four; voice + text

[boughtabookstore]

[ HELLO NETWORK Roslyn has a gift for you. that is, she is using something other than text over the network and it isn't encrypted. WHOA.

she also sounds pretty harried! what's up with that. ]

I have news.

The time equipment can't be reached. Security is too heavy even with these problems.

They knew this was coming. It's time inconsistencies, the result of our mission. Sometimes the smallest thing changes and it causes others - the butterfly effect, it's been called before. They didn't think it would be this fast, or this bad -

[ a pause, a quick intake of air. she's struggling to make sure she remembers and says everything. as she falls silent, a second voice speaks up. Tony Stark, for those who recognize his voice. ]

Their 'solution' for this problem of theirs: send us out to fix it. The ones who can be sent out, because they're not in danger of suddenly blinking out of existence due to her-mentioned butterfly effects. And that's also why all the new neighbours all the time – just to make sure there's enough people around to keep sending people out. Because the population, not growing. People coming in to replace the ones who have vanished.

[ another pause, this time filled with the noise of a hand over the mic, movement nearby and the murmur of muffled voices. then the hand lifts and she speaks again. ]

Bariyan. John. The children.

If there's a mission -

[ she lets that hang in the air and shuts off the connection.

not long afterwards, a few encrypted messages go out from Roslyn! ]

voice; encrypted to Robin Hood;

Are you all right?

voice; encrypted to Bariyan;

I asked some questions.

voice; encrypted to John;

I've heard the clinic is having some troubles. How are you doing?

voice; encrypted to Riku;

I haven't heard from you recently. Is everything all right?

Comments

[boughtabookstore]

I have very little faith in it.

But slightly more than I have in us being able to return ourselves.

[hellodeadpeople]

There's always the riot and take the damn shit over option.

[boughtabookstore]

Are you able to operate sensitive time travelling technology you've never seen before?

[hellodeadpeople]

That would be why we keep one left alive.

[boughtabookstore]

Yes, because coercion is a sure way to get us safely returned to our accurate times and places.

[hellodeadpeople]

In my experience I've found violence to be a great motivator.

[boughtabookstore]

It breeds resentment and anger. Not cooperation.

[hellodeadpeople]

We'll just have to agree to disagree on that one.

[boughtabookstore]

Allow me to elaborate.

If you found yourself treated poorly and violently by someone, and then forced into giving them the instructions to operate a machine where they wouldn't know whether the results were good or not until it was too late to fix them, i.e. having already landed at their destination.

Would you then give them the correct instructions to return to their home, or would you take great pleasure in making sure they landed somewhere they would regret every bit of pain they ever caused you?

[hellodeadpeople]

Which is why you hold collateral and make sure to use guinea pigs for the first few.

We take one with us. They send us off. Have to send someone back to get the hostage. Then the transaction is done.

[boughtabookstore]

You're very convinced of your own abilities.

[hellodeadpeople]

I really am.

[boughtabookstore]

That does not always end well.

[hellodeadpeople]

Neither does taking the nice way around it. You do your way, I'll do mine.

[boughtabookstore]

I generally find a mixture works best.