@anonymous

[stabilis]

Kind of forward for a first date, I know, but do any of you have access to tech that can give a guy a clean brain scan? Looking for foreign organics, not the chip.

And has anyone tested the limits of the empathy bond? If not, consider this recruitment for some extreme handholding. Also forward, but I promise I'll buy you a drink as soon as I get my allowance.

Comments

[stabilis]

How strong it is and whether or not it can transfer anything past basic emotions. Memory, personality, physical stimulation, likes, dislikes.

[ mostly the first few, though. ]

[reneger]

can't say i've seen it do any of those

( thought after. reading down a few responses -- )

watch whose hands you decide to hold
might get cooties

[stabilis]

Is anyone putting up with it long enough to find out?

And thanks, but all good science has risks. I'll brave cooties.

[reneger]

i've held onto people for a bit of time
nothing like that happened

1/2

[stabilis]

"a bit"

thank you for this extremely scientific observation

[stabilis]

But seriously thanks, all data is good data. Even if it defends the way more boring answer.

[reneger]

i'm not a sharer
why do you wanna know?

[stabilis]

Well, lucky for us I'm an oversharer.

Curiosity, mostly. And the last mental link I encountered packed more of a punch. Just want to make sure this one doesn't.

[reneger]

so to test it,
you wanna hold hands with strangers, share some feelings

[stabilis]

Normally I'd hook us up to biometric scanners first, but I don't see any of those laying around, so. Yes? What else am I going to do, test it without activating it?

You really hate cooties, huh.

[reneger]

no
i hate feelings

[stabilis]

That sounds healthy.

So to clarify, I'll be holding OTHER people's hands. Apparently not yours.

\private

[reneger]

i've played around with it a little.

( unspecific, because he doesn't care for specifics. )

when feelings get intense so does it, but how it works doesn't change

why not just cut open your brain?

\private

[stabilis]

[ Interesting. Maybe they aren't so bad at sharing. ]

Because I'm using it. Debatable, I know.

[ but on that note: ]

Have we had any casualties?

\private

[reneger]

if you're looking for a body, there isn't one that i'm aware of

thought of that already

\private

[stabilis]

Well yay for no one dying, at least. Have you run any other less hand-holdy tests?

\private forever

[reneger]

it sounds like you've got some experience with more tech-advanced bullshit, johnny
what'd you do back home?

[stabilis]

[ wow reading his completely public conversations, rude ]

Killjoy.

[ And he's just going to assume that won't cut it, ]

Imagine a mercenary with about 500% more class. Not exactly a PhD, but rogue sciencing was a big part of the job.

What did you do? Or is answering that too much like sharing.

[reneger]

something similar

been through some pretty rough physical shit with someone holding onto me
all better now and all, but
emotions transferred, nothing else

[stabilis]

What system/year?

But thanks. That saves me a lot of papercuts.

[ He'll still probably test it, but. ]

[reneger]

earth, 2016
there's probably a specific designation but i couldn't tell you what it was

who'd you work for?

[stabilis]

Vintage. I don't even think I remember the designation.

Reclamation Apprehension Coalition, technically. Practically we worked for anyone who could pay for a valid warrant. What about you, you have a boss?

[reneger]

wow, didn't need you pointing out what an old man i am

no strings on me
what kind of warrants you handle?

[stabilis]

I think the scientific classification would be "old as balls".

Retrieval, escort, negotiation. Kill warrants exist, but they aren't really our style.

[ Not that people don't end up dead on the other warrants. It's a line in the sand, ok. ]

RAC procedure's changed a bit lately, though. Been more into fighting alien domination than running errands.

[reneger]

ever heard of something called the green lantern corps?