meadowlark | @cassius | via Morningstar Network

[ Just as the Morningstar network opens up again, a new message blips into view for everyone, even those inside the simulation. ]

We're up and running.
Wakey wakey flappy birds. Well -- kind of. You're all still stuck in a nightmare from what I can tell, but now you have the luxury of being able to tell each other about it.

Before we all get into it, I've compiled a small FAQ for your reading pleasure:

How is this happening?
Well, with some manual help from @jyn.erso and @tony.stark, Lucifer and I have soft wired the Morningstar network through @gabriel.reyes' ALIGN implant. Rather than bombard him with 20 questions, I'd suggest you send a thank you in the form of pies and candied almonds when this is over.

Why am I in a nightmare world with AI overlords?
That's all Judas. You may remember him from such films as "I asked you to steal him from the UNA."

Who are you?
Cassius. I'm an AI. We've all had a rocky past, and I know you all have mixed opinions about me. Right now we've got a common goal, so let's play nice.

Why are you here?
Judas is angry and not exactly in his right mind. This isn't what I wanted to happen. Lucifer and I have spoken about it. To put it short: I've got limited access to the Morningstar network, and I'm offering what resources I have to put an end to the simulation.

Don't you suck?
I'll reiterate what I've said before: Judas was never supposed to make it to where he did, and I gambled my calculations on the integrity of the Displaced. Then this happened. Not the best outcome.

You can also check out my prior post. Everyone's sure got a lot to say.
Let's do this.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

You know how to get your hands on some? I'm not gonna say no.

How'd you avoid getting dragged in with the rest of us, anyway?

We were out of the city, New Honolulu where the coffee is cheap as hell.

[ Answering both his questions at once. Jack appreciates that efficiency. ]

So I'm guessing the simulation only affected people in New Amsterdam? Do you know what's happened to our bodies?

That's about the size of it. Tony checked a couple pulses, people are still alive and well but unconscious. Welcome to your coma.

The UNA tried to get in but their implants are getting fried if they get close. No huge loss there but that's why we've not stormed the walls.

I'm guessing we can only stay in these comas for so long before there's some sort of detrimental effect.

How's the world and the UNA responding to all this? As far as we can tell, even regular New Amsterdam citizens are stuck in here with us.

Depends who you ask.

UN blamed Judas but isn't taking the blame for keeping him alive for 400 years. We're working on outing them out here, if you guys could pass it along inside, that could help. Or if you could find anyone else that got messages recently related to the AI or Judas or the UNA.

Riverstone is working on getting you guys out or getting in, it's a personal project for them because of Ricky Dingaling. A few people are floating the option of abandoning New Amsterdam wholesale but they get little credit.

Amsterdam's gate is broken, we're working on that too. New kids showed up a few days ago, they helped our first test.

Thanks for the rundown.

It doesn't surprise me that the UNA is trying to shift the blame. I'll see if we can get the word out here. With all of New Amsterdam in here and now directly affected by the UNA's actions, maybe we can finally try to turn attitudes around.

On our end, people have been trying all sorts of things to try and "break" the simulation, but nothing's panned out so far. Hopefully someone gets Judas' attention. Maybe if we distract him, you guys can make something happen on the outside.

Don't get his attention too much. The implant was Cassius' backdoor but doors open both ways.

What do you think might happen?

Some of the soldiers that tried to get in are dead.

[ so y'know. worst case scenario. ]

Through their implants, you said. How's that possible? I thought they were supposed to be EMP-proof.

Judas was integral to the UNA implants and it looks like he's fought back from the start, I wouldn't be surprised if he managed to write in his own code to overload them.

I know he's the reason we're in here, but that sounds like just desserts to me.

I don't disagree. Begs the question of why he's not doing this to New Beijing.

[ why new amsterdam when the un is based elsewhere? ]

Maybe his reach is limited.

Yeah, probably. Cassius said something left over from the EMP gave him a direct line to people's brains. He took the easiest target.

[ and most of what they've just said about judas being a mad baby who wants to personally fight the una. ]

Maybe we can trade, the UNA for New Amsterdam.

That's assuming we can even get him to talk to us.

There's got to be people in there that don't hate AI, maybe he'll talk to them.

Assuming he's thinking in any way that's rational.

Fair.

Anyway, I'll at least look into trying to alert the people of New Amsterdam to the fact that the UNA are the ones that got us into this situation. It may not be a direct solution to breaking the simulation, but it should benefit us in the long run.

Knowing their memorials have been propaganda for the last 500 years to keep them complacent and trusting of the UNA is going to be fun to process.

[ "fun" ]

Well, it had to happen at some point. Some will take it better than others.

It's too bad everyone else is still radio silent.

[ she attaches a number of screenshots, since the displaced in the sim still only have access to morningstar not the internet as a whole: news articles demanding answers and transparency from the government, articles quoting mars colonists voices of support for new amsterdam and morningstar, a number of social media posts marked with #morningstar, articles pointing out how fragile the hold the un has on the world really is.

he can't share them with the citizens of new amsterdam trapped in there with the displaced but. now he has more to work with. ]

Thanks. This should help.

And stay safe out there.

(no subject)

realists - 2020-05-27 07:05 (UTC) - Expand