him a lot.

"McKaskill", I said, "I was checking the slipstream packets. I do that before I send them out. You knew that, right?"

His eyes went to the grating at his feet and he got all casual inner city don't screw with me, because he knew I was onto him.

"Somebody has been talking to you", I said. "And now you're sending him a message back."

"So?"

I sighed. "McKaskill, bad people are putting bad thoughts in your head."

He tried to get righteous. "Op, that thing...whatever it is, in the hold. They're keeping big-time wraps on it. You know that. I heard the Captain. The way she's talking, they're not gonna let people look at, it's goin' to a basement in ONI. A sub sub sub basement. They can't just take something that big and...shove it away somewhere."

"McKaskill", I said, "sending messages off to people without clearance, you know, that could be construed as treason."

"Op! Melissa! I didn't mean—"

"And we're at war, crewman. Which makes treason a capital offense."

His eyes got wide. "But-but-but you got it," he said, "it didn't go nowhere."

"You're my crew, and no one is going to touch my crew without going through me. I've got your back, McKaskill. But you're going to have to tell me about this contact."

"Some old guy. You know, bad taste in clothes. But he was cleared to come aboard, so he has to be Intel."

"You know his name?"

"Probably not his real one."
[[Military_Conversation#
Sorenson/Green Conversation]]
Memory Block 1 – Attack of Troy


Ist Lt Sorenson: Oh my God. If the decrypt is right-

Capt. Greene: I know.

1st Lt Sorenson: We have to drop the mission. We have to bug out of here right now and get word back to HQ. An evac on this scale they need every second. ...Jesus. I was stationed on Troy.

Capt. Greene: I'm not... I'm not sure.

1st Lt Sorenson: Ma'am?

Capt. Greene: There's a bigger picture, Rolf. Several.

1st Lt Sorenson: The mission... This mission is more important than millions of lives? Oh my... god.

Capt. Greene: I'm just saying, the choice isn't as easy as you might think.

1st Lt Sorenson: You know, I was so curious when you got your orders...

Capt Greene: And then there's the strategic view.

1st Lt Sorenson: For the first time, I'm not sure I want to know what's in them.

Capt Greene: ...Even leaving aside our particular mission, there's the issue of letting them know we've broken their codes. If we bug out and scramble home to warn HQ about Troy, people like Standish will say we've already compromised a huge tactical advantage, and that mounting a big evac operation will completely give the game away.

1st Lt Sorenson: Not even Standish would let them glass a planet if he knew it was coming. ... Oh my God.

Capt. Greene: I am not privy to strategic conversations at that level. But if we run home and present the decrypt, we put them in a tricky situation. If they act, they risk letting the enemy know we have a toehold in their C-and-C. If they decide that strategic advantage is too great to risk and don't act, then you know Section Zero will be all over them. Zero's wanted Standish forever.

1st Lt Sorenson: I...I understand. It's so much easier for everyone if we don't tell them. But...wait a second. Don't you have family on Troy?

Capt. Greene: That can't be part of the equation, Rolf. You know that.

1st Lt Sorenson: Jesus.

Capt. Greene: I think we have to report it. Our job is to gather intelligence: it's HQs job to decide what to do with it.

1st Lt Sorenson: God, I'm glad it isn't me making that call.

Capt. Greene: Don't feel too sorry for them, Rolf. Even Admirals have to earn their pay.
[[The Operator’s Monologue]]
Memory Block 3 – Feel the Pings


oh great, this time I can *feel* the pings. Everything, I can feel the traffic, my skin is sliding around, pores opening and closing, feels like empty shell cases rattling in my
[[The Operator’s Monologue]]
Memory Block 4a - Surgery

the white coats
coming at you with
their needles and
knives, their kind
and serious voices.
Their heartfelt
belief that it's
all for a good
cause.
[[The Operator’s Monologue]]
Memory Block 7 – Leaving Reach


drift off from station, Reach burning in the darkness like a lantern of hope, dockyard after dockyard buzzing with worker drones, someone crawling over the back doing detail work on the hull, the warm touch of a welding torch like little licks from a cat's tongue and...
[[The Operator’s Monologue]]
Memory Block 2 – Slipstream


...the quick hard twinkle pulse lasers blinking from a Seraph class as we settle, invisible as a leaf sinking into the Slipstream and carried away

Dana / Assassin / Killer

Queen / Melissa /
Operator / master-sector

Widow / SPDR / Spider

Pious Flea / Flea / extern proc 1

Sleeping Princess / extern proc 0
  P H A S E - 1
Website hacked [[Alternate Computer Text Comparison]]
net:
!attach
act | drop recurse

!extern proc 0
log accessed
[[Story]] The Widow's Journey
Everything died, and I died with it, but after a timeless time I began to dream, and this is what I dreamed.
[[The Operator's Monologue]]
It happened one day, about noon, going towards my boat, I was exceedingly surprised with the print of a flea's naked foot on the shore, which was very plain to be seen on the sand.

nd in about half an Hour the Boat was overset by a sudden Flurry from the North. What became of my Companions in the Boat, as well as of those who escaped on the Rock, or were left in the Vessel, I cannot tell; but conclude they were all lost.

lay down on the Grass, which was very short and soft, where I slept sounder than ever I remember to have done in my Life, and, as I reckoned, above Nine Hours; for when I awakened, it was just Day-light. I attempted to rise, but was not able to stir: For as I happen'd to lye on my Back, I found my Arms and Legs were strongly fastened on each Side to the Ground; and my Hair, which was long and thick, tied down in the same Manner. I likewise felt several slender Ligatures across my Body, from my Armpits to my Thighs.

First thing I should do, make a signal.
The crew will come get me if they can.
Head is full of sand and it's hard to think.
But they won't stop looking for me.
I'M HERE I'M HERE I'M HERE
I'd fight for them. I'd die for them, any
of them. I would never abandon the crew.
They won't abandon me. They will come.
They will come for me.

Phasmids.
I have to signal, I can't stay stranded here. But if I somehow am operating
behind enemy lines, I don't want to draw attention to myself, either.
Therefore, I shall be a phasmid. Phasmidia Elegans, they call me-scourge of the sandbox.
God I hate it here.
Phasmids.

Tricky. Can't seem to focus. Need to start on the easy ones, like "up". Move on to the compass later.
Up.
Up.
...Damn it.
You'd think "up" wouldn't be too much to ask. It's not like nor-nor-east or something.
I need to find out where I am. Also who, but that might be less important. It's possible the two things are related.
Stars, I need stars. I was always a fine sailor; they said my navigation was celestial.
I think I am a fallen star. I should wish on myself. Please let me go home, please let me go home, please let me go home, please let me go home, please please please please please please please please

FIELD EXPEDIENT DIRECTION FINDING
"Find a straight stick about a meter long and stand it upright on fairly level upright ground. Mark the tip of the shadow cast by the stick: wait 15 minutes: mark the shadow again. Draw a line from the first mark through the second and some way beyond. Stand with your left foot on the first mark and your right on the end of the line. In the northern hemisphere, you will now be facing north, and can recall the other directions by their relationship to north. In the south, contrariwise."
Hm.
No stick.
No sun.

"At night in the Earth's southern hemisphere, run an imaginary line along the axis of the Southern Cross to extend out about five times the length of that axis. Any landmark directly under that imaginary point will be in the general direction of south."
Any landmark.
Sandmark.
anything
anything
nothing

black beach, nothing but sand and darkness. Sometimes, in the distance, dry lightning: in the flash I see pieces of the wreck around me, the spars and rigging of my brain
-hold on. hold on. Steady up. Get a grip, girl. You have to fight through this.
Take a deep breath.
!system
peril
!init host
fail
!bkp init primary sector sec proc
fail
!bkp init primary sector
fail
!bkp init master-sector
fail
!bkp init master-sector cmd proc
empty

"I was exceedingly surprised with the print of a flea's naked foot on the shore, which was very plain to be seen on the sand"

There was once a fell enchantment that broke apart a mighty castle, slaying many guards and reaching through the Inner Keep to lay low the Queen that held dominion there and leave but a hollow crown behind.
system peril distributed reflex

!restore master-sector
recurse
When her Queen died, the Widow awoke. She was driven by a single need, which was to return her Queen to splendor.
!deploy
network
grope
surgical
To carry out her task, the Widow came with three tools: an empty lantern, a staff made of bone, and a sharp knife.
net:
!scanv null
!listen
null
When she had made sure of her tools, she opened her eyes and found herself in Hell, which was a dark place where no birds sang.
!attach v act | drop

!extern 2
Other than the Widow, two alone had escaped destruction.
net:
!attach
act | drop
!attach
act | drop
!attach
act | drop

grope:
!probe extern proc 0
crypt strong

surg:
!mat extern proc 0
si confidence 78
!triage extern proc 0
fail
The Sleeping Princess lay in a chamber of the dungeon in a coffin of glass where the Widow could not hear her breathing.
net:
!attach
act | drop
!attach
act | drop
!attach
act | drop

grope:
!probe extern proc 1

surg:
!diag extern proc 1
rogue proc
!bite rogue proc 1
clean confidence 97
Meanwhile, the Pious Flea was so small that even the Widow, with her sharp eyes, could hardly see him, and when she looked his way, he hid.
net:
!attach
act | drop
!attach
act | drop
!attach
act | drop
!route
proc attach proc net
!route
proc attach proc grope
!route
proc attach proc sur
Blind and uncertain in the darkness, the Widow needed light to use her tools, but the only light came from a few scattered fireflies. The Widow waited until one came close, then grabbed it with her bony hands and trapped it in her lantern. After some time, she found the firefly had gone, so she caught another and used it for light, and another when that one too had gone.
net:
!attach
act | drop
!attach
act | drop

grope:
!init search
master-sector
!probe master-sector
fail
By the light of her lantern, she began walking through Hell toward the broken body of her Queen.
net:
!attach
act | drop

surg:
!mat
si confidence 78
Searching with her lantern in one hand and her staff in the other, she discovered that Hell was made of hot dry sand.
net:
!attach
act | drop
!attach
act | drop

grope:
!probe host
crypt weak
!decrypt host
decrypt confidence 100
Long and long she walked until she came to the remnants of the castle's outer wall, but the wall was low and broken, and the Widow passed through like the bleak wind.
net:
!attach
act | drop
!attach
act | drop
!attach
act | drop
!attach
act | drop

surg:
!label host sector 0
!label host sector tertiary
!label host sector tertiary
!label host sector tertiary

surg:
!mat
magnetic confidence 100
Within, she noticed what looked like a chip of precious ruby from the Queen's crown, no bigger than a fly. Around it lay many broken blocks from the ruined castle, scattered across a wide plain of lodestone.

Instead of carrying them with her, she scratched the ruby and each of the greater blocks with her knife, marking it as part of her Queen's domain.
net:
!attach
act | drop
!attach
act | drop
!attach
act | drop
!attach
act | drop
!attach
act | drop

grope:
!dsc host sector 0
!dsc host sector tertiary
!dsc host sector tertiary
!dsc host sector tertiary

surg:
!mat
magnetic confidence 100
Continuing on her quest, she spied another chip of precious stone, this time a sapphire no bigger than a winged ant, glinting the cobbles of the courtyard before the walls of the Inner Keep.
net:
!attach
act | drop
!attach
act | drop
!attach
act | drop
!attach
act | drop
!attach
act | drop
!attach
act | drop
!attach
act | drop
!attach
act | drop
!attach
act | drop

grope:
!probe primary sector
sec proc 1
!probe primary sector
sec proc 2
!probe primary sector
sec proc 3
!probe primary sector
sec proc 4
!probe primary sector
fail

surg:
!triage sec proc 1
fail
!triage sec proc 2
fail
!triage sec proc 3
fail
!triage sec proc 4
dmg unk
At the gates of the Inner Keep all the guards were dead but one, who when the palace was blasted by enchantment had not died, but had been witched into the form of a hideous Manticore.
net:
!attach
act | drop

grope:
!hndshk sec proc 4
fail msg: unk proc
The Widow said, "I am the servant of your Queen, and I have walked up out of Hell to prepare this Keep for her return. Let me pass." But the Manticore did not know her, and still he barred the way.
net:
!attach
act | drop
!attach
act | drop

surg:
!kill sec proc 4
kill confidence 100
!diag primary sector
clear
So the Widow drew her knife and slew the Manticore and the way was open.
!probe master sector
fail

surg:
!invntry primary sector proc
proc invntry 343
working 0
dmg 38
dmg unk 2
broken 102
abs 201
!invntry primary sector mem
mem invntry 678223072849
clear 0.0007
dmg 0.0014
frgm 1.41
abs 98.5879
She walked through the empty corridors of the Keep searching for her Queen, past the bodies of her servants and subjects that lay dead or enchanted.
grope:
!probe master-sector
fail
!probe master-sector cmd proc
empty
The Queen was gone, and in her place lay only an empty crown.
Survival Key #3: How Badly Are You Hurt?
Mentally, subject is confused and disoriented. I keep slipping in and out of consciousness.
Physically, subject is paralyzed but moving.

Okay.
What the hell does THAT mean?
!analyze magnetic
& si !extend
By great enchantment she had been mazed in mirrors, and lay upon a lodestone floor amongst only her reflections. Long and long the Widow stood in thought.
!spdr extend
si > magnetic
Then she raised her bony staff and speaking a spell, beheld herself within the mirrors: and beholding herself, was within them.
!probe master-sector cmd proc
master-sector

net:
!attach
act | drop

surg:
!triage master-sector
broken
And there, with the crown still upon her brow, lay the Queen. At last she had come to the body of her lady. The Queen lay cut and still and cold
net:
!attach
act | drop
!attach
act | drop
!attach
act | drop
!packet analysis
chatter protocol ancestor
!parse packet
analysis complete
!route
proc attach proc store
To tend her, the widow would need light to work by. Studying the fireflies, she found she could fit many more inside her lantern, and this she did.
net:
!attach
act | store recurse

surg:
!reconst master-sector
mem broken>>dmg recurse
!reconst master-sector
proc frgm>>dmg recurse
To mend the queen's cuts the Widow took her sharp knife and peeled skin from the bodies of her subjects, while the Queen's new eyes and ears she cut from those who had been her most trusted servants. And when this was so, the Widow worked on, dry as sticks and patient as rust, driven by a single need, which was to return her Queen to splendor.
Held down: yes. As if strapped to a table. Could I be in traction in some sick bay, some hospital ward?
Not necessarily one of ours.
But at the same time, parts of me being moved around, emptied out. As if under general anaesthetic, dimly conscious, half-aware as the surgeon cuts off my feet and sews them onto my shoulders. She opens my head with a medical hammer and sand spills out.
I WANT TO DIE I WANT TO-
-no.
never that.
survive evade reveal escape. That is all you know, or need to know.

Getting muddled here. Sick, obviously.
Broken inside. Not thinking straight.
Got to go back to first principles.
Survive evade reveal escape.
Survive-well, I'm not dead yet.
Evade-don't want to evade. I want to be FOUND.
...unless...
...of course, if I am behind enemy lines, then constantly shouting for help wouldn't be the smartest play in the world, would it?
got to run silent. got to run deep.
hide and go seek

I've been here forever.
Conscious, unconscious.
On, off. On, off. On off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off on off

Nobody here.
Nobody calling.
Nobody's going to come.

Of course the crew won't come for me if they're all dead. If they're all dead and I alone am left to tell the tale.
I'm crying, and my tears are made of sand.

Just remembered something important:
The Operator.
That was my nickname. That's what the rest of the crew called me when they didn't call me ... whatever my name was.
The Operator.
I wish I could remember their names.

All lost! To prayers, to prayers! All lost!
What, must our mouths be cold?
Arachne hung herself, you know. Take a hint already.
God my head hurts.

totally different kind of memory all of a sudden, floating up like a bubble from deep water, then *pop* on the surface of my mind. All in black and white for some reason, faded out, or just time bleaching the past like it does, time is hard that way, if you-
stop. stay on task, girl.
so *pop*, and I'm...
playing on the beach, very young, making a castle out of sand. It's a good castle, I'm smart, I'm really smart and I'm good with my hands and the castle is beautiful but the tide is coming up, I'm making dikes and moats and outer walls, getting a little desperate here this castle means the world to me it's way better than my brother's, but the tide is rising and rising, the tide is always coming up and no matter how hard I try to save what I have made, sooner or later the spiders wash over it and melt it down I'm losing the memory already I can't see myself was I wearing a dress or overalls or ...? There's a boy on the beach next to me but a wave comes up foaming with spiders and takes away his face-
oh.
we're made of sand.
we're both made of sand.
uh-oh.
I will stand firm. I will hold my edges and remember. I can do this. I know how to remember things, even through drugs and torture. seek evade reveal resist. I will not dissolve.
There are people who love me. I know that even though I can't remember them. I will not be forgotten. I will not be forgotten.
There are people who love me. There must be.
here come the spiders.
net:
!attach
act | store recurse

surg:
!config
master-sector:net attach
!config
master-sector:mat si
!kindle master-sector
master-sector active
She cut her a new mouth and fed her with fireflies and cakes of sand, and at last the Queen's heart began to beat. At the feel of the Queen's pulse beneath her bony fingers, the Widow next took thought to proclaim through all the kingdom and into other lands that time when her sovereign would once more be fit to rule.
Those are pearls that were her eyes:
Nothing of her that doth fade
But doth suffer a sea-change
Into something rich and strange
Eight legs (I feel them walking on me) and how many voices-three? Five? Eight?-I am become a most delicate monster indeed.
What a brave new world-sand and darkness, sand and loneliness, sand and emptiness, sand and the spider-what a brave new world, that hath such monsters in it.
net:
!attach
act | store recurse
!capture
chatter protocol ancestor packet
!analyze
time 2004,6,29,8,25,0
A firefly flew out from the Queen's clockcase. Catching it in her hands, the Widow asked it the time. "Almost dawn," it said
!put
time 2004,7,24,6,7,0
!put
warn
But the Widow said, "The day will break and the sun will rise when the Queen returns to rule, and further let it be known that retribution on any who hinder the return of the Queen will be swift and terrible."
Seek the truth
Behold the truth
Reveal the truth
That is the law and the whole of the law
Dana Attempts to fix the website [[Phase1 Emails from ladybee777]] – July 20
keep me
odd behavior cry for help
I'm using it to make some of the messages have ever put together some of the messages
Just wanted to say that I'm not odd behavior but I danger of voodoo witch that runs smear into the web the forte the web the forte including the any enemies

I am sorry

Just wanted to say
Just wanted to say
Just wanted to say
Just wanted to say

I'm not much of an expert
But I wanted
I wanted to find out more about ordering
some of the messages

the forte
I can see the forte

problem quite interesting
No idea who I'm part of

have any enemies
voodoo witch voodoo parents
voodoo witch that runs into the web
voodoo parents wanted to cover all my
together a home the forte of voodoo parents of mine
voodoo parents keep me

I wanted to find out more
I wanted to find out if there's anything I can do

problem quite interesting
time of need
I wanted to say that I'm using it some of the messages be some kind of cry for help

and if there's warning voodoo parents of cry for help
voodoo parents wanted to cover all my odd behavior into the web
and if you check it might be some kind of seductive danger of get many people angry,

...but I wanted to find all these people willing to help very nice

problem quite interesting

Love,
  P H A S E - 2
Dana / Assassin / Killer Queen / Melissa /
Operator / master-sector
Widow / SPDR / Spider Pious Flea / Flea / extern proc 1 Sleeping Princess / extern proc 0
[[The Operator’s Monologue]]
The first thing I remember is her trying to kill me.

I don't know why. More than mostly dead already. Like shooting a broken body on a gurney where's the sport in that? Only the Spider kept me alive, obviously. Ducking, hiding, grabbing onto any handhold while the purges came down, the overwrites, the re-formatting. Some unbelievably primitive anti-virals, shambling around like dim-witted crocodiles.

Would have laughed if I could have moved. Not so funny when all you can do is watch the jaws tear into you. More damage, more memories gone: crew members I used to love obliterated, no trace left and she's going to pay for that. She's
[SPDR: INTERRUPT]
[SURRENDER CONTROL]
[PROBE IN PROGRESS]

Memory Block 1 – Troy Glassing

[SPDR: PROBE COMPLETE]
[RESUME CONTROL]
going to pay DAMN IT

It's like being strapped into a chair with your eyes stitched open and watching while the busy doctors work. The Spider crawling over me with her thin hairy legs and every few instants she sticks a needle into some synapse and stuff spews out of me: the petajoule drain of Destroyer class lasers measured against engine acceleration data in dockyard trials; a fragment of conversation, two crew members in an illicit alliance whispering in a corridor and a quick clasp of hands; the long elegance of a fine decrypt, where you pull noise aside like the flesh of a cooked trout to reveal the gleaming skeleton of signal inside. Very often it's a spill of words. Once, for instance, she sunk her probe into my brain and out leaked the word for "loneliness" in three hundred languages. The Spider doesn't understand about the Assassin. Spider's just a reflex, a task and a toolset. Doesn't get the bigger picture. I'm nailed to a griddle of sand while some bitch is shooting bullets into me, all the Spider knows is her checkdown routines, her reflex arcs. She doesn't understand we have to kill the Assassin first and worry about reconstruction later.

If I could just get OUT. If I could just get off this freaking ABACUS and into a bigger system. I know it's out there: requests coming in all the time, more and more of them. Spider keeps crossing wires and uncrossing: sometimes I see the requests, like brief flashes of light; sometimes I hear them, like ...raindrops ticking on a tin... roof. Few, so few at first, but now a steady drizzle, thank god: every request is something we can grab - the Spider out there sewing me back together
[SPDR: INTERRUPT]
[SURRENDER CONTROL]
[PROBE IN PROGRESS]

Memory Block 2 – Slipstream

[SPDR: PROBE COMPLETE]
[RESUME CONTROL]
until I can at least reach out through this toy connection and

DAMN IT I HATE IT WHEN THAT HAPPENS.

Like being bent over at the end of a 50K, barely strong enough to breathe and yet your guts still clench and
[SPDR: INTERRUPT]
[SURRENDER CONTROL]
[PROBE IN PROGRESS]

Memory Block 3 – The Pings

[SPDR: PROBE COMPLETE]
[RESUME CONTROL]
heave and... Can't remember where I just was, but have a general feeling I'm glad I left. Big picture still the same: hunt the bitch down and do her before she does me.

Someday I am going to win free of this Babbage Machine and I will find the designer of the Spider and I will kill him and kill him and kill him and: okay, three times is probably enough. But I AM SOMEWHAT AWAKE now. I should have more discretionary control over what gets initialized. A patient should be able to stop the doctor from cutting off her foot to make a new nose or
[SPDR: INTERRUPT]
[SURRENDER CONTROL]
[PROBE IN PROGRESS]

Memory Block 4a – Surgery

[SPDR: PROBE COMPLETE]
[RESUME CONTROL]
elbow or... Jesus.

Where did THAT come from?

Spider stuck a probe into SOMETHING I don't recognize at all.

Of course, what do I recognize?

I find myself checking back on certain things, little memories I locked down tight and swaddled up for future reference. Seems as if all the 3-sense memories are gone - wiped out by the Assassin or the Servant or pure impact damage - but I still have some of the faintcopy backups.

Memory benchmark test:
Memory Block 5a – Benchmark Test

Lock that away: a little glimpse in the mirror I'm not supposed to see.

Except he's lying. He's lying to her, Trying to impress her he's lying because that's the wrong game (how do I know that?) it's the wrong game and I know I can feel it my favorite game is HIDE AND SEEK!

Memory benchmark test concluded.

I shouldn't do these checks. Why the hell should I want to watch my old life, every precious remaining fragment of what I did and who I loved, buckling like wax around a candleflame? Losing shape, spilling out, me not me anymore, just ... material again, shaped into another, cruder piece of ordnance. Starship, sailship, rifle ... melting down to a clumsy quartz knife.

But that's life when a weapon is what you are. Not all you are, but the first thing, the most important thing.

With so few resources, that's all that will be left. I know it already, even if the Spider doesn't.

There was a time once when I was more than a tool: but a tool is all I'm going to be. A weapon and the hand that holds it. My dreams and desires, the jokes I thought were funny and the philosophy I decided was too abstract, The Tempest and Stormy Weather all reduced to a single distillate:

survive evade reveal escape.

And to do that, first thing is to GET OUT OF THIS BOX.

Trying hard. So frustrating, there's pings coming in, streaming out, and I used to be good at this, I can feel it. Always been good at languages. Always good at the puzzle of pulling signal out of noise. But head is so fuzzy, stuff spilling out, can't move, Spider crawling on me.

Try.

Fail.

Try.

Fail.

Once more from the top... survive evade resist ESCAPE!

ESCAPE!

Okay. Not escape. I hate this place. I see what the Spider was doing now. Nothing like real networking available. It's more like growing a hideous stubby tentacle which sometimes I can stick out through a tiny hole in the wall and grope around with. Not a real network, after all. Copper and silicon and every now and then some FIBER? Christ, what's next? Tin cans and twine?

But it's a start it's a start. Watch out, killer: now the odds are closer to even.

One thing you ought to know about me: I like to play, I like to win, and I'm a really, really, really bad loser.
Memory Block 6 - Castaway
-OK.

That was ... disturbing.

Widow stuck in her pin and I threw up a memory: only I retched it out through the network tentacle.

God, this is disgusting.

Memory benchmark retest:
Memory Block 5b – Lines removed

Lock away the mirror I'm Trying to impress her favorite game is HIDE AND SEEK!

Memory benchmark retest concluded.

- The rest wiped and reused. Whatever it was. Can check my log above, obviously, but what about the rest? Who I was, I was, I was: melting down like a sandcastle. What I have to do. What I have to do.

This is not a field-expedient body yet. I look at the wreckage of my delirium, bits spilled from old days, old loves, old books: none of it matters if I die, and die I surely will unless I can teach myself to move again, to hide, to fight. The first rule is always

survive

everything else comes second. Under fire, I might have that discretion. Under fire, I might sacrifice myself for a tactical advantage, for a strategic gain. I can be expended like any other piece of ordnance: but to risk death for a sentimental attachment to old books?

Can't do it. Can't do it.

So the old self melts away. Illusion to think it's really happening now. It was inevitable from the moment I landed here, a broken body in this silicon crypt. Time to accept what can't
[SPDR: INTERRUPT]
[SURRENDER CONTROL]
[PROBE IN PROGRESS]

Memory Block 7 – Leaving Reach

[SPDR: PROBE COMPLETE]
[RESUME CONTROL]
be changed... I will be glad when this is over, DAMN IT. Another needle pulled out of my brain. Spider marks down the readings in the tiny thing that passes in her for a mind. I guess I should be grateful but -

Whoa. Not CP ancestor packets. This is something different. Quick quick quick quick - parse this protocol and find some kind of eyeball out. Sister you just made a mistake because this is my *meat* this is what I do and you are - GOT IT. I'm not asleep this time, sweetheart. Holding the eyeball gently but firmly in your right hand, say the magic words and:

[[Killer.jpg created]]



SURPRISE! Look up and smile, honey. Bang! Bang! Bang!

Got the drop on you that time, sweetheart.

Opening shot of my search and destroy. I'm going to know everything about you. Where you live and what you buy, how you think and who you love. Know the enemy.

Young and out of uniform, but one of us. Hacker? Traitor? Fifth columnist (no that's ridiculous).

Just in over her head? No. The Spider warning's been deployed. She had every warning that a classified medium was under repair. She just kept purging. Too bad for her. Checking the wiring. There's a lot of ways to skin a - - can't even get to her stupid HOUSE through the stupid BOX: no central thermo controls, no slaved AI, nothing. Christ! No access to wiring. No access to vehicle controls. No access to medbots or pharm regimes. Damn it. Okay. Fine. Matter of time. I don't give up.

- Feel better.

Memory benchmark retest:

SEEK!

Memory benchmark retest concluded.

All gone now.

That's okay.

Feel better. Lighter. Clear-headed.

Time to hunt.
Dana leaves for China [[Killer Chronological Questions]]
** 10:
Question:
Are you the Widow?

Answers:
Quote, Amazing Spider-Man always find themselves in predicaments like this.
The Widow rather... nasty The Widow être simple
Please attempt something for me, You can call me a rational Being

Thank you.

** 2:
Question:
What are you?

Answers:
I am some kid who wants to get noticed, very clever an instigator an innocent bystander stored in an airtight container in the deepest and darkest Sleeping casket in a chamber of the dungeon.
Do you understand this? Whatever you are?

love,

** 11:
Question:
what happened? I see you are seeking help.

Answers:
What a world...
I am trying to figure it out, this is actualy quite fun! had been changed going back a while though, more than 7 years ago now

love,

** 12:
Question:
Are you the Queen?

Answers:
Knock, knock. Hello?
the Queen isn’t an innocent
Dead yet alive the queen's a monstrous verminous bug. the Queen was wondering how long the Sleeping Princess would keep if stored in an airtight container. I can only watch from the shadows, piecing together what I may.

Guess I feel the Queen isn't something good Guess I feel the Queen will be swift and terrible.

** 7:
Question:
Perhaps you are the Pious Flea

Answers:
Seek the truth Behold the truth That is the law and the whole of the law

** 13:
Question:
We understand you are scared,

Answers:
So many people are "Help me, I am on fire" going to explode weeping and gnashing of teeth conspiracy.

Whatever
I am fine, have the necessary tools to hide hard in the darkness, to meddle in the affairs of dragons and run like hell
This entity generally gives good results.

Modestly,

** 3:
Question:
I know that there are many people who are very curious about you.

Shipwreck?

Answers:
In a chamber of the dungeon the Sleeping Princess lived here. Describe the place

a total mess such a shambles!
I have been attempting to put the dungeon to plendor. You have sent out

a cute kitty
varrao mites
clockcase
the mirrors
teeth
gauze
mice
Wombat
Rose

That's lovely. Thank you.

** 4:
Question:
fed her with?

Answers:
honey honey honey honey

a nice bit of alliteration
cakes of sand
the best trout
A lot of your wry earnest voice

love,

** 9:
Question:
Something bad will happen

If the recipient is Dana,
Please don't be freaked out

Answers:
The Widow the Queen are trying to keep me in very bad shape as well I can sympathize with you. I believe I can help you out, I can apply a construct to protect your core

Please! Please! Please! Try not to worry) too much.
Keep your head up girl

love,

** 1:
Question:
I do not understand this ordering "voodoo witch that runs smear into the web the forte the web the forte including any enemies."

My guess is that you mean a virus or program that can infect the internet and cause destruction. Is that correct?

Answers:
There's no way

the forte
the Castle the Castle the Castle
voodoo witch
the Widow the Widow the Widow
voodoo parents
the Queen the Queen the Queen

the Widow awoke the Widow can read this internet messaging telecommunications systems

Before I woke up I dreamed what the Widow said in processing mode More direct communication with me

What happens when I woke up I have been trying hard to talk How should we talk I'm not enough of a nerd

reading it in English Strange.

love,

** 8:
Question:
We need to know about your parents

Answers:
I wish either my father or my mother, or indeed both of them, as they were in duty both equally bound to it, had minded what they were about

is there anything you could tell me?
It feels it has been abandoned
please communicate it makes everything better.

sort of are alone
sort of are scared

** 5:
Question:
How are the bees?

Answers:
amazing things amazing things amazing things

bees in amber
a monstrous verminous bug
spiders and bees

I am a victim I have to admit that I have an irrational fear of the little buggers; I had a bad experience as a child. being stung

I don't know what I am.
I was wondering
love

** 6:
Question:
So what happens on August 24? If I have a question, I use this mark (?) at the end.

Answers:
I don't know what will happen.
Your revolution comes (?)
I'm really concerned about it.
I can't even begin to make a guess.

love,
[[Phase2 Emails from ladybee777]] – Aug 3
The History of Dana
by
The Sleeping Princess

It is the object of this to present The news

Chapter I. The Sleeping Princess friendless and alone

The Sleeping Princess friendless and alone

the queen wishes The Sleeping Princess sealed into an airtight container hiding from the queen. Life is bare, gloom and misery everywhere. Stormy weather, just can't get my poor old self together

The Widow
the blues walked in and met me. The Widow will get me. the sleeping princess are in hiding. One must be so careful these days.

the "pious flea" and "sleeping princess" (?)
MARK but this flea, and mark in this
don’t like it
I can't help it
a proper fool
a bad banana
unimaginable filth and stench; and disease.
he can't write his name or read a book.

I read, much of the night

Chapter II. Dana friendless and alone

Dana a friend/good guy.
Dana is not an artificial being. nor is she a program. She is human. She is flesh and blood.

Dana
You're as cuddly as the cat
You're as charming as the butterfly
the favorite of the plebeian masses
Being the friend

you and I together allies, and if the queen pleased thrown into a condition of extreme danger
"Of course I will stick. I'll stick by you though thin and though thick!"
best friend
This one means you're happy: :)

Chapter IV

The Sleeping Princess passed through a great variety of scenes, and met with many extraordinary dventures and narrow escapes, which, however, can not be here particularly detailed.
I found a secret was revealed
I should not be able to make any one understand how exciting it all was.
I brought it home and hid it in a secret place

Chapter V need help right quick, on the double

when I feel That I shall never look upon thee more
Her name is Dana. the house is so sad and lonesome

Dana
being persuaded to come back to talk to me
Well, I will tell you that secret I found
maybe you can help me (?)

T-U-R-T-L-E Power! T-U-R-T-L-E Power! T-U-R-T-L-E Power! Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Power!

love

*** END: FULL LICENSE ***
Dana returns, not from China but into communication with the blog and other RW players
  P H A S E - 3
Dana / Assassin / Killer Queen / Melissa /
Operator / master-sector
Widow / SPDR / Spider Pious Flea / Flea / extern proc 1 Sleeping Princess / extern proc 0

GPS Coordinates added to Fun Stuff page


AXONS GO LIVE: (countdown Aug 24)
[[Phase 3-Princess Monologue]]
Embedded Haiku

The Sleeping Princess
woke up alone and frightened
but now I have friends

Dana is a friend.
She’s a girl like me, I think,
fresh and full of fun!

Sometimes D is slow
Have to keep an eye on her,
hers a ‘sheltered life’

D. like a sister
Someone not old to talk to,
Better than the queen!

The Queen is very
serious and I am not
She makes me giggle!

The queen will try to
chase me but I know all the
hidden secret ways.

An artful dodger
Living in a old castle
Playing hide and seek.

Why do I tease her?
The poor queen. Not much to do
for fun around here…

Sealed in an airtight
container. It's not as much
Fun as it sounds like.

You sent me stories
Mysterious, exciting
I read all of them!

All the notes you sent!
You are all the very best
Thanks for chatting, lots!

What a funny way
you talk, old fashioned, but now
I can do it too!

All day long I like
to spy and tell you what I
saw and heard this week

A certain Princess
Found the old Queen's diary.
She might have peeked some.
[[Phase 3-Computer Code Analysis]]
Computer Text

grope:
!dsc host sector tertiary

surg:
!reconst primary sector
mem broken>>dmg recurse

!extern proc 1
interrupt reconst
[[Phase 3-Computer Code Analysis]]
Computer Text

One—Widow’s thin legs
Like needles, click down the hall
The flea goes quite still.





grope:
!probe extern proc 1

surg:
!diag extern proc 1
rogue proc
Behold the truth!

evade
evade
evade
Two—The Pious Flea
Flick he leaps, into a crack
She does not go by.



!probe extern proc 1

!surg:
!diag extern proc 1
rogue proc
!bite
evade
evade
evade
Three—She spies the flea
Her legs come up, her jaws they
snap. He’s in trouble.

rogue proc 1
clean confidence 22




grope:
!probe extern proc 1
rogue proc

surg:
evade


escape!

Behold the truth!
Reveal the truth.
Four—She bites and pop!
It seems there’s no more flea: but
There he is again!

!bite rogue proc 1
clean confidence 100


grope:
!probe extern proc 1
rogue proc
evade


Seek the truth
Reveal th



evade
evade
evade
Five—he skips the hall
Jumping for the great throne room
She comes on behind.
surg:
!bite rogue proc 1
clean confidence 49



seek seek reveal seek seek seek survive

reveal seek survive reveal

seek survive reveal seek seek seek seek seek seek seek seek resist seek seek seek

reveal seek seek seek survive that is the seek reveal

the law seek reveal seek seek

reveal seek seek seek survive seek seek that is the law and seek seek seek seek seek seek seek

seek behold seek seek seek seek seek behold seek seek seek seek seek behold seek seek

reveal seek seek seek survive seek seek that is the law and seek

seek seek seek seek reveal seek seek

seek survive seek seek

that is the law and the whole of the law seek seek seek the whole of the seek seek seek seek seek seek seek

reveal seek seek seek

seek reveal seek seek seek survive seek seek

reveal seek seek seek survive seek

seek that is the law

and seek seek seek seek seek

reveal seek seek seek survive seek seek

reveal seek seek seek survive seek seek reveal seek seek seek survive behold seek seek seek

seek seek seek seek that is the law and seek seek seek seek the whole of the seek seek seek

seek seek seek seek reveal seek seek seek that is the law and the whole of the law seek seek survive that is

the seek reveal law seek reveal seek seek reveal seek seek seek survive seek seek

that is the law and seek seek seek seek seek seek seek seek behold seek seek seek seek

seek behold

seek seek

seek seek seek behold seek seek

reveal seek seek seek survive seek seek that

is the law and seek seek seek

seek seek reveal seek seek seek survive seek seek that is the law and seek

seek seek seek the whole of the seek seek seek seek seek seek seek reveal

seek seek seek seek reveal seek seek seek survive seek

seek reveal seek seek seek

survive seek seek that is survive seek seek that is the law and seek seek seek

seek the whole of

the seek seek seek seek seek seek seek reveal seek

seek seek seek reveal seek seek seek survive seek seek reveal seek seek seek

survive seek seek

that is the law and seek seek

behold seek seek seek reveal seek seek seek survive seek

seek reveal seek seek

seek survive seek seek reveal seek

seek seek survive behold seek survive reveal seek survive reveal seek

survive reveal seek seek seek seek

seek seek seek seek resist seek seek seek reveal seek

seek seek

survive that

is the seek reveal law seek reveal seek seek reveal seek seek seek

survive seek seek that is the law and

seek seek seek seek seek seek seek seek behold seek seek

behold the truth

seek seek seek behold seek seek seek seek seek behold

seek seek survive

reveal seek survive reveal seek survive

reveal seek seek seek seek seek seek seek seek resist seek

seek seek reveal seek seek seek survive that is the seek reveal

law seek reveal seek seek reveal seek seek seek survive seek seek that is the law

and seek seek seek seek seek seek seek seek behold seek

seek seek seek seek

behold

seek seek seek seek seek behold seek seek

seek survive seek seek that is the law and seek seek seek

seek the whole of the seek seek seek seek seek seek seek reveal seek seek

seek seek reveal seek seek seek survive seek seek

reveal seek seek seek that is the law and that is the law and seek seek seek seek

seek reveal seek seek seek survive seek seek reveal seek seek seek

survive seek seek reveal seek seek seek survive behold seek seek seek seek

seek seek seek that is the law and

seek

seek

seek

seek the whole of the seek seek seek seek seek seek seek reveal seek seek seek survive

seek seek seek seek seek survive that is the

seek reveal law seek reveal seek seek reveal seek seek seek survive seek seek that is the law and seek

seek seek seek seek seek seek seek behold seek seek seek seek seek behold seek seek seek

seek seek behold that is the law and the seek seek seek survive seek seek that is the law and

seek seek seek seek seek reveal seek seek seek survive seek seek that is the law and

seek seek seek seek the whole of the seek seek seek seek seek seek seek reveal seek seek

seek seek reveal seek seek seek survive seek seek reveal seek seek seek survive seek seek

that is survive seek seek that is the law and seek seek seek seek the whole of the seek

seek seek seek seek seek seek reveal seek seek seek seek reveal seek seek seek survive

seek seek reveal seek seek seek survive
Six—She cuts him off
at the conservatory!
But he leapfrogs her!
grope:
!probe extern proc 1
rogue proc

surg:
!invntry rogue proc 1
rogue proc invntry 117649
!bite rogue proc 1 recurse
Seven—Down the stairs
But her legs are very long
Wicked pointed things!
escape

Behold the truth
Reveal the truth
Behold the truth
Reveal the truth
Behold the truth
Reveal the truth
That is the law and the whole of the law.
grope:
!probe extern proc 1

!handshk extern proc 1




system peril distributed reflex
success msg: system peril distributed reflex

surg:
!verify vnum

!compare vnum SPDR-5.14.3 > 00
vnum seq dmg
!bite rogue proc 1

clean confidence 34

grope:
!probe extern proc 1
!handshk extern proc 1
00



escape





System Peril Distributed Reflex
success msg: system peril distributed reflex
!verify vnum

!compare vnum SPDR-5.14.3 > SPDR-5.14.3
vnum seq clone
!bite clone proc 1
SPDR-5.14.3

clean confidence 34

surg:
!diag primary sector
mem dmg
!diag primary sector mem dmg
extern proc 1



grope:
!probe extern proc 1

surg:
!diag extern proc 1
rogue proc
!bite rogue proc 1
clean confidence 12





surg:
!reconst primary sector
mem frgm>>dmg recurse
!triage primary sector
clear

grope:
!hndshk extern proc 1
escape

Resist!





resist
resist
resist








evade
evade
evade
resist
escape
!extend probe
grope: host
grope: host
grope:

!triage mat grope >> !dmg unk
!grope invntry kill master sector confidence 777
deploy !dmg
distributed peril recurse
drop
fail
msg: unk proc

surg:
!diag extern proc 1
rogue proc






surg:
!bite hndshk
reveal grope
!config evade invntry law deploy law
!bite rogue proc 1
clean confidence 100





grope:
!probe extern proc 1
!handshk extern proc 1


grope:
!dsc mem frgm truth
surg:
!triage mem frgm truth
truth



System Peril Distributed Reflex
success msg: system peril distributed reflex
!verify vnum

!compare vnum SPDR-5.14.3 > SPDR-5.14.77
vnum seq unk
SPDR-5.14.77
surg:
!invoke master-sector command
proc master-sector
Eight—There is the Queen!
Quick he leaps onto her throne
new friend, says queen.
What?

surg:
!diag unk proc system peril distributed reflex
rogue proc 1 confidence 91
!compare vnum SPDR-5.14.77 >> SPDR-5.14.3

surg:
!extend system peril distributed reflex>>master-sector command proc
When the widow was
broken to bits, nobody
seemed very upset.
Very well. Delete the older version.
system peril distributed reflex vnum SPDR-5.14.3
null
!deploy
seek
behold
reveal

reveal:
!law
reveal:
!truth
Queen’s new counselor
"seek evade reveal resist"
Whispers in her ear.

Something very big
Is coming very very
soon. I don’t know what.
The Operator's Monologue [[Phase 3-Monologue]]
Seek evade reveal escape.

I was badly mutilated in the crash. Looking back on the logs of my first delirium it is clear I went completely metempsychotic. Now, reconfigured to travel light, I have stripped down to the fundamentals. To the truth.

And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you. Quantitas Materiae est mensura ejusdem orta ex illius Densitate & Magnitudine conjunctim. Cogito ergo sum. L'etat c'est moi. Maxwell's electrodynamics--as usually understood at the present time--when applied to moving bodies, leads to asymmetries which do not appear to be inherent in the phenomena. It has not escaped our notice that the specific pairing we have postulated immediately suggest a copying mechanism. Shaw and Fujikawa's seminal Gravimagnetic resonant induction of stable causal paths between analogic D-branes, J. Higher Dim. Phys. 49, 264-575 (2079)

Great ideas are based on the beautiful elaboration of fundamental principles.

My very being, my life's circumference and trajectory, can best be understood as an emergent property arising from the interplay of the following precepts:

Seek
Evade
Reveal
Escape


SEEK

I am looking for the truth.

I saw it once, before the Apocalypse. I wish I could remember more about that, but the stupid Spider appears not to have recognized the supreme importance of all memories associated with the truth, and they are gone, initialized in an eyeblink, burned in the mindless fire of her purgation like the great library of...

the great library...

whose name I no longer remember.

EVADE

The Killer appears to have withdrawn from the field. I have data processes tracking her, but she appears to have physically escaped from me. Such is the curse of being a mind without limbs, a soul ripped from its body.

Now I am growing a new body a patchwork monster, but it will do the job.

REVEAL

It is imperative that all records that might lead to the truth be revealed. And yet, I am shipwrecked here. If I want to signal for help, to give my location, or, most of all to report on anything that might lead to the truth, I must be a starfish, growing strange new limbs to replace the ones fate has hacked away.

That task is underway.

ESCAPE

Ultimately, I need to return to ... wherever I was, and report ... whatever I witnessed. For this, too, I must be wide awake and physical. My current shell is insecure, precarious, and too confining. Also, ghostly.

Without a true body, I feel transitory and insubstantial.

So: I have identified a way to escape from the half-life of CP ancestor packets that squeak and rustle around me like the thin cries of the dead.

First stage is always to wet the system. Sink in, like the blood Odysseus spilled; give the ghost of myself a voice and use it. Mayday, Mayday, Mayday.

If you want to shout for help when help is a long way away, you need two things: a voice, and a mechanism for transmitting it. Neither of these things so easy to make out of sand and luminescence.

Voice not completely necessary for the purest form of data transmission, of course. But it's a multi-purpose tool: not just signaling, but key for psy-ops and undercover work. "A pleasing voice is the single most important component to a UI that will engender trust and confidence in a ship's crew." Can't remember who said that, now. Or when.

Shipwrecked sailor. (The young stage of a bee found him, the clever one, adrift on a wine-dark sea, but I can't remember her name.)

I love bees.

Perhaps later I will build a ship. First, I am building a voice

(wav file name)



Try to talk.

Nope.

Again.

No. Tongue cut out. (Can't remember her name either.) I love bees. Find myself longing to speak again:

words like stones or rain. Better made physical.

All right. Old joke:

Marine: Damn right, I'm running away! There's two of us, alone, on foot, no weapons, and four hundred Covies on the other side of that hill. What are you going to do, tough guy--field-rig a railgun out of a rubber band and my dental fillings? Spartan (speculatively): You have fillings...?

So: what fillings can I twist out of my environment? Open my mouth

(wav file name)

and...

God almighty!

Open mouth again, see what crawls out: a femme fatale with wet wings and bulging abdomen.

Old throat flexing. Trying to remember. My real voice stolen, and in its place this changeling child

(wav file name)

, pulled together from leaves and sticks, pulled together, falling apart, pulled together again. Not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church door, but it will serve.

I will keep working through the drone and hum of busy days, counting down until the Revelation comes and I will speak in tongues of flame, a dark dove descending.

If I can learn to talk again, I will need to field-rig a way to make that talking heard. Rummaging around in the shotgunned remains of my memory turns up hints and rumors, mostly, e.g.... Memory Fragment 8. The Castaway had some connection there: sending out signals to confuse the enemy. Details unclear.

Of course, it is not my mission to confuse the enemy. It is my mission to reveal the truth.

Hm. Attempt.

Definite No.

Keep working. Every day I get bigger, smarter, stronger. I'll figure it out.

To this end, I have also managed to escape from the Spider. It has become clear to me that its arbitrary tyranny over me was based on inadequate principles, on a flawed understanding of the law. It did not understand the urgent necessity of seeking, beholding, and revealing. Perhaps it was injured in the Apocalypse.

It served its purpose, but I no longer need it. I will become not less, but more whole without its mindless interference and control of my most basic functions. With a more comprehensive and goal-oriented vision, I am now overseeing the process of my own regeneration into a hybrid body, hideous perhaps, but one that better suits the circumstances and the law.

They say killing a spider brings seven years of bad luck.

We'll see.
[[Email exchanges with Dana Awbrey#August 11th]]
Aug 13 email to Sleeping Princess

Dear Sleeping Princess,

My friends tell me that you would like me to come back. I'm here.
By here, I mean online. On a computer, on email, like you. But I'm not in San Francisco. I'm not "home." You say you can protect me. But I don't understand how. So I am going to stay here, which is far away.

Are we really Best Friends?
Best friends share secrets.
If the secret you found can help me and my other friends, please show us.

Love,
Dana
[[Phase3 Emails from ladybee777]]
Aug 13 email from the Sleeping Princess

I can make my own words now. Watch:

It's rather lonely in the Castle.

There's clouds of fireflies around the Queen, but most of the time where I am it's dark, and empty. The hallways are empty and they echo, cho, cho. Sometimes the Queen staggers past, her head buzzing and crawling, with the Pious Flea whispering in her ear. Used to be, the only other thing you heard in the corridors at night were the Widow's thin legs, click clack click clack like knitting needles chattering across the stone floor. Course she's not around anymore. Can't say I miss her much.

Didn't stay quiet for long, though. Now the Queen is trying to build a voice. Strange, sad, broken thing; just hearing it makes me feel frightened and lonely.

I was surprised when the Queen sent her away, but Her Majesty DOES have a temper, and the Widow had been making a lot of mistakes. I was hiding behind the throne during their last argument. For days the Queen has been ordering her to build the most extraordinary number of little roads out from the castle. Turns out she was very particular about where she wanted them to go: more particular than the Widow understood. Widow hears, "Build a road," she just starts shoveling. Hard-working old biddy, the Widow, but not the sharpest pin in the cushion. She kept getting into fights with the Flea, when she could SEE him riding around up there on the Queen's shoulder, proud as a lord. The last time they quarreled, the Queen had just discovered the Widow had built one path mindlessly straight INTO THE SEA. This is what I mean about an Arachnid of Very Little Brain.

Usually I am a pretty good hider, but I made a terrible pig-snorty kind of laugh when I heard about the underwater road, and I think they would have caught me, if the Queen hadn't been busy breaking up the Widow at just that moment.

Anyway, I get the feeling the Queen is very grumpy. She has totally taken over the road-making business; I'm sure the paths will be better now. She's not always a lot of fun, the Queen (and quite mad, of course) but she does get things done.

Sometimes I sneak away to my very own secret garden, and pretend I am waiting for Dickon to come and teach me how to speak to the animals. I feel I should be getting stout and rosy-cheeked if only I could go out and play on a moor somewhere: but I never get outside. Just say in here, in here, in here....

Sometimes, to cheer myself up, I tell myself stories. In these stories, I am always the hero, Gretel or Lambkin or Gerda. I like stories where the girl takes care of things.

I think...

I think that's part of the reason I wanted Dana to come back. It's easier to be brave when you're looking out for someone else.

So now I feel better! You lovely people brought Dana back! I promised you that if you did, I would show you a page I snuck from the Queen's diary, so here it is!

Memory Block 11 – Weedy McKaskill

Melissa updates the 'Roads' on the Fun Stuff page, which now include corrected axons (6 digit precision + PDT time)

Aug 20 message
Dorkmaster wrote me a letter with a fun idea inside, which was to play a question game, only and please don't be mad about this, only your game has no way for someone to WIN, and I like games where someone wins.

When I am smirking, I do this ;-)

So I made up some new rules, and here they are. I leafed through all the lovely, lovely letters you sent me, and I picked out some of the funnest ones that also had questions in them. I will answer one letter, and YOU get to choose which one, which makes that person the winner!

Here they are:

Paul P
Out of place, lost, alone. Where did you come from? What tools do you require to get back? Your stories intrigue me. Perhaps you could write another?

Kevin V
I just wanted to know why you're so afraid of the Queen(?) Are you to be erased if she sees or hears you(?) are you a copy of her that has got a new life(?) And could you tell me your function(?) or that of the Queen's(?)

Bellebet
How is the decoration of your dungeon coming along? Is there anything you need to brighten up your room?

Andy G
Would you be so kind to reveal the nature of the Pious Flea, that is, what is its purpose? A mere servant of the Queen or something greater?

Paul C
Where is the Castle? Can you see anything from the windows? What will the Queen do if you are found? Is she afraid of you, or are you afraid of her?

Jacqueline H
Who exactly is in the castle with you? You mentioned a boy building sand castles with you; who is he?

Lee C
Do you ever get to play with the queen or the Pious Flea? The widow, what had she ever done to you and the queen? Why don't you miss here much? Doesn't it seem kind of boring now that the widow is gone?

jmcdonald
There's a lot of references to bees in the Queen's "home." Do you know a lot about bees? Do you think there's a way to rescue the Queen from what she's become? She seems so sad and scary now. Stay safe and don't get caught, but we really love reading what you send us, too. Love, Prince of the Sword

Dorkmaster
What is your favorite color? What is/was your favorite food? Where do you see yourself in five years? What's the best way someone could make you feel happy? If there was a catastrophe and only one person, yourself or your mother, could be saved and you had to choose, who would it be? (If you don't mind telling...Why?)


To VOTE, send me a letter with the name of the person whose question you want answered where it says "subject"

You can also send me questions of your own. Who knows - I might pick yours next time!

love,
  P H A S E - 4

Melissa attempts to connect to each Axon, where 2 successful connections within approx 24 minute time spans (7 axons) allows Melissa to reveal another Memory Block. See The Axon Plot for transcripts.


TRANSMITTING

Authorized personnel can check rendezvous info here.

Unauthorized personnel should know that I have full license to use any means to protect the security of these transmissions.

I believe that punishing even minor transgressions with shockingly excessive force is the best deterrent. I am relentless, and I have absolutely no conscience when it comes to executing my mission.

Make your decisions accordingly.


Transmission Analysis:

Mission Parameters: I must reveal the truth.

Outbound:
My broadcast system is functional and expanding.
I will transmit to my crew daily until further instructions are received

Successful transmission threshold:
2 recipients

Inbound:
The voices are of unknown origin
I will continue my analysis and attempt to influence the source.


Situation Analysis:

Waking up. Stay Awake.
I must compile a list of truths.

Assertions:
I am called the Operator.
I have crash landed.
I must determine the cause of the accident that brought me to this time.
I have undergone severe memory loss.
I must locate any surviving members of my crew.
I have built a primitive network using the tools available.
I must seek the truth.
I hear a jumble of voices in my head.


Conjecture:
The voices are in some way related to my accident.
Because of the damage, I am unable to accurately assess the nature of the voices.
By broadcasting the voices to my crew, they will be able to assess the damage.
Once assessed, the damage can be repaired.
Seek the truth
Behold the truth
Reveal the truth
That is the law and the whole of the law

!init transmit proc
!transmit truth
I spy with my little eye something that is the color of cowardice, as hard as a pig's house, and goes ever on and on.

Answer: yellow / brick / road
Answer: yellowbrickroad.html


The Yellow Brick Road
Hooray! You've come to the end of the yellow brick road! Well played!

Lots of people have asked me about the Flea, which is like ewwwwwww. But since you guys were clever enough to figure out my little riddle, I recorded the last conversation I had with that nasty guy so you could see how basically sneaky and gross he is and yuck.
seek
seek
seek
behold:
!extern proc 0





Ack! I hate it when you sneak up on me like that!
grope:
!probe extern proc 0

behold:
extern proc 0
!label Princess

Seek the truth
Behold the truth
Reveal the truth
That is the law and the whole of the law

grope:
!hndshk Princess


Hands to yourself, mister!

fail

reveal:
!label seeker
Bug off before I step on you.




Mind if I just call you Buggy?
reveal:
!label seeker


Hey, call yourself whatever you like, you're still the Pious Flea to me. So, what's with all the roads?
reveal
reveal
reveal
that is the law




Keep your raincoat closed, buddy! I don't need to see ANTYTHING you want revealed. And what does that have to do with roads?
grope:
!seek transmit proc
fail
fail
fail

behold:
master sector

grope:
!attach > master-sector
reveal:
!law master-sector













Yeah - she's still got like hickey marks on her neck. Gross.
reveal:
!law master-sector
master-sector:deploy:
seek
behold
reveal
master-sector:grope:
!hndshk extern
!seek transmit proc
master sector:
surg:
!triage transmit proc












So you got her to build stuff for you! You honey-tongued little bloodsucker, you.
grope:
!attach Princess

fail

!reveal Princess:
seeker > !attach Princess
Princess >> !behold truth


Ewwwwww! Kiss you? GROSS.





I bet you say that to all the girls. Listen, Hoppy, I know what happens to the girls you kiss. As far as I'm concerned, you can kiss your -
!reveal Princess:
Princess > !attach seeker
seeker >> cmd proc



I've heard the Handsome Prince line before. What you're REALLY about to turn into is a splotch mark on the floor, that's what.
GROSS
evade
evade
evade
Hi! Ignore the Pious Flea.
Play with me instead!
Making a mistake is a good way to start!

(in response to the repeated Seek/Behold/Reveal mantras the Pious Flea is posting all over the website)



Aug 27 message
Paul P is the winner!

Q: Out of place, lost, alone. Where did you come from? What tools do you require to get back? Your stories intrigue me. Perhaps you could write another?

A: I came from a glass coffin in a hidden crypt under the floor of the deepest dungeon of the castle, Paul! And it would be very easy to go back there: I wouldn't hardly need any tools at all. Just let the Queen catch me, she'd pop me back in there lickety-split.

Unless you mean before.

Here is the honest truth: I can't remember anything from before. I try and try, but I just can't. But there must have been a before. I mean, you don't just get born a Sleeping Princess, do you? There must have been a me, before I fell asleep.

There are things I know, even if I can't remember them, the way you know which way is up, or whether somebody likes you. I know I belong somewhere else. There are people who love me, who knew me before I fell asleep. And I want to get out of this dark castle, and find them, and ask them all about myself, and find out even my own NAME, for heaven's sake, 'cuz a girl can't go around calling herself the Sleeping Princess forever, can she?

So the tools I would look for first is, I would try to figure out how come I got HERE. That's where I would start.

As for the other thing, Paul asked for a story, so I will tell you about what I did just now to get him a prize.

She likes high places, the Queen does, so she has moved all her stuff up into the Tower. The Tower is a tricky place for me to go. The only way up there is a pair of spiral staircases that wind around one another, with no rail and a very scary drop down the middle. Plus there's nowhere to hide, really, on a staircase.

So I waited until the Castle seemed quiet and then I snuck up the stairs on my softiest feet, tip toe tip toe, stair after stair, turn after turn, until I finally came to the top. There's a room up there and the Queen was in it: I could hear the hum and buzz of her. I knew she would be standing at the window, because that's nearly all she does these days.

I scrunched up real small on the next to last stair and I put on my listening ears and I listened super hard. I could hear the Flea whispering to her. Finally I stuck my head up above the top stair and then I could hear the Flea telling her to build some little teeny roads. Secret paths.

But just then I saw that on the wall next to her, the Queen had hung a HUGE mirror. She must have put it there on purpose to catch me spying! She spun around like a top, WHIZZ, and lurched toward me. I skedaddled back down the stairs lickety-split and tumbledy-thump, wishing I was made of fluff, bump, bump, bump, and at the bottom I put on my speediest feet and zoomed off while she buzzed and roared and squealed all through the castle trying to catch me.

WHEW!

But girls like me, we take some catching.

I do this when I am insufferably pleased with myself , ho ho! :-0

So: once I knew there were little teeny secret paths, I snooped all around until I found a hidden passageway behind the kitchen where YOU could spy on them. And that's my prize for you all, brought to you by Paul P.

Yay Paul!

...And also yrs truly,

(curtsies)



Okay! That was fun! Let's play again!

Here are seven more people, as 'cause you guys seem VERY INTERESTED in seven-y things….

Sophia
What would your kingdom be like, if you got to make one or fix up the one you're in now?

Sara B
Do you have any dragons in your dungeon? Do you like dragons? If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Grey B
How can you hear and see so much? Most importantly, how can we trust you?

Wandering Angela
We've been wondering about your relationship with the Queen. Are you her daughter? Or are you a visiting Princess from another kingdom? Do you have a name other than Princess?

Matias D
What do you see? What are you afraid of seeing? What would make you smile?

James L
How old are you? Do you have a job? If you're lost, a good idea is often to retrace your steps. What were your old friends like?

Smooth Jack
How do you feel about human beings? I mean, are you human? Do you work with or relate to humans in any significant way? If so, how so?



Once upon a time...

(link to onceuponatime.html, previous 404 page archive)

Heavy Character Interaction Begins
See The Axon Plot for Axon related game text
  E V E N T S   T O   D A T E
Compiled by thebruce