open

[antietam]

who: Adam Parrish + open
what: catchall log
when: throughout may, post-memoria
where: community housing/breaking and centering/perimeter/wherever
warnings: none as of yet



community housing

[ Anyone who knows Ronan Lynch or has seen him around will recognize his raven Chainsaw swooping around menacingly in front of the community housing. Is she hunting something? Trying to gouge your eyes out?

Another look will reveal Adam standing below her trajectory. Every so often, he tosses up some food that gets her to swoop and calls out something in Latin. Whatever he's saying, she responds by doing aerobatic tricks.

Stand there long enough and she might come barreling worryingly close to you. ]

breaking and centering

[ Have some sort of vehicle that needs a tune-up? Or just want to find someone with a wrench? Breaking and Centering is your place! Adam is working, but it's a slow day. If you're just passing by, he's balancing on a workbench with a textbook in his lap and a wrench in the other.

If you're bringing him something to look at, you might be treated to a mildly judgmental: ] What did you do to it?

perimeter

[ Adam has been taking classes at the university, but he's not getting all of the information he wants. Therefore, he has to find it for himself. He takes some light provisions, long-sleeved shirt and pants to protect from strange plants, a knife, cheap binoculars, and a notebook.

The plan is to find a creature he's never seen before and study it from afar. Find him kneeling between overgrown plants and taking notes, or maybe save him from a creature that will probably eat him. ]

etc.

[ Or write-your-own-adventure! If you want me to write up a prompt, hit me up @faildere/PM

As a note, I'll be on hiatus from June 1-14 and I'll backtag after that! No worries about dropping anything that's too late, though. ]

Comments

[antietam]

Flowers are important. It'd tell me more about the ecosystem the monsters are living in, or how their biology might differ from what I'm used to. [ Of course, she doesn't seem all that interested in the scientific properties. So he pauses. ]

I just think we could combine our interests. You don't have to.

[howlongiwonder]

No, it's fine! You made a good point, we should do it.

[She is quick to react, still sounding a little flustered.]

I have already catalogued several species that seem most common in the area. Do you want to look at the data?

[antietam]

[ He's just glad she's actually interested. It wouldn't hurt to have an exploring buddy. ]

Oh, that'd be great. Saves some time so we can go looking for the rarer flowers. Cataloged how, exactly?

[howlongiwonder]

I have filed and segregated data as I came across it. It is currently saved in my memory.

You... do not have an easy way to read it, do you?

[He is a human after all - as far as 2B can tell.]

[antietam]

Uh... do you have a USB port? [ Is that an appropriate question? He grabs his notebook and pen instead. ]

Maybe you could transfer it over to here, if that wouldn't be too difficult.

[howlongiwonder]

USB? I'm not familiar with this data format.

Let's try to recreate the images then. I have them in my memory so putting them on paper shouldn't be a problem.

[2B nods, hand reaching out as if she expected that notebook to be given to her. She didn't really do much drawing but how hard can it be? With the visuals vivid in her memory, it's just copying the lines.]

[antietam]

Oh, I guess you wouldn't be. Technology where you're from has to be way more advanced than I'm used to.

[ He hands it to her alone with his pen, keeping a close eye on her like he's trying to figure out how she works. ]

Are, uh, androids normal where you're from?

[howlongiwonder]

It's likely the case, but it's no problem.

[2B confidently grabs the drawing implements. She saw pens being used before, so it's not that she is a total stranger to one.]

Yes, they are. Everyone I knew was also an android - humans are very rare.

[She starts to draw, her grip steady but the sketch looks weird somehow. Just several loose lines, not even connected, with a new one being added every second.]

[antietam]

[ He watches her drawing closely even if it makes no sense to him as it is. Just like she said, she's tracing it from her database, probably in the most efficient way possible.

It's the humans thing that makes him look up in surprise. ] What, really? But someone had to make the androids, right? So what happened to humans?

[howlongiwonder]

It's true. Androids are a creation of humans.

[As she adds in more lines, details start to form. Outlines of a plant...

Pretty sketchily drawn outlines to be honest. Even if 2B has a perfect view of how the flower is supposed to look like, her skill at drawing is still very basic.]

New models are developed without human input, only based on data acquired by androids themselves, but the first ones were made by humans. There aren't many of them left, so they are hiding, in a safe place.

There is a facility on the Moon. Anywhere else is dangerous.

[antietam]

So they're completely self-sufficient. [ This is a lot to think about, especially as he's squinting back at the flower. He can probably recognize it if he sees, which means it does its job.

Although he is sort of getting a bad feeling from all the robots-turn-evil stories he's read, even if she has been particularly nice. ]

What makes it so dangerous?

[howlongiwonder]

[The drawing stops. Android or not, 2B can't continue for the moment. Her grip on the pen grows momentarily stronger, almost to the point of breaking.]

The Earth was invaded.

The invaders themselves weren't seen for hundreds of years. They are... gone now. All that is left are machine lifeforms they used to wage war on humanity. In this conflict, androids are the humans' footsoldiers, to retake Earth back.

It is... not going well.

But being here has provided me with data on other universes, and such a situation seems to occur only in the one I am from.

That is comforting at least.

[antietam]

[ He's not sure what to make of her reaction. Surely androids don't have the capacity for emotions, right?

Then again, she's far more advanced than he could ever have imagined androids being, so... ]

Oh. So you left in the middle, I guess. [ He does his best to seem understanding even if he can't imagine anything like that. ] Does that mean you want to go back? Or do you like it here better?

[howlongiwonder]

Both.

[If only she knew what he's thinking, 2B would be inclined to agree with Adam. Androids don't have emotions. Or rather, shouldn't have.]

While dangerous and not flawless, I found this place peaceful. Also lively, so many humans live here.

[Her hand starts moving again, adding more sketchy scribbles to the picture. They are going a bit off-course, but at least she's trying.]

I like it here. Yet I need to go back.

This is not my duty or orders, but a conscious choice.

[antietam]

It's like a vacation. [ That's how he sees it. He's less busy here and it's nice, but it can't be permanent. ]

But a vacation that can last as long as you want. If time isn't moving back where we're from, then... do you have to worry about your orders? [ He pauses. ]

Besides, you're protecting humans here, too.

[howlongiwonder]

There are other reasons why I need to return. It's true, I can wait. However... I'd rather not wait too long.

[She falls silent for a moment, the pen's scribbling against the paper being only noises coming from 2B. However, she adds, more quietly.]

It's true though. By being here, I can protect humans from harm.

That's good.

[antietam]

I get what you mean. [ His situation is not nearly as dire, but planning to go back means staying here is just a waste of his time. ] It's weird to not be doing what you're supposed to be doing. And even if you're replacing that duty here, you're just doing extra work.

[ But it doesn't quite seem that way for her. ] Do you... genuinely like protecting humans? Or do you do it because you're programmed for it?

[howlongiwonder]

I... don't know.

All androids are made to protect humanity. I can only guess about my preferences if that wasn't the case.

I want to think I would like it still. But in the end, it's just conjecture.

[antietam]

[ So she's not that advanced, he guesses. But at least he doesn't have to worry about her going rogue. ]

Right. No point in that. [ He reaches for his notebook to try to get a better sense of the sketch. ] You were looking for a flower, right? So... do you do things for fun?

[howlongiwonder]

Ah, yes.

[Seeing Adam's movement for the notebook, 2B turns it towards him. It's mostly finished, and although there is a lot of detail, individual lines have this roughness to them that betrays an untrained amateur drew them.

Maybe this isn't so easy after all. Anyway, the sketch itselfs shows some kind of a lily-like plant, except the shape is weird and unusual. Hard to say is it because the species is specific to the Quarantine or because 2B is not much of an artist.]

There are... activities you can participate in to relax. It helps maintain mental health and balance, which is important.

[She sounds like she's trying to find excuses for herself.]

[antietam]

[ Adam looks it over carefully to memorize it, but it's difficult to get a sense of what it would really look like. He'll probably have to grab a sample just to be sure. ]

What activities are those? [ He seems a little amused, mostly because he's trying to figure out how an android relaxes and maintains mental health. He lets her go back to the notebook and then nods to signify they should move. ]

I'm gonna try to find one of those flowers to keep with the drawing.

[howlongiwonder]

Fishing, to give an example. Observing various plants is another.

[She nods, standing up. Best to move from this one place, indeed. Especially if they're to look for flowers.]

There are many other activities too. I knew of someone who collected old music boxes, and someone else who liked to navigate through data banks of old information in the network. As long as it does not affect others negatively, even if it seems pointless to observers... for you, it may be a useful tool for stress relief.

[She speaks with a certain tone of nostalgia in her voice.]

[antietam]

That's interesting. With all the technology y'all must have access to... you want to spend it outdoors or looking through old collections?

[ That's what it sounds like. Adam doesn't have many hobbies, but most Aglionby boys like to ride around in their new cars or play video games. ]

For humans, it's becoming the opposite.

[howlongiwonder]

Well... yes.

[She nods, a little awkwardly. 2B never really thought about it that way, but now that Adam told her, it is a pattern in her behavior.]

My operations took me to many locations, so I had the opportunity to observe and experience different places. Maybe androids are drawn to what is different than them.

[Or maybe it's just her, looking up with arms folded as she tries to contain her curiosity.]

Maybe humans are similar.

[antietam]

I think that makes sense. I don't mind exploring, but I'd rather experience all the technology you must be used to. It just seems more useful.

[ Exploring has to have a purpose, like what they're doing now. Going into nature for the sake of enjoying it isn't something he's used to. ]

I grew up in a small town with a whole lot of nothing, so I prefer cities with no dirt or dust. [ A pause. ] It's weird, isn't it? You're a lot like humans.