@clarke.griffin

[strove]

Hi. I have some information that I think we should all know about. It's not pertaining to us getting taken. Not exactly. Or anything that's been going on. It's about our lives here, and what's happened to us.

First, I want everyone to know that there's nothing in your chests. I mean, there is, but it's not a physical item. Which ... makes sense. We don't have any scars there, at least not ones that may have been added since we showed up. The ones on the back of our heads? Still there. So, I don't think that's a coincidence. I don't know who found this out for us, or why they decided to go into digging into themselves on their own, but since you're presumably still out there: look up X-rays and MRIs. I'm not saying Morningstar has access to these things. Maybe they don't. But it's worth asking.

Second, and know that this is coming from a ... unique place: trust the hospitals here. They aren't out to get you. I work at one every day. I'm in their database, both as an employee and someone with access to medical records. For those of us with unique physiology, this doesn't apply, but from what I can tell, we're far from the majority. Now that we know for sure nothing is kicking around in our chests, we can safely go.

Where I came from before, it was hard. We didn't have any of the things available to us. If three people needed X-rays, we'd try to figure out who needed them most just in case. And that's before I left where I grew up—a space station, for those of you who are curious—and went down to the ground to help reestablish ourselves there. [This is the prettiest way to put the horrible thing that happened to a hundred expendable kids. She is not going to tell anyone that. The rest of this little anecdote is meant to guilt people enough. That is her goal, and she doesn't really care if it's a transparent one.] Here, it's all available, and it's free. I'm not going to tell anyone to stop helping people, even if it gets you hurt. I am pleading with you to be smarter about it.

Health care here is free. All of it. Whether you have poor vision or you had an accident back home and you lost a limb, it's all free. You don't have to go through with any of it, but I feel that it's partly my responsibility to make all of this known to you.

Comments

[kleptocratic]

Maybe it was the king who brought us here. [ In the story, the thing that took Aegidius away was not the thing that kept him so. ] Maybe we're supposed to fight.

[strove]

Fight who, though? And on whose behalf?

Though I might be taking your suggestion too seriously.

[kleptocratic]

I don't know. I haven't gotten to that part of the story.

It's just something people go to desperate lengths for.

[strove]

Only if they don't see a way to force it otherwise.

[kleptocratic]

Not everyone with power is very creative.

Though this is an extraordinarily complicated way of kidnapping someone.

[strove]

That's actually the weird part of us being here. Why are we here if we're meant to be any number of things? It's strange.

[kleptocratic]

Yes. I don't think they've even considered the normal reasons to kidnap me. Whoever they are. I'm insulted, and I'm curious.

[strove]

There are normal reasons?

[kleptocratic]

"Eugenides, steal us a pig."

"Eugenides, open this lock."

"Gen, you're expendable, you can sneak into the temple."

So, so, so. I've been stolen before.

[strove]

Loose definition of stolen. Sounds like "ordered."

[kleptocratic]

They stole me because they had orders.

[strove]

To pick a lock.

You lived a very strange life before this, and that's saying something.

[kleptocratic]

[ He can't deny it. Well, he could, but it would be lying. ]

No stranger than anyone else here from what I gather. Strange is a perspective.

[strove]

No, of course not.

But they could have just asked you to open the door.

[kleptocratic]

[ He laughs at that, though it doesn't appear in the communication. ]

No one asks me to open doors.

[strove]

Would you do it if they did ask?

[kleptocratic]

It would depend whether they said please.

[strove]

I realize this is an odd question, but would that get you to do it or not? You strike me as the contrary type.

Or is that only if a doctor asks you?

[kleptocratic]

I don't know. [ This is true. There are so many variables. Maybe the door is a gate to the underworld, or something. ] I have been known to follow doctors orders once I've had enough sedatives. [ Also not a lie. ]

[strove]

I'll try to keep some on hand.