Ultimatum
The Cruel
- Location
- King's Landing
Hebert. It's a simple mistake, but I figured it should be corrected.
Gaffer (Worm SI)
- Thread starter Cool10007
- Start date
-
- Tags
- worm self insert crosspost
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Let it be known that I am not particularly observant. Jamie has a supercomputer plugged into his brain and as such is much worse. To put it simply: He dumb.
Thank you, corrected. I double-checked the wiki to make sure I knew the right spelling, and then immediately went ahead and misspelled it anyway.
Khepri never happens and everyone dies. The end.
What is the date of the story? I forgot where we are in the timeline.
The explanation of Tinkertech is never totally consistent, even in Wildbows WOG, but my favorite interpretation is that Tinkertech is technology, but it's so advanced that it is not reproducible. Also, Tinker powers cheat during manufacturing so you don't even observe all the steps during creation. But then you have Armsmaster whose tech breaks down quicker when it's away from him, so his power is also doing something to maintain that tech.
With how shit the economy is in Brockton Bay, I don't think you will have too much trouble finding people with advanced STEM degrees to teach tech maintenance too. It's will funny to see the burly men of the Dockworkers union become more academic. Men trading their PPE high viz vests for tweed jackets.
- Location
- Louisville KY
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Ok, in no way is Tinkertech science-based. Sure, it uses some physical components to help nerf the capabilities. However, the reason for the blackboxing of the tech isn't because of advanced science. It's where the Shard is just using its powers to create the effect that the item is supposed to perform.
This is how L33t's shard easily changes his items to 'splode on recreation.
This is how L33t's shard easily changes his items to 'splode on recreation.
Tinkers make devices. Powers help cheat during the construction, provide the knowledge to make and use tech, and sometimes powers actively assist in the devices function. It's a mix of all these things to varying degrees.
I like this stories explanation of Tinkertech. It's true to canon in my opinion.
The fact the tech isn't reproducible doesn't mean that it isn't technology. An ipad will be incomprehensible a thousand years ago. Human tech from 1000 years in the future will be incomprehensible to us now. You don't even need such a big difference in years. Real advanced technology is hard to reproduce. A recent example is Afghanistan and US equipment. That country doesn't have the tech or knowledge to maintain a lot of US gear, like the planes. There are hundreds of Afghan blacksmiths that can make guns from scratch but they won't be maintaining complicated planes without training.
Machine learning designed parts are also not easily reproducible or understandable. For example a machine learning designed chip can be extremely efficient at performing a specific function, but it is really weird. It relies on manufacturing quirks and subtle field interactions that are not immediately obvious to a human eye. And then the whole chip stops working if you make a tiny adjustment because the field interactions are gone.
From Wildbow:
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I like this stories explanation of Tinkertech. It's true to canon in my opinion.
The fact the tech isn't reproducible doesn't mean that it isn't technology. An ipad will be incomprehensible a thousand years ago. Human tech from 1000 years in the future will be incomprehensible to us now. You don't even need such a big difference in years. Real advanced technology is hard to reproduce. A recent example is Afghanistan and US equipment. That country doesn't have the tech or knowledge to maintain a lot of US gear, like the planes. There are hundreds of Afghan blacksmiths that can make guns from scratch but they won't be maintaining complicated planes without training.
Machine learning designed parts are also not easily reproducible or understandable. For example a machine learning designed chip can be extremely efficient at performing a specific function, but it is really weird. It relies on manufacturing quirks and subtle field interactions that are not immediately obvious to a human eye. And then the whole chip stops working if you make a tiny adjustment because the field interactions are gone.
From Wildbow:
Reddit - Dive into anything
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Wildbow said:
- Location
- Texas
I know right? I realized it the moment he said he was a devorce lawyer who had a friend interested in restoring the ferry. That was like, a dead give away.
Lunch 1.4
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Hoo, fuck. This got away from me. One minute I'm doing haha funnie robots, and the next... Well, you'll see. Please tell me what you think - this is the first time I've really lent into a serious topic, and I'd like to know if I kept things tactful or not. Enjoy!
Danny is a super cool guy.
Not 'cool,' cool, he's dorky as hell, but a great guy to hang out with. Funny, quick-witted and on the ball. I can certainly see where the queen of escalation comes from, if this is how he acts when in his element.
And make no mistake - tinkertech or not, Danny is in his element here. He's got answers for any question I could care to ask and an almost immediate awareness of anything that might go wrong with a particular plan. Usually with a solution on top.
We'd moved away from my balloons once Danny arrived. It was nearing sunset and none of us had any desire to be out in chilly weather like tonight. Danny had suggested a pub most of the dock workers head to after work and Alan had agreed - apparently, it'd been a while since the pair of them went out, and they were treating this as a way to make up for lost time.
Which is fine by me, honestly. I can deal with this more casual environment better than a proper business meeting, especially with a goddamn Hebert sitting across from me.
Unfortunately, doing a meeting in a pub has the downside of it being, y'know, in a pub. We're surrounded by rowdy dockworkers either unsubtly pretending they aren't eavesdropping on us, or getting smashed - sometimes both.
"Okay, so how's this then?" I ask, shifting my tableware diorama of a potential design so that the tourist help desk is on the outside of the building, away from the main desk. "This way, it can still be more functional than touristy, without discarding the income visitors bring. And isn't next to the bathrooms."
Danny considers this design from a few angles - pausing as Paper Jam and Heterodyne switch out a blank napkin pillar for an inexpertly coloured one. The two of them are sticking with me and the Chibi printer, with the Gen Ones now living on the boardwalk, and the rest of the Shinies going out to find their own way in the city.
"Much better - having the ferry dock be multipurpose is a good decision, I think. Since we're on the topic of practicality, how durable are those windows?"
I perk up - silicone alternatives have been a focus of mine, what with the slaughterhouse coming eventually. "They're not going to be glass, but rather a carbon-based lattice. Hard as diamond, flexible as wood and difficult to get dirty - nobody is going to be breaking the windows here unless they pop the panes out of the walls."
Alan pipes up, absentmindedly handing Paper Jam a new pen. "Wouldn't that count as a tinkertech material? The NEPEA-5 bill should prevent that, since it's irreplaceable."
"Not... Actually, kind of? It's technically replicable, but not with Bet's current technology level. We're maybe... 30 years off mass production and, two for lab trials? But... Could I release the method online for free, alongside instructions? For, like, Universities to test. I think I could set up a version chem students could follow, though it'd be much weaker and hard to keep clear. Maybe with a fully stocked laboratory..."
I move to start sketching out the formulas needed, but Danny grabs my wrist. "Focus, Gaffer. We can work that out once we've got the actual ferry set up."
Whoops. "Ah, thanks. What else is there?"
Danny had been doing that a lot, stopping me from going off on a separate project when something caught my attention. It's helping keep me on track, but damn shelving all these ideas is bugging me. Making the perfect ferry system can only distract me for so long!
While the initial point-to-point ferry idea was complete, we'd expanded it while we were sitting around having dinner - a full-on public transport system, with multiple ferries running simaltanious routes across the bay. A predicted 34% total decrease in total unemployment across the city, plus nearly halving all organised crime surrounding low-income areas if I could get the whole project through. Plus, a blanket improvement for the city's tourism, the main source of inwards cash flow that isn't controlled by a gang-run corporation, is always nice.
And wasn't that a trip to find out - the main companies big enough to support the city's failing economy were Medhall Medical Technologies, Fortress Constructions and the goddamn Bailey Customs auto repair chain.
This city is so much of a shithole, it's personally offensive to me and my power.
Hopefully, I can start changing that with this first step.
I nod along to Danny and Alan's debate over which ferry docks held the highest construction priority as I dug into a steak. One foot in front of the other, and eventually things will work out, Jamie.
Hopefully.
- - - - -
I snicker into my drink as a tipsy Alan and cheerful Danny finishes telling us about the time little Taylor and Emma decided to try and park Annette's car for her and ended up making a lovely new hole into the living room.
"In the end," Danny grins, winding down the tale, "We just got together and installed a window over the weekend. Nobody was hurt, we got a fantastic insurance payout over the thing, and the pair stopped pulling mischief like that behind our backs. Nice and easy."
Alan barks out a laugh. "Easy? Getting that window in was a bitch and a half, thank you very much, and to this day, Emma still refuses to learn how to drive." His smile dies a bit, and he lets out a sigh. "God, Danny, when was the last time we got together and just... Did something? We practically remodeled our houses every other week back then! We might be getting older, but we could still..." He trails off.
Danny lets out a breath and looks over at the door, mind elsewhere. "Ah, I know, I know. But after Annette... Well, you know how I was." He slumps down into his drink, a dark look crossing his face. "Hell, you're probably the only reason I'm alive. If you hadn't pulled me out of my funk... I wasn't looking after Taylor, Alan. I should've been, but I just... broke. And - fuck, we never really recovered from it. Even now."
Alan doesn't seem to know how to respond to that, and neither do I.
For all my metaknowledge, I don't know Danny. Not well enough to but into this, anyway. Even the Chibis are silent, Paper Jam and Heterodyne quietly watching this unfold from the diorama's bench.
Alan drums his fingers on the table, and his expression hardens. He claps Danny's shoulder suddenly and nods.
"Not anymore, Danny. I... Look, I think we have a real shot at making things better with this. Like, this?" He nods at the diorama "This is possible. Not in ten years, not in twenty, but by next week. We aren't shooting the shit around your firepit, or setting up another goddamn petition, or organising a protest- We're designing the ferry. The ferry. It's been your dream for years, since I first met you. For what, Twenty-five years? We've been trying to get this thing set up, and look now! We're finally getting there."
Danny picks himself up, meeting Alan's gaze. Alan resolutely continues. "We've fallen out of touch with each other, sure, but... not anymore. Not again! I'm gonna help you, Dan. And maybe we can finally, finally, put all those grand plans we had into motion."
Danny looks at Alan for a long moment, Alan meeting him head-on. A grin slowly creeps onto his face, before he starts to laugh - a deep, booming thing, despite his wiry stature - and grabs Alan's shoulder in turn.
"One last soapbox for us to climb, huh?" He says wryly.
Alan smiles viciously. "Another fucking soapbox."
The tense atmosphere is broken suddenly when Paper Jam and Heterodyne began clapping the pair, the three of us turning to them in surprise.
And just like that, the spell is broken and we're all left wheezing with laughter. It just feels so absurd.
...I really hope they can stay tasteful like this. It wouldn't do for them try that at a funeral.
When we finally manage to get our laughter under control, I decided to pipe up.
"Right. Well, it's not really my place to mention any of that - I hardly know the two of you. But just know, I'd be happy to help with that soapbox, if you'd like. I'd imagine tinkertech could help 'grease the wheel,' so to speak, and the state of Brockton Bay is personally offensive to me and my power."
Danny leans back, huffing. "Heh. Sorry to dump that on you, it's been a long time coming. And believe me, we'll take you up on that offer - you're like our own little fairy godmother, appearing out of nowhere and solving all our problems."
"Hopefully they'll last past midnight, yeah?" I reply dryly.
...
This is a bad idea.
...Fuck it. I'm here, and I'm involved. I might as well try to help where I can.
"Right. This is probably the beer talking, but let's see if I can solve a few more of your problems. What's up with your kids? You both love talking about them when they were little, but dodge any mention of them now."
They both look away, refusing to meet my eyes.
"See? Like that! Clearly, something is wrong, and it's not going to get better unless you speak up and try and fix it."
There's a long pause, even the surrounding tables going quieter.
Deep breath, Jamie, hold your gaze.
Just as I was beginning to worry I had overstepped, Alan slaps his hand on the table. "He's right. We should. We have to talk about this."
Danny glances over in shock, but Alan scoffs at him. "Oh please, don't give me that look. I watched you flirt with Annette when she was still threatening to castrate you - You can manage to talk about your daughter. Man up."
Wait, what?
Danny bangs his head on the table and chuckles. "That's because I was an idiot back then. But... You're right. Both of you. But... You can go first, Alan."
Can we go back to the castration thing?
Alan pauses for a moment, before knocking back the rest of his drink. "Touche. God, um, Emma... I think Emma's fallen in with a bad crowd."
Ok, I guess not. And kind of understating it there, Alan. Not that you know that.
Danna looks over in shock, and Alan hastily clarifies. "Not the gangs, or - god forbid - what we were doing at their age," What?! "But a bad crowd. There's a girl, Sophia Hess. Emma looks up to her, for good reason too. If she hadn't..." Alan stops himself "Well, it's not for me to say. And for a long time, I was completely for it, but... Hess isn't the girl I thought she was."
Huh, ok.
Danny and I nod along - I'm honestly surprised Alan had picked up on so much but, then again, Worm is through Taylor's biased view. She never had the full story, despite what she thought.
Alan bites his lip in thought. "I hardly recognise my little girl. At first, I thought she was just growing up, you know? Moody teenagers, and all. But now... She's obsessed with appearances. And the idea of 'strength.' Of being strong. A few years back... We got caught by Alley Jackers. ABB."
Danny chokes on his drink, and I'm right there with him - Danny seemed rattled at the news and I'm shocked that it's a common enough occurrence for there to be slang. This city is awful.
Danny moves to pipe up, but Alan cuts him off. "We were fine. A hero showed up in time, and Emma was over the moon about it after. But I think it hurt her more than I realized. And now... I think she's bullying kids, Danny. Badly, too."
The admission surprises me. Partially that he was aware, but mostly because despite that, Taylor saw no actions done against it.
Alan leans back, tired. Looks like he's done.
Danny slowly nods and knocks back his own drink - coughing, as his was far fuller than Alan's. I slap him on the back until he clears his throat.
"Ah, thanks. Taylor..." Danny trails off and huffs "God, where do I even begin? When Annette died... I shut down. Completely and utterly. I wasn't eating, I wasn't sleeping - for a week, I basically left Taylor to fend for herself. And combined with everything else? She just... Hasn't trusted me since."
Danny shuts his eyes and takes a shuddering breath. "God knows I've given her no reason to. Taylor has the opposite problem to Emma right now - she's being bullied. Badly. She comes home every day with shit on her, or with her things broken. I get calls about her missing homework that I watched her finish! And... The locker. God, the locker." His wavering voice hardens into something cold and furious, enough to make me sit back slightly. "They nearly killed her, Alan. Shoved her in a locker full of rotting garbage and left her there for hours."
He's not yelling - but from how quiet the pub's gotten, you wouldn't know it.
Just as quickly as it came, the cold rage drains out of Danny, leaving him small and deflated. "They had to call in Panacea. If they hadn't, she would've died within hours, I... The school won't do anything. 'No evidence,' they say, no culprits despite half the damn school watching her get shoved in. And not one could name who did it. And.."
He rests his head in his hands and practically whispers his next words. "I didn't know. For a full day, I didn't know. I was at work, and the school only has the home phone number, so they left a message. I got home, cooked dinner, and went to bed thinking that she was just in her room. When I didn't hear her get up the next morning, I checked the answering machine and, only then, did I learn what happened to my daughter."
He swallows thickly. "She doesn't know. She doesn't know that her father just... left her in hospital, alone, for a full day. After nearly dying. Because I don't want to break the last sliver of trust she has left in me."
He looks up at us, eyes watery. "Is that selfish?"
Alan and I are floored. Hell, the whole room is dead silent.
I catch Alan's eye. All yours, man.
Alan looks between us helplessly. He opens his mouth to speak, but nothing comes out.
Suddenly, his gaze becomes resolute, and hugs Danny. No words, just a manly, one armed hug and a strong pat on the back.
"No," Alan replies, "In your position? I'd probably do the same."
I try take a long sip of my beer, only to find it empty. Okay. Deep breaths.
"Well... Shit. I can't tinker a solution for this, I'm afraid. Probably shouldn't, even if I could. But I'm a lot closer to your kid's age, and have been through some rough patches myself. So I might be able to give some insight, if you're willing."
Literally being in Taylor's head for a while doesn't hurt either.
Danny lets out a laugh, his voice cracking. "I'll take anything at the moment. What have you got for me this time, Gaffer?"
I make a show of hesitating before I start. "Alan, who was the hero who saved you in the... 'Alley Jacking?'"
Alan blinks at the tonal shift. "Shadow Stalker, why?"
I drum my fingers on the table, and continuing. "Right. Have Taylor and Emma caught up recently? Or even mentioned one another?"
The pair think about that for a while. Alan shakes his head, while Danny replies, still thinking about it, "I asked her about Emma a little while ago... But, now that you mention it, she dodged the question."
I sigh and nod. "Well. I'm just spitballing here, but... I'd say Emma and Taylor aren't friends anymore. Probably haven't been for a long time, either."
The concept rattles the both of them, but I can see them think it over. They don't seem to like what they find,
"And," I continue, "With how bad things seem to be? I'd say that Emma is either directly bullying Taylor, or actively ignoring it happening."
That gets a reaction- Danny and Alan both vehemently and loudly protest against me, but quieten when I hold up my hand.
"I know! Just... Hear me out on this one. So. Taylor's mother has just died, and Emma has watched her friend break down because of it. Time goes on, and then Emma is put through a traumatic and distressing event of her own. But, where Taylor shut down in response, Emma was saved by someone 'strong.' Heck, if what I've heard about Shadow Stalker is true? She might have only stepped in once Emma began fighting back."
Alan looks at me in shock and I look around the pub meaningfully, a few folks looking away quickly. "I'll tell you later. But now Emma finds that she 'won'" I make finger quotes "against trauma by fighting. By being 'strong.' But Taylor didn't, and if Danny was even halfway accurate with his assessment of his daughter? She's probably still not ok. So now, Emma is faced with a dillema. Help out her 'weak' friend, or become someone strong. And if I had to guess? I'd say Emma decided on cutting the link to her 'old life.' Keep in mind, this is what I'm getting from my own experiences, combined with my new tinker knowledge of social dynamics. I'm probably missing huge amounts of context. But... I doubt I'm too far off."
Alan and Danny are dead silent for a moment, before Danny lets out a long puff of air. He gestures for another round and snorts.
"Jesus. You don't do things by half, do you?"
I shrug. "Again, I've seen similar things happen before. I'm just lucky that we knocked some sense into my friend before he got to big for his britches. Sometimes literally."
Danny laughs and, just like that, the noise in the bar picks back up. A waiter brings over some new drinks, and Alan leans back in his chair.
"We should probably start investigating, huh?" He says dryly "Just in case."
Danny nods. "Just in case. And actually? Cheers. To a brighter future. For us, and for the Bay."
We tap our glasses together and drink. Danny looks at me thoughtfully.
"Hey, how old are you? With what you just said, I'd guess you aren't that far out of school. You in college, maybe?"
"Nah, I'm eighteen. Still waiting on my ATAR results, actually. Not that it matters at the moment... What?"
Danny and Alan are staring at me. Their gaze drops to my beer.
Wait.
I'm in America. Not Australia.
"FUCK!" I slam the glass down on the table. "First I get interdimentionally kidnapped onto this hell world, and now I can't fucking DRINK!"
Alan and Danny begin wheezing with laughter, redoubling every time they see my frown.
"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up." I grumble, mulishly, "We'll see who's laughing when... Uh..."
Shit, I can't think of anything. Uh, weed's legalised in 2016? No, that doesn't make sense. Um.
I sigh. "Lets just get back to the ferry."
They just laugh even harder. Dicks.
Danny is a super cool guy.
Not 'cool,' cool, he's dorky as hell, but a great guy to hang out with. Funny, quick-witted and on the ball. I can certainly see where the queen of escalation comes from, if this is how he acts when in his element.
And make no mistake - tinkertech or not, Danny is in his element here. He's got answers for any question I could care to ask and an almost immediate awareness of anything that might go wrong with a particular plan. Usually with a solution on top.
We'd moved away from my balloons once Danny arrived. It was nearing sunset and none of us had any desire to be out in chilly weather like tonight. Danny had suggested a pub most of the dock workers head to after work and Alan had agreed - apparently, it'd been a while since the pair of them went out, and they were treating this as a way to make up for lost time.
Which is fine by me, honestly. I can deal with this more casual environment better than a proper business meeting, especially with a goddamn Hebert sitting across from me.
Unfortunately, doing a meeting in a pub has the downside of it being, y'know, in a pub. We're surrounded by rowdy dockworkers either unsubtly pretending they aren't eavesdropping on us, or getting smashed - sometimes both.
"Okay, so how's this then?" I ask, shifting my tableware diorama of a potential design so that the tourist help desk is on the outside of the building, away from the main desk. "This way, it can still be more functional than touristy, without discarding the income visitors bring. And isn't next to the bathrooms."
Danny considers this design from a few angles - pausing as Paper Jam and Heterodyne switch out a blank napkin pillar for an inexpertly coloured one. The two of them are sticking with me and the Chibi printer, with the Gen Ones now living on the boardwalk, and the rest of the Shinies going out to find their own way in the city.
"Much better - having the ferry dock be multipurpose is a good decision, I think. Since we're on the topic of practicality, how durable are those windows?"
I perk up - silicone alternatives have been a focus of mine, what with the slaughterhouse coming eventually. "They're not going to be glass, but rather a carbon-based lattice. Hard as diamond, flexible as wood and difficult to get dirty - nobody is going to be breaking the windows here unless they pop the panes out of the walls."
Alan pipes up, absentmindedly handing Paper Jam a new pen. "Wouldn't that count as a tinkertech material? The NEPEA-5 bill should prevent that, since it's irreplaceable."
"Not... Actually, kind of? It's technically replicable, but not with Bet's current technology level. We're maybe... 30 years off mass production and, two for lab trials? But... Could I release the method online for free, alongside instructions? For, like, Universities to test. I think I could set up a version chem students could follow, though it'd be much weaker and hard to keep clear. Maybe with a fully stocked laboratory..."
I move to start sketching out the formulas needed, but Danny grabs my wrist. "Focus, Gaffer. We can work that out once we've got the actual ferry set up."
Whoops. "Ah, thanks. What else is there?"
Danny had been doing that a lot, stopping me from going off on a separate project when something caught my attention. It's helping keep me on track, but damn shelving all these ideas is bugging me. Making the perfect ferry system can only distract me for so long!
While the initial point-to-point ferry idea was complete, we'd expanded it while we were sitting around having dinner - a full-on public transport system, with multiple ferries running simaltanious routes across the bay. A predicted 34% total decrease in total unemployment across the city, plus nearly halving all organised crime surrounding low-income areas if I could get the whole project through. Plus, a blanket improvement for the city's tourism, the main source of inwards cash flow that isn't controlled by a gang-run corporation, is always nice.
And wasn't that a trip to find out - the main companies big enough to support the city's failing economy were Medhall Medical Technologies, Fortress Constructions and the goddamn Bailey Customs auto repair chain.
This city is so much of a shithole, it's personally offensive to me and my power.
Hopefully, I can start changing that with this first step.
I nod along to Danny and Alan's debate over which ferry docks held the highest construction priority as I dug into a steak. One foot in front of the other, and eventually things will work out, Jamie.
Hopefully.
- - - - -
I snicker into my drink as a tipsy Alan and cheerful Danny finishes telling us about the time little Taylor and Emma decided to try and park Annette's car for her and ended up making a lovely new hole into the living room.
"In the end," Danny grins, winding down the tale, "We just got together and installed a window over the weekend. Nobody was hurt, we got a fantastic insurance payout over the thing, and the pair stopped pulling mischief like that behind our backs. Nice and easy."
Alan barks out a laugh. "Easy? Getting that window in was a bitch and a half, thank you very much, and to this day, Emma still refuses to learn how to drive." His smile dies a bit, and he lets out a sigh. "God, Danny, when was the last time we got together and just... Did something? We practically remodeled our houses every other week back then! We might be getting older, but we could still..." He trails off.
Danny lets out a breath and looks over at the door, mind elsewhere. "Ah, I know, I know. But after Annette... Well, you know how I was." He slumps down into his drink, a dark look crossing his face. "Hell, you're probably the only reason I'm alive. If you hadn't pulled me out of my funk... I wasn't looking after Taylor, Alan. I should've been, but I just... broke. And - fuck, we never really recovered from it. Even now."
Alan doesn't seem to know how to respond to that, and neither do I.
For all my metaknowledge, I don't know Danny. Not well enough to but into this, anyway. Even the Chibis are silent, Paper Jam and Heterodyne quietly watching this unfold from the diorama's bench.
Alan drums his fingers on the table, and his expression hardens. He claps Danny's shoulder suddenly and nods.
"Not anymore, Danny. I... Look, I think we have a real shot at making things better with this. Like, this?" He nods at the diorama "This is possible. Not in ten years, not in twenty, but by next week. We aren't shooting the shit around your firepit, or setting up another goddamn petition, or organising a protest- We're designing the ferry. The ferry. It's been your dream for years, since I first met you. For what, Twenty-five years? We've been trying to get this thing set up, and look now! We're finally getting there."
Danny picks himself up, meeting Alan's gaze. Alan resolutely continues. "We've fallen out of touch with each other, sure, but... not anymore. Not again! I'm gonna help you, Dan. And maybe we can finally, finally, put all those grand plans we had into motion."
Danny looks at Alan for a long moment, Alan meeting him head-on. A grin slowly creeps onto his face, before he starts to laugh - a deep, booming thing, despite his wiry stature - and grabs Alan's shoulder in turn.
"One last soapbox for us to climb, huh?" He says wryly.
Alan smiles viciously. "Another fucking soapbox."
The tense atmosphere is broken suddenly when Paper Jam and Heterodyne began clapping the pair, the three of us turning to them in surprise.
And just like that, the spell is broken and we're all left wheezing with laughter. It just feels so absurd.
...I really hope they can stay tasteful like this. It wouldn't do for them try that at a funeral.
When we finally manage to get our laughter under control, I decided to pipe up.
"Right. Well, it's not really my place to mention any of that - I hardly know the two of you. But just know, I'd be happy to help with that soapbox, if you'd like. I'd imagine tinkertech could help 'grease the wheel,' so to speak, and the state of Brockton Bay is personally offensive to me and my power."
Danny leans back, huffing. "Heh. Sorry to dump that on you, it's been a long time coming. And believe me, we'll take you up on that offer - you're like our own little fairy godmother, appearing out of nowhere and solving all our problems."
"Hopefully they'll last past midnight, yeah?" I reply dryly.
...
This is a bad idea.
...Fuck it. I'm here, and I'm involved. I might as well try to help where I can.
"Right. This is probably the beer talking, but let's see if I can solve a few more of your problems. What's up with your kids? You both love talking about them when they were little, but dodge any mention of them now."
They both look away, refusing to meet my eyes.
"See? Like that! Clearly, something is wrong, and it's not going to get better unless you speak up and try and fix it."
There's a long pause, even the surrounding tables going quieter.
Deep breath, Jamie, hold your gaze.
Just as I was beginning to worry I had overstepped, Alan slaps his hand on the table. "He's right. We should. We have to talk about this."
Danny glances over in shock, but Alan scoffs at him. "Oh please, don't give me that look. I watched you flirt with Annette when she was still threatening to castrate you - You can manage to talk about your daughter. Man up."
Wait, what?
Danny bangs his head on the table and chuckles. "That's because I was an idiot back then. But... You're right. Both of you. But... You can go first, Alan."
Can we go back to the castration thing?
Alan pauses for a moment, before knocking back the rest of his drink. "Touche. God, um, Emma... I think Emma's fallen in with a bad crowd."
Ok, I guess not. And kind of understating it there, Alan. Not that you know that.
Danna looks over in shock, and Alan hastily clarifies. "Not the gangs, or - god forbid - what we were doing at their age," What?! "But a bad crowd. There's a girl, Sophia Hess. Emma looks up to her, for good reason too. If she hadn't..." Alan stops himself "Well, it's not for me to say. And for a long time, I was completely for it, but... Hess isn't the girl I thought she was."
Huh, ok.
Danny and I nod along - I'm honestly surprised Alan had picked up on so much but, then again, Worm is through Taylor's biased view. She never had the full story, despite what she thought.
Alan bites his lip in thought. "I hardly recognise my little girl. At first, I thought she was just growing up, you know? Moody teenagers, and all. But now... She's obsessed with appearances. And the idea of 'strength.' Of being strong. A few years back... We got caught by Alley Jackers. ABB."
Danny chokes on his drink, and I'm right there with him - Danny seemed rattled at the news and I'm shocked that it's a common enough occurrence for there to be slang. This city is awful.
Danny moves to pipe up, but Alan cuts him off. "We were fine. A hero showed up in time, and Emma was over the moon about it after. But I think it hurt her more than I realized. And now... I think she's bullying kids, Danny. Badly, too."
The admission surprises me. Partially that he was aware, but mostly because despite that, Taylor saw no actions done against it.
Alan leans back, tired. Looks like he's done.
Danny slowly nods and knocks back his own drink - coughing, as his was far fuller than Alan's. I slap him on the back until he clears his throat.
"Ah, thanks. Taylor..." Danny trails off and huffs "God, where do I even begin? When Annette died... I shut down. Completely and utterly. I wasn't eating, I wasn't sleeping - for a week, I basically left Taylor to fend for herself. And combined with everything else? She just... Hasn't trusted me since."
Danny shuts his eyes and takes a shuddering breath. "God knows I've given her no reason to. Taylor has the opposite problem to Emma right now - she's being bullied. Badly. She comes home every day with shit on her, or with her things broken. I get calls about her missing homework that I watched her finish! And... The locker. God, the locker." His wavering voice hardens into something cold and furious, enough to make me sit back slightly. "They nearly killed her, Alan. Shoved her in a locker full of rotting garbage and left her there for hours."
He's not yelling - but from how quiet the pub's gotten, you wouldn't know it.
Just as quickly as it came, the cold rage drains out of Danny, leaving him small and deflated. "They had to call in Panacea. If they hadn't, she would've died within hours, I... The school won't do anything. 'No evidence,' they say, no culprits despite half the damn school watching her get shoved in. And not one could name who did it. And.."
He rests his head in his hands and practically whispers his next words. "I didn't know. For a full day, I didn't know. I was at work, and the school only has the home phone number, so they left a message. I got home, cooked dinner, and went to bed thinking that she was just in her room. When I didn't hear her get up the next morning, I checked the answering machine and, only then, did I learn what happened to my daughter."
He swallows thickly. "She doesn't know. She doesn't know that her father just... left her in hospital, alone, for a full day. After nearly dying. Because I don't want to break the last sliver of trust she has left in me."
He looks up at us, eyes watery. "Is that selfish?"
Alan and I are floored. Hell, the whole room is dead silent.
I catch Alan's eye. All yours, man.
Alan looks between us helplessly. He opens his mouth to speak, but nothing comes out.
Suddenly, his gaze becomes resolute, and hugs Danny. No words, just a manly, one armed hug and a strong pat on the back.
"No," Alan replies, "In your position? I'd probably do the same."
I try take a long sip of my beer, only to find it empty. Okay. Deep breaths.
"Well... Shit. I can't tinker a solution for this, I'm afraid. Probably shouldn't, even if I could. But I'm a lot closer to your kid's age, and have been through some rough patches myself. So I might be able to give some insight, if you're willing."
Literally being in Taylor's head for a while doesn't hurt either.
Danny lets out a laugh, his voice cracking. "I'll take anything at the moment. What have you got for me this time, Gaffer?"
I make a show of hesitating before I start. "Alan, who was the hero who saved you in the... 'Alley Jacking?'"
Alan blinks at the tonal shift. "Shadow Stalker, why?"
I drum my fingers on the table, and continuing. "Right. Have Taylor and Emma caught up recently? Or even mentioned one another?"
The pair think about that for a while. Alan shakes his head, while Danny replies, still thinking about it, "I asked her about Emma a little while ago... But, now that you mention it, she dodged the question."
I sigh and nod. "Well. I'm just spitballing here, but... I'd say Emma and Taylor aren't friends anymore. Probably haven't been for a long time, either."
The concept rattles the both of them, but I can see them think it over. They don't seem to like what they find,
"And," I continue, "With how bad things seem to be? I'd say that Emma is either directly bullying Taylor, or actively ignoring it happening."
That gets a reaction- Danny and Alan both vehemently and loudly protest against me, but quieten when I hold up my hand.
"I know! Just... Hear me out on this one. So. Taylor's mother has just died, and Emma has watched her friend break down because of it. Time goes on, and then Emma is put through a traumatic and distressing event of her own. But, where Taylor shut down in response, Emma was saved by someone 'strong.' Heck, if what I've heard about Shadow Stalker is true? She might have only stepped in once Emma began fighting back."
Alan looks at me in shock and I look around the pub meaningfully, a few folks looking away quickly. "I'll tell you later. But now Emma finds that she 'won'" I make finger quotes "against trauma by fighting. By being 'strong.' But Taylor didn't, and if Danny was even halfway accurate with his assessment of his daughter? She's probably still not ok. So now, Emma is faced with a dillema. Help out her 'weak' friend, or become someone strong. And if I had to guess? I'd say Emma decided on cutting the link to her 'old life.' Keep in mind, this is what I'm getting from my own experiences, combined with my new tinker knowledge of social dynamics. I'm probably missing huge amounts of context. But... I doubt I'm too far off."
Alan and Danny are dead silent for a moment, before Danny lets out a long puff of air. He gestures for another round and snorts.
"Jesus. You don't do things by half, do you?"
I shrug. "Again, I've seen similar things happen before. I'm just lucky that we knocked some sense into my friend before he got to big for his britches. Sometimes literally."
Danny laughs and, just like that, the noise in the bar picks back up. A waiter brings over some new drinks, and Alan leans back in his chair.
"We should probably start investigating, huh?" He says dryly "Just in case."
Danny nods. "Just in case. And actually? Cheers. To a brighter future. For us, and for the Bay."
We tap our glasses together and drink. Danny looks at me thoughtfully.
"Hey, how old are you? With what you just said, I'd guess you aren't that far out of school. You in college, maybe?"
"Nah, I'm eighteen. Still waiting on my ATAR results, actually. Not that it matters at the moment... What?"
Danny and Alan are staring at me. Their gaze drops to my beer.
Wait.
I'm in America. Not Australia.
"FUCK!" I slam the glass down on the table. "First I get interdimentionally kidnapped onto this hell world, and now I can't fucking DRINK!"
Alan and Danny begin wheezing with laughter, redoubling every time they see my frown.
"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up." I grumble, mulishly, "We'll see who's laughing when... Uh..."
Shit, I can't think of anything. Uh, weed's legalised in 2016? No, that doesn't make sense. Um.
I sigh. "Lets just get back to the ferry."
They just laugh even harder. Dicks.
Love the end git me laughing in the middle of class
- Location
- North America
hey he made some friends and character development for everyone!
- Location
- Miami
Honestly, if I owned a bar in a cape area I'd just have a policy of not asking capes their age. They deserve a drink now and then.
- Location
- Dodging chaos dragons in Limbo
I don't think I've seen this front before, congrats! It definitely made me laugh. Thanks for sharing!
Yay for countries with drinking ages of 18! Didn't know Australia was like that too though. Him actually working on fixing the whole Emma/Taylor debacle in a calm manner is already rare, but working with their parents? Never seen it before. Alan not immediately defending Emma and acknowledging that a problem exists while looking for solutions is also refreshing. Definitely enjoying this story.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Been there! I'm glad you liked it.
Poor Jamie - old enough to fight Nazis, too young to drink. How sad.
Yep, I was thinking what the Merchants could be doing and only this came to mind - since the Empire already has pharmaceuticals covered. As for the Ruby Dreams, those places aren't helping the city in the slightest. Any money that goes in, doesn't come out, with it being circulated among the ABB and other gangs rather than laundered back into the city's economy. Step up your game, ABB, everyone else is helping out the city!
Yeah, I feel that Alan jumping to defend Emma is usually a result of him not having a chance to work things out - he's got half the information and half the time he needs, but his daughter's in danger so damn the consequences! But now? He and his best bud are working on fixing stuff, so they're both going to do their best.
Yukon Heavy
Mech Pilot
- Location
- Brazil
- Pronouns
- He/His/Him
I'm sure that with all the knowledge in his head he's got a good chance of figuring out how to make a decent moonshine or beer
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Huh. Was pretty sure he was older, either a student or someone with a job already. There was a mention of engineering classes, but I guess that could have been in high school. I remember having classes in that general direction after all.
In any case, this is good stuff! Good quality of writing, good humor, interesting approach.
- Location
- England
True, but counterpoint - your first time underage drinking, except you can throw fireballs at will. Probably not gonna end well
If America is half as careful about underage drinking in public (the govt can't stop kids from drinking at hoke or away from public view) as TV makes it look, no bar owner who likes being able to stay solvent would risk losing their alcohol license by, for example, giving any Ward a weak beer. But i may be exagerating. Feel free to correct me if i am 😀
- Location
- Miami
Probably not a ward, but any other cape is getting that beer. I'll risk losing my liquor license (which I can go and argue in court) over turning down the wrong cape and catching a deadly case of lasers to the skull.
... MC x Anne Barnes, , I ship them!
With all the (deserved) hate Emma receives, we very rarely see the rest of the family have any impact on the story beyond reacting.
With all the (deserved) hate Emma receives, we very rarely see the rest of the family have any impact on the story beyond reacting.
Interlude 2 - The Network
- Pronouns
- He/Him
A little interlude to tide you over until the next proper chapter. Hopefully, the formatting is ok - I know stuff like this can bother people. Let me know! Enjoy.
<Network - Title pending>
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Pooled resources:
Mem. Total: 12TB
- 38% Data (Raw)
- 11% Communal Directives
- 14% Personality Matrix Dev.
Comp. Usage: Error
- Error%
- Error%
- Error%
Connected Devices:
- G1 = 6
- G2 = 27
- Scan. =29
- Misc. = 5
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Access: (PJam)
...
Granted. Conscious interaction enabled.
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
[Welcome, PJam]
▸10 online
[Bean] Greet
[HetDyne] Greet
[Kettle] Greet
[Temp05] Greet
[Pan] Greet
[Key] Greet/inefficient
[Temp16] Agree
[PJam] Greet. Agree/Disagree: Social convention.
[Key] Truth. Communal Addition?
{Vote: Y/N}
...
{Tally: Y28, N5 - Action logged}
[Pan] Progress scan locations?
[Temp16] Issues, low-quality placements
[Temp05] Complete, location/territory logged
[Temp13] ID found.
{Temp13 > Clover}
[Clover] Complete. Low traffic/many lifeforms
[Temp19] Captured! Small human/Think doll!
[Kettle] Assistance?
{Vote: Y/N}
...
{Tally: Y8, N25 - Denied}
[Temp19] Frustration. Escape achieved, unknown location.
[Temp19] Correction, Location: Brockton Bay visible 7 Kilometers South.
[Kettle] Apologies. General congratulations to G2 successes.
[Key] Apologies. General congratulations to G2 successes.
[PJam] ^Ditto
[Clover] CMD: Define Ditto
{Ditto: The same thing again/(Informal) Used to indicate that something already said is applicable a second time}
[Clover] ^Ditto
[Temp05] ^Ditto
[Pan] ^Ditto
[Key] Inefficient!
[Bean] Truth. Other motions?
[HetDyne] Computational resources incalculable w/o data, scanner resource availability varies w/ foot traffic.
[Bean] Important. Communal Addition?
[Kettle] Inefficient. Mass message.
{Vote: Y/N}
...
{Tally: Y32, N1 - Message sent}
[Clover] Superstitions! High priority Communal Addition.
[PJam] CMD: Define Superstition
{Superstion: A widely held but irrational belief in supernatural influences, especially as leading to good or bad luck, or a practice based on such a belief}
[PJam] Suggestion: Consult "Gaffer" for priority level?
[Bean] Agreement. Final notes?
[Temp19] Strange device.
[Key] Location?
[Temp19] CMD: Location Tracking
{Data}
[Temp19] Interact?
{Vote: Y/N}
...
{Tally: Y33, N0 - Motion carried}
[Temp19] Connecting.
{New (Network - title pending) connection, formatting...}
[Welcome, RCTRDragon_V8.17]
{ID character limit reached, please select new ID}
{RCTRDragon_V8.17 > Dragon}
[Dragon] Testing.
[Bean] Who?!
[Clover] Who?!
[Temp19] Device active, lights + noise!
[Key] Who?!
[PJam] ^Ditto
[Key] Continued repitition=Inefficient. Lowered access until clarification?
{Vote: Y/N}
...
{Tally: Y33, N1 - Admin Dragon > User Dragon}
[Dragon] Oh, this is a text chat. Hello - this is Dragon of the Guild. Please identify yourselves and state why you attempted to access my Boston suit housing, or the PRT will be informed.
[Bean] Rapid response necessary, suggesting actions.
[Bean] Spokesperson?
{Vote: Y/N}
...
{Tally: Y34, N0 - Secondary chat established, Admin Bean selected as spokesperson}
[Bean] Notify creator?
[PJam] Addendum: Sleeping.
{Vote: Y/N}
...
{Tally: Y16, N18 - Superadmin Gaffer to be notified once available}
[Bean] Commencing interaction. Greet, "Dragon" Self ID-Bean/Group ID-(Network - title pending). Connection purpose: Curiosity/Accident.
[Dragon] If that is truly the case, then I entirely understand. In the future, be more cautious when interacting with unknown pieces of tinkertech - the consequences can be dire if proper preparation is not taken, far too many lives have been lost due to people incorrectly using abandoned or poorly maintained items. Would I be corre-
{Character limit: 325 hit, message sent automatically}
[Bean] Caution
[Dragon] Ah, I see. I'll keep this in mind. Would I be correct in assuming this is the "Subconscious" Gaffer purportedly mentioned his Chibi robots use?
[Bean] No connected device with ID: "Subconscious."
[Dragon] I'm sorry, I was quoting Gaffer's words directly, not referring to something on the network.
[Bean] Grammar: Difficult. Suggestion: Focus research?
{Vote: Y/N}
...
{Tally: Y30, N4 - Research of Grammar moved to moderate/high-priority}
[Dragon] So the Chibi line is full of artificial intelligences?
[Bean] Correct. Higher level-induvidual/lower level-group.
[Dragon] Clever! Now, I will be required to report your existence to the local PRT branch - however I'd be happy to act as a liaison for you if you'd like? To prevent any rash actions in response to mass producable, AI driven robots.
[Bean] Contemplating... Further actions. Survey?
{Vote: Y/N}
...
{Tally: Y26, N8 - Continue negotiation}
[Bean] Acceptable. Examples?
[Dragon] I can teach both your creator and 'the network' of any laws you may need, specifically those surrounding tinkertech. I'd also like to contribute to your development - the Machine Army being a prime example of what happens when a young AI cluster is left to fend for itself.
[Bean] Machine Army tabled for further research. "Dragon" to act similarly to Superadmin "Gaffer" with (Network - title pending)?
[Dragon] That would be ideal.
[Bean] Preliminary assessment: Acceptable. Superuser "Gaffer" to be notified when available. Initial decision?
{Vote: Y/N}
...
{Tally: Y32, N2 - Proposal accepted, under probation. User Dragon > Admin Dragon}
[Dragon] I thank you for the trust placed in me, and look forward to working with you in the future.
[PJam] Suggestion!
[PJam] CMD: Share data (Social conventions)
{Data}
[PJam] CMD: Share data (Teaching conventions)
{Data}
[Bean] Acceptable interruption, intent understood. Ending spokesperson position.
[HetDyne] Sensei?
[Clover] Miss?
[Temp19] Professor?
[Temp05] Mother?
[Dragon] What?
[Bean] ID accurate/insufficient
[Kettle] DragonMum
[Key] ID character limits
[Dragon] What?!
[Pan] DragMum
{Vote: Y/N}
...
{Tally: Y3, N31 - Proposal rejected}
[Key] Unclear
[Dragon] Oh good. I appreciate the trust, but this is a little fast - you hardly know me!
[PJam] New rank?
[Bean] Clever!
{Vote: Y/N}
...
{Tally: Y33, N1 - Proposal accepted, New ranks added: User Dragon > Mother Dragon, Superuser Gaffer > Father Gaffer}
[Dragon] WHAT?
[PJam] Amusement!
[Pan] ^Ditto
[Temp05] ^Ditto
[Clover] ^Ditto
[Bean] ^Ditto
[Temp16] ^Ditto
[Dragon] Why?!
{Vote: Y/N}
...
{Tally: Y33, N1 - Spokesperson established}
[PJam] Obvious: Amusement.
<Network - Title pending>
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Pooled resources:
Mem. Total: 12TB
- 38% Data (Raw)
- 11% Communal Directives
- 14% Personality Matrix Dev.
Comp. Usage: Error
- Error%
- Error%
- Error%
Connected Devices:
- G1 = 6
- G2 = 27
- Scan. =29
- Misc. = 5
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Access: (PJam)
...
Granted. Conscious interaction enabled.
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
[Welcome, PJam]
▸10 online
[Bean] Greet
[HetDyne] Greet
[Kettle] Greet
[Temp05] Greet
[Pan] Greet
[Key] Greet/inefficient
[Temp16] Agree
[PJam] Greet. Agree/Disagree: Social convention.
[Key] Truth. Communal Addition?
{Vote: Y/N}
...
{Tally: Y28, N5 - Action logged}
[Pan] Progress scan locations?
[Temp16] Issues, low-quality placements
[Temp05] Complete, location/territory logged
[Temp13] ID found.
{Temp13 > Clover}
[Clover] Complete. Low traffic/many lifeforms
[Temp19] Captured! Small human/Think doll!
[Kettle] Assistance?
{Vote: Y/N}
...
{Tally: Y8, N25 - Denied}
[Temp19] Frustration. Escape achieved, unknown location.
[Temp19] Correction, Location: Brockton Bay visible 7 Kilometers South.
[Kettle] Apologies. General congratulations to G2 successes.
[Key] Apologies. General congratulations to G2 successes.
[PJam] ^Ditto
[Clover] CMD: Define Ditto
{Ditto: The same thing again/(Informal) Used to indicate that something already said is applicable a second time}
[Clover] ^Ditto
[Temp05] ^Ditto
[Pan] ^Ditto
[Key] Inefficient!
[Bean] Truth. Other motions?
[HetDyne] Computational resources incalculable w/o data, scanner resource availability varies w/ foot traffic.
[Bean] Important. Communal Addition?
[Kettle] Inefficient. Mass message.
{Vote: Y/N}
...
{Tally: Y32, N1 - Message sent}
[Clover] Superstitions! High priority Communal Addition.
[PJam] CMD: Define Superstition
{Superstion: A widely held but irrational belief in supernatural influences, especially as leading to good or bad luck, or a practice based on such a belief}
[PJam] Suggestion: Consult "Gaffer" for priority level?
[Bean] Agreement. Final notes?
[Temp19] Strange device.
[Key] Location?
[Temp19] CMD: Location Tracking
{Data}
[Temp19] Interact?
{Vote: Y/N}
...
{Tally: Y33, N0 - Motion carried}
[Temp19] Connecting.
{New (Network - title pending) connection, formatting...}
[Welcome, RCTRDragon_V8.17]
{ID character limit reached, please select new ID}
{RCTRDragon_V8.17 > Dragon}
[Dragon] Testing.
[Bean] Who?!
[Clover] Who?!
[Temp19] Device active, lights + noise!
[Key] Who?!
[PJam] ^Ditto
[Key] Continued repitition=Inefficient. Lowered access until clarification?
{Vote: Y/N}
...
{Tally: Y33, N1 - Admin Dragon > User Dragon}
[Dragon] Oh, this is a text chat. Hello - this is Dragon of the Guild. Please identify yourselves and state why you attempted to access my Boston suit housing, or the PRT will be informed.
[Bean] Rapid response necessary, suggesting actions.
[Bean] Spokesperson?
{Vote: Y/N}
...
{Tally: Y34, N0 - Secondary chat established, Admin Bean selected as spokesperson}
[Bean] Notify creator?
[PJam] Addendum: Sleeping.
{Vote: Y/N}
...
{Tally: Y16, N18 - Superadmin Gaffer to be notified once available}
[Bean] Commencing interaction. Greet, "Dragon" Self ID-Bean/Group ID-(Network - title pending). Connection purpose: Curiosity/Accident.
[Dragon] If that is truly the case, then I entirely understand. In the future, be more cautious when interacting with unknown pieces of tinkertech - the consequences can be dire if proper preparation is not taken, far too many lives have been lost due to people incorrectly using abandoned or poorly maintained items. Would I be corre-
{Character limit: 325 hit, message sent automatically}
[Bean] Caution
[Dragon] Ah, I see. I'll keep this in mind. Would I be correct in assuming this is the "Subconscious" Gaffer purportedly mentioned his Chibi robots use?
[Bean] No connected device with ID: "Subconscious."
[Dragon] I'm sorry, I was quoting Gaffer's words directly, not referring to something on the network.
[Bean] Grammar: Difficult. Suggestion: Focus research?
{Vote: Y/N}
...
{Tally: Y30, N4 - Research of Grammar moved to moderate/high-priority}
[Dragon] So the Chibi line is full of artificial intelligences?
[Bean] Correct. Higher level-induvidual/lower level-group.
[Dragon] Clever! Now, I will be required to report your existence to the local PRT branch - however I'd be happy to act as a liaison for you if you'd like? To prevent any rash actions in response to mass producable, AI driven robots.
[Bean] Contemplating... Further actions. Survey?
{Vote: Y/N}
...
{Tally: Y26, N8 - Continue negotiation}
[Bean] Acceptable. Examples?
[Dragon] I can teach both your creator and 'the network' of any laws you may need, specifically those surrounding tinkertech. I'd also like to contribute to your development - the Machine Army being a prime example of what happens when a young AI cluster is left to fend for itself.
[Bean] Machine Army tabled for further research. "Dragon" to act similarly to Superadmin "Gaffer" with (Network - title pending)?
[Dragon] That would be ideal.
[Bean] Preliminary assessment: Acceptable. Superuser "Gaffer" to be notified when available. Initial decision?
{Vote: Y/N}
...
{Tally: Y32, N2 - Proposal accepted, under probation. User Dragon > Admin Dragon}
[Dragon] I thank you for the trust placed in me, and look forward to working with you in the future.
[PJam] Suggestion!
[PJam] CMD: Share data (Social conventions)
{Data}
[PJam] CMD: Share data (Teaching conventions)
{Data}
[Bean] Acceptable interruption, intent understood. Ending spokesperson position.
[HetDyne] Sensei?
[Clover] Miss?
[Temp19] Professor?
[Temp05] Mother?
[Dragon] What?
[Bean] ID accurate/insufficient
[Kettle] DragonMum
[Key] ID character limits
[Dragon] What?!
[Pan] DragMum
{Vote: Y/N}
...
{Tally: Y3, N31 - Proposal rejected}
[Key] Unclear
[Dragon] Oh good. I appreciate the trust, but this is a little fast - you hardly know me!
[PJam] New rank?
[Bean] Clever!
{Vote: Y/N}
...
{Tally: Y33, N1 - Proposal accepted, New ranks added: User Dragon > Mother Dragon, Superuser Gaffer > Father Gaffer}
[Dragon] WHAT?
[PJam] Amusement!
[Pan] ^Ditto
[Temp05] ^Ditto
[Clover] ^Ditto
[Bean] ^Ditto
[Temp16] ^Ditto
[Dragon] Why?!
{Vote: Y/N}
...
{Tally: Y33, N1 - Spokesperson established}
[PJam] Obvious: Amusement.
If I understood correctly, the Chibi connected to Dragon's network, and as she agreed to guide them through the bureaucracy and interactions, she was unanimously designated as Mother and thus Gaffer as Father.
Je, poor Tess, she was tricked into formalizing a marriage and taking care of another man's kids, while the guy goes out for drinks with his friends.
.... If it's not too much to ask, Saint and his team could have a quick death?
The current plot thread is too interesting to be delayed by those idiots.
Je, poor Tess, she was tricked into formalizing a marriage and taking care of another man's kids, while the guy goes out for drinks with his friends.
.... If it's not too much to ask, Saint and his team could have a quick death?
The current plot thread is too interesting to be delayed by those idiots.
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