night 2: text

[purport]

[ The Princess is decidedly not well-socialized, and even less versed in technology. However, when Shinjiro and Yukari could contribute so much more in the realm of practical knowledge, it falls to her and Tsubaki to find ways to carry their share of the load.

And so, at an hour when people may either be asleep or on the verge of it, the Princess chooses to relay their findings. ]

I'm following up on the AI investigation Tsubaki mentioned.

BB helped us track their signal, which apparently goes into that void. Great news, I know.

[ The implications of that aren't wonderful, she'd say. But she doesn't. Instead there's a long lapse between this message and another, as though she's been debating how to ask. She doesn't ask for things she could do herself, but... Can she do it herself? ]

Does anyone have thoughts on how to continue from here?

[ Poking around the void doesn't sound particularly safe, and yet... What if they can glean something from this? ]

Comments

[dancinglight]

[While Tsubaki was skilled in other aspects, none of those would help with Shinjiro and Yukari's skill sets, so this was the least she could do.]

We would have to have a means to investigate the area, but the void isn't something that you go into. Not without some kind of clear cut plan or backup if it doesn't pan out. I think... we need to figure out a way to investigate it somehow, but knowing the dangers of such a plan, I don't know how we'd safely achieve that at the moment...

Do you have any ideas?

[purport]

[ At least it's something they can do, when faced with alien technology. ]

Possibly.

If we were to tie one of our COMPs or something capable of capturing images to a long rope, we might be able to see what's down there. Nao has knowledge of machinery and powering what we have in this place, so we could see what she suggests.

A "flashlight" casts light, so affixing that to whatever we lower down there would overcome the lack of illumination.

[dancinglight]

I think that would be a good start. I don't mind giving it a try. If anything, it might shed some light onto some questions we have.

[No pun intended]

[purport]

Right. The more information we have, the better off we'll be.

[foxchild]

I think for now the Void is beyond our capability to explore safely. If even the demons refuse to go near it... well, better hope one of us can find a military-grade exploration drone in one of these houses eh? ο(=•ω＜=)ρ⌒☆

[purport]

Do you think we need something like that to see what's down there?

[ Is it Shun'ya's humor or a genuine evaluation? ]

[foxchild]

It couldn't hurt! Literally. It'd take the damage in our stead and is a cold unfeeling machine so no guilt for the bleeding hearts amongst us!

[purport]

Would people have considered sending something living down there?

[ As a first measure, it seems reckless even to her. ]

If we can't find a drone, maybe we can put something usable together.

[dancinglight]

While I believe that we should be cautious about anything that could possibly be deadly to us, there is something about this that bothers me. If the answers we need are beyond the rift, we should find a way to ascertain them.

Don't get me wrong, though. I don't think we should charge in there without clear preparation for what may happen.

[foxchild]

You shouldn't. Myself and Mister M attempted to investigate it ourselves, and the demon sacrifi- er partner refused to go anywhere near it.

If demons refuse to go near it, you know it's bad news...

[dancinglight]

[A sigh that Shun'ya won't hear before she responds back.]

That is not a great sign... but is there really nothing we can do about it?

Same night because what is sleep

[hauntedsnowfall]

It may not be great news, but it's certainly interesting news. That means someone or something is out there within or outside the void.

Which in turn means that the void is either survivable, or at the very least limited.

who needs sleep, well you're never gonna get it-

[purport]

Limits are something. Though I wonder if we'll find those people who walked into it when we try to look.

I can't imagine they survived.

Another sleepless night's begun

[hauntedsnowfall]

It's hard to say... I've never seen anything like it before.

the pleasures of insomnia are ones I can't avoid

[purport]

Neither have I, although that isn't saying much.

[descaledmute]

I am sure others have said it but I do believe we should try to check out the void?

It indeed is likely very dangerous but what is it that we have to lose?

[purport]

Our lives, quite possibly... But waiting around could cost us that too.

Information could give us some sort of lead.

[descaledmute]

Precisely!

I do not want to just wait around. I very much agree that getting more information about our situation is worth the risk.

[purport]

We can start with seeing what kind of supplies we can find, for something to lower into that chasm. I'm not very familiar with machinery, but others are.

[descaledmute]

Great idea! I am also very unused to machinery as well, so i am relieved to see there are more who understand what it is like.

[purport]

One thing we're fortunate in is the variety of skills and knowledge we seem to have. It's something we can make use of.

[nterwebz]

[ Okay. Let's start small and easy. ]

has nebody tried tossin nething N2 the void??

[purport]

Not that I'm aware of.

I know Caster and Rosie inspected the area and deemed it dangerous, but not what testing if any was involved.

[ Still, that void signal's mighty suspicious. ]

[nterwebz]

that shuold be teh next step then
if they didnt toss nething in there (￢з￢)

[purport]

What would you suggest tossing?

[nterwebz]

always start wit sumthin inorganic
but its gotta be tied 2 a string or rope so u can pull it out
if u can pull it out

tats SUPER important!! °˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°

[purport]

What about some kind of light?

[ So they can peer down there, she reasons... ]

[nterwebz]

depnds on if the void is opaque r not
it might not B a down either

it mght not even oprate w/teh same physics (.•̵̑⌓•̵̑ )

text; a million years later than i intended

[enflowers]

If anyone's going to go anywhere near the void, you need to be prepared. I don't mean merely physically, but mentally as well. It's a terribly dense hole of curses and malice, with all that entails.

[ So why did Merlin take it upon himself to keep watch over something so literally cursed? Call it arrogance, call it caution, call it whatever, if it's anything similar to ■■■■■■■■■, he can't simply leave it alone. ]

Rosie threw a bucket in there and we never heard it hit the bottom, if there even is one. The demons I contracted with won't go anywhere near the thing, either.

[ Not that he can blame them for that. The closer he got to it, the more he had to swat back those thoughts creeping up on him. ]

i return even later, tis the season...

[purport]

Curses and malice?

[ She wonders whether that's anything like waking to a mantra of this is what you deserve flooding her awareness each time she found herself in the cabin anew.

It's what springs to her mind, at least. ]

I was thinking tossing something that casts light might be more informative. If we can see something, we could work with that. If we see nothing...it tells us something else.

[enflowers]

Yes. The closer to the void you get, the heavier that malice and dread will weigh on you, and...the stronger the urge you will feel to throw yourself in.

[ He's not going to sugarcoat that. It's important information.

Princess can't see it of course, but he's nodding along in agreement. If even devices that are usually capable of picking up visual imagery, can't anymore, then that does indeed tell them something else, that it can swallow all, even light. Regardless, it's a much safer bet than getting an actual person to go near the thing. ]

In lieu of any military-grade surveillance drones lying around here conveniently, your idea of sending in a COMP isn't a bad one. It has a light source. It's capable of capturing images and communicating with us. I believe BB should have some extras to spare.

[ Getting her to part with one of them might be another matter.

He's not expecting much from investigating a hole in the world with the level of technology they have at the moment, but he'd be happy to be proven wrong. ]