@clarke.griffin & @lance.sweets

[strove]

@clarke.griffin
Hi everyone. This is @clarke.griffin and @lance.sweets. We wanted to give everyone an update, as well as give a rundown on some things moving forward.

First off, I know some of you just made it back from the Aerie, while others have been back for a while. For anyone who hasn't heard yet, the Aerie was a separate world where everyone was brought to it and given a new life, new memories, and new relationships. It wasn't an easy place to live, and some of us have only gotten a headstart in coping with what we went through. Still, not everyone's figured out the particulars, and a lot of us just got our loved ones back.

Perhaps most importantly, while we as a group tend to have weird things happen to us, this is the first time that the entire collective world has had a shared experience like this. Many of us came from situations where we were more prepared for this than most of the population of this world. Even if you're new, I'm willing to bet that this is the case.

Being in the Aerie changed us. I believe Lance can put this better than I can, but it's important to remember that you're far from alone in any of this. I'll let him delve deeper into this now.

@lance.sweets
‘Complicated’ is not even close to a strong enough word for the situation we’ve all found ourselves in, and there’s not really any sort of established framework for how exactly to deal with it. We’re all going to be figuring this out as we go along, but there are some key points to keep in mind.

The first is to remember that, for any similarities or differences there might've been, the people we were in the Aerie are not exactly the same as we were here before, or are now. Some patience and understanding with each other will go a long way in navigating what's happened. Additionally, the way in which each of us--including the native citizens--deals with this will be different, and so it will help if everyone can remember that and have no expectations for what others might do or how they may feel, or in what timeframe those occur. There’s no right or wrong way to come to terms with everything that happened, and that includes reconciling two entirely separate lives; some may treat who they were in the Aerie as another individual entirely, some may try to blend the two, and some may prefer the person they were in the Aerie.

But as Clarke said, none of us are alone in this, and that’s something that shouldn’t just be sentiment. As difficult as it can be, reach out to others if you need help; likewise, check in on each other whenever possible. It's very easy, in the midst of something of this scale, for individuals to get lost in the chaos if there isn’t a concerted effort to make sure that doesn’t happen. On that note, we also have people here who had arrived only days before the Aerie began and so had no time to establish any sort of support network, as well as new arrivals who can’t be forgotten about in all of this.

For those of you who have just arrived, hopefully you've found the network; although you'll be anonymous until your IDs are registered, you can still participate in discussions and read through older conversations, as well as access the new arrivals guide and the information compendium, the latter of which I believe is updated but I may have missed something. It'll give you something to do as a distraction from the current situation, at least. Additionally, if you have questions or need something brought to you, someone may be able to help with that.

[Lance probably more with the former than the latter, since he's not entirely sure if he can even get into the safehouse right now and doesn't care to test it.]

@clarke.griffin
If you're looking at the arrival guide and noticing that we need some updates, they'd be welcome right now. I usually handle it, but I'm not of a mind to be able to do so at this moment. [Which will be apparent soon for a particular reason—but also, she was doing a lot in coming back from the Aerie. Clarke always has her hands full, but she also knows she has to make good on her "I delegate I don't do everything" word. See, Gene—she can commit to her nonsense.]

Finally, our group has a bar named Red Wings. Both @stephen.strange and I run the establishment, though it's going to fall mostly to me for the time being. If you would like a place to help you get started here, or even get familiarized with the world, Red Wings is a good place to get started. We offer jobs to all Displaced, and we're only staffed by Displaced, making it so that it's a place where you can settle in on your terms. [Unsurprisingly, she isn't mentioning any code of conduct or her firing someone rather publicly. No need to draw attention to it.] And if that doesn't appeal, we do give free meals (and sometimes drinks) to our own on a regular basis.

Right now, just as we've done before, Red Wings has been converted into a community center to provide outreach and resources to our community. If you come and help out, you'll still be considered an employee and paid wages for helping out.

As a note, I'll be in charge of operations for the time being. If you helped Stephen with any of his responsibilities, let me know. I could use some help. [The point being to take the onus off of Stephen. This is how they manage things.]

We believe that covers everything. We know this is a lot to digest, so please feel free to ask any questions. Lance and I are here to help.

Comments

[lifetothefullest]

As I told you before, leading is not something I'm interested in. Drawing attention to problems and then fixing them is, but that requires leadership to be willing to listen; I know that's what you claim to be doing, but it doesn't come across that way and that's why I mentioned this looking like an unwinnable game. Maybe you don't mean for it to be, but you set parameters that are directly at odds with the actual issue itself, so as to make it impossible to succeed.

[strove]

You have to understand that when I look at the problem, those are the conditions I see. Those are the things we need to address. Sometimes short-term discomfort is a fair trade off, but as I mentioned elsewhere, my perspective on this world versus my own makes me a poor candidate for handling both sides of the situation. In that, I'd argue that I see the big picture too much and am missing things like the personal aspect. I owned up to that with someone else (though I respect that no, I didn't directly do as much in our own line of conversation).

A guarantee is something that may come with other solutions that I'm working on, but—again—making a bigger problem in the meantime isn't going to help anyone. Those solutions involve increased security and protections for our group. And they're taking time. And we have the city as a whole to consider, too, since many of us are interested in their safety, too, and us not being a problem for them.

It's a lot. It's why I need someone to answer those concerns rather than to treat it like an unwinnable game. You have to rise to the challenge and not add more problems.

[lifetothefullest]

It helps people know they're not alone, and that they're not unreasonable for being upset, and that someone cares about the position they're in. That's what I was doing, which you took issue with because apparently just discussing it is some sort of attack.

I appreciate that you think I can somehow manage to do all of this alone, but I can't, and so talking to people who have the same objections is the first step in figuring out how to fix it. You can't be angry with me for doing that, and then also for not having come up with a plan yet. If you want me--or anyone else--to think that there's a way to actually succeed in doing this the way you want, then you should try not to make it seem like the exact opposite is the case.

[strove]

Lance, you're not helping them feel as if they have a friend. You're giving them an enemy.

I'm not telling you not to crowdsource it. But I am telling you to come up with a plan through listening to everyone, including myself. Especially if you insist on causing problems with it to the point that Morningstar had to lock you out.

[lifetothefullest]

You're wrong, but I don't expect you to see that.

And as I said, I've already been doing that, so you can stop acting as though I can't figure out how problem-solving works any time now.

[strove]

Then let's go to a concise heart of this discussion: stop creating more problems before you solve the old one.

[lifetothefullest]

Again, creating problems and bringing to light issues that already exist are two entirely separate things.

[strove]

Except that that's not what you were doing, but it may be best for us to agree to disagree.

[lifetothefullest]

Sure.

@quentin.coldwater

[filloryfanatic]

[ Oh ffs this is where it started. Quentin need a drink.]

Hey remember how we had that talk about how no one's at their best right now? Can I just like circle and underline that a few dozen times?

[lifetothefullest]

Noted.

Private

[filloryfanatic]

El has put up a post explaining a little more, and I might have some middle ground ideas to pitch. If you think there's a solution you have in mind too, you could message zim there, private or public. El's very chill and straight-forward.

Private forever~

[lifetothefullest]

I appreciate the suggestion, but I don't think El will be particularly interested in talking to me.

[filloryfanatic]

You don't know that. El is not human. The way ze thinks is not how we think. I know these things matter to you and El will listen if you offer up other ideas.

[lifetothefullest]

[He doesn't feel even a little confident about this at the moment, due to reasons Quentin wouldn't know about, and Lance doesn't want to get into telling him. But he also isn't going to just dismiss him as being wrong either, so--]

I'll consider it, once I can come up with something to propose.

[filloryfanatic]

I mean, El still talks to me, after I seriously fucked up in the simulation. So does Cassius, and I almost got him killed. I'm not sure I'd say they're more forgiving than humans or that they just don't feel the way we do in the first place. It won't be as bad as you think. El only made the post because ze recognized there were feelings going around and people deserved an explanation. For better or for worse, you inspired El to reach out and communicate more clearly. Ze's better than you think.

[filloryfanatic]

Hey, I was talking to El privately about some ideas and mentioned you weren't sure ze'd be interested in talking. El says ze is and thinks it could be useful. I really think you should, Lance. El's not like anyone else, you're not going to be on the receiving end of negativity. Think about it, okay?

[lifetothefullest]

[He really doesn't want to. He's exhausted, discouraged, shaken, and very overwhelmed, and the last thing he really wants to do is take another risk and potentially make everything even worse.

But Quentin seems to really believe he should try, keeps being encouraging, and even shared his own experiences. The least Lance can do is try to trust that he knows what he's talking about, and wouldn't be saying any of this if he didn't truly believe it would be alright.

So, after a short delay--]

Okay. I need to think about what I'm going to say, but I'll respond soon.

[He still needs more time to consider things and to pull himself together a bit more, but he'll do it.]

[filloryfanatic]

No pressure, dude, I think you'll figure out quickly dealing with El is a lot easier than dealing with humans. And I know things suck now but they will get better. I was given all kinds of shit during and after the simulation, and sometimes people still bring it up about me, but overall it's been moved on from. It'll be okay.

[lifetothefullest]

I hope so.

[He's a lot less concerned about El being specifically difficult than he is about other parts of the situation overall, but no need to go into that. But since Quentin's brought it up twice, he feels like it's probably safe to ask--]

What happened, with what you're talking about with the simulation? If you're okay telling me.

[filloryfanatic]

[ It's been enough time that it only makes him wince a little. ]

Judas and Johann did not know that Cassius was helping us. He was still captured by them but had managed to sneak around the system. A fake version Ricky Ling was in the simulation, the only person who should not have been there, so I went looking for him. I was definitely for sure not at my best. I was strung out from the simulation, my boyfriend went missing, and I just wanted to get us out.

I realized while talking to Ricky that it was actually Judas. I was trying to bond and talk to him, figure out what his reasons were, how we could get him to stop. During the conversation, I stupidly mentioned Cassius. I didn't know that he had files on all of us, that he knew exactly when I arrived here, and that there was no way I could have talked to Cassius before. It led Judas to figure out Cassius was free, and it meant they were going to kill him.

A team was sent out to find him in the real world. They had a very limited window but managed to save him and stop the simulation. But that was just luck. They could've easily failed and Cassius would be dead and us trapped indefinitely. This was after I was cautioning everyone to be careful and not risk the safety of the AI. So you know. Fuck up galore.

[lifetothefullest]

[So just a slip-up, not even a mistake in judgement, really. It makes sense, though, and Lance can only imagine how the people here--who generally seem happy to fixate on whatever safe target is available--would've treated Quentin after that.

Without having been there himself he can't really offer any more specific reassurance, even though he wants to, but he can at least say--]

If it makes you feel any better, that sort of mistake can be made by anyone. Even professionals who handle those sorts of situations, and whose jobs it is to be aware of who should know what and what can be said to which person, can still mix it up.

[filloryfanatic]

Logically a part of me knows that, but the potential consequences haunt me. Cassius has talked to me since though, even reached out without me having to once. When it happened, he didn't name me as the person who did it. I'm not sure if that means he's forgiven me or that he was never holding a grudge in the first place. AI think differently than we do. And Cassius has a history himself. Up until then most people hated and distrusted him in our group too.

But they do remember. I said right away it was me so they'd stop asking Cassius. There's only one person who regularly brings it up to hate on me, but that's Akechi, and he hates on everyone.

[lifetothefullest]

Unfortunately logic and emotion don't always play together well, though it's still good to only have to contend with one rather than both. I'm glad Cassius doesn't seem to hold anything against you, and it's good to know; thanks for explaining all of this.

[And he could make a remark about Akechi's behavior, but he won't; Lance is pretty sure Quentin can guess his feelings on the subject anyway.]

[filloryfanatic]

As far as I know Cassius doesn't, but I don't think he would have reached out to me for help if he didn't think I was trustworthy. AI as far as I can tell do not hold grudges, which makes sense, I doubt they were programmed with it. El and Cassius are a lot more than what they were programmed with though. I don't mind explaining, I have been open about my mistake because it feels like you should be if you're trying to make sure it doesn't happen again.

I know it's been a shitty day, Lance, but if I may quote someone who has a pretty good head on his shoulders, it won't last forever.