x. voice

[firstroar]

The reports seem to be mixed. Have those of you who have returned found yourselves safe places and warm clothing? Some have offered already; I should hope the message has reached those in need.

I'm not certain of what remaining here could be of use to you Earthside, but it can be brought when I join you. But not just yet.

[a beat.]

The people...

What are they like now?

Comments

[firstroar]

[it's harder to discern the intentions behind voices separated by screens and distance. for this reason and more, Blue is silent for a moment.

then,] You're right, of course. It's what helps me continue to move forward. That, and everyone here.

[selfequipped]

People are pretty amazing when they put their minds to it. It's pretty much why I was worried when I heard they really weren't putting their minds to it, so to speak, around when I got here.

I think it's good to tell people about that. [There's a pause.] About your world. It might help, anyway. You can be one to help others move forward, too. [Even if it isn't the easiest thing to hear, even with just the implications laid out.]

[firstroar]

[another prod. Collette, Jaime...this one, now. it makes Blue feel tired, though he knows he needs to be anything but now.]

If that's what I can do, I will. I've learned about a means to discovering more about our shared enemy...but I can't be the one alone to seek it out. Others... [too young. they don't deserve this.] Many of us will have to. Must...we can't continue lashing out in the dark like this.

[selfequipped]

What's the means? [She agrees that they can't go lashing out into the dark. Having no idea who they're facing is a bad thing, especially if those people are said to be bad people, but are using a front that could almost be sympathetic.] Experience tells me the dark isn't going to help us. We might hit our target, but sometimes there's more than one.

[firstroar]

[an affirmative sound, followed by a pause.]

If we find particular points in time related to the United Earth's artificial intelligence, how it came to be...we may learn something key. Key enough to dismantling it safer.

[selfequipped]

So more time traveling as the solution. I'm not a big fan of it, but it does seem to be the thing that keeps on coming back. Which is strange. Why that?

[firstroar]

Humans giving up their right to rule themselves...it's an important moment. If it's not something that can be stopped, it has to at least be understood. Altered, even, if it can be. For the sake of a better future...

[selfequipped]

Yeah. Back home, that sort of thing is usually synonymous with something named Ultron. Bad enough that everyone hears about it. He'd do this kind of thing, too, if I've got it right.

[firstroar]

Manipulating time, you mean?

[selfequipped]

No, creating a thing called the United Earth and then deciding that he needs to expand into other worlds to screw them up.

[firstroar]

[ah.]

Has he been stopped? Or does he persist?

[selfequipped]

From what I know, he gets stopped a lot. But he's capable of evolving.

[firstroar]

As opposed to computerized structure and logic. We may have an advantage in this case.

[selfequipped]

Yeah. We're sure that's the case, right? Then again, this place doesn't really seem to have a Hank Pym. [Which is both a good thing and a bad thing, not that Kate has an opinion on the matter.]

[firstroar]

Our knowledge of the AI's anatomy is rudimentary, based on hearsay more than fact. Seeking out its origins can help us understand better.

[selfequipped]

Too bad we can't plant a very subtle virus or something in their systems and hope it feeds us back data.

[firstroar]

[there's a slight pause.]

That's something...that isn't beyond the realm of possibility. It's been proposed already. And other methods like it.

[selfequipped]

... Is there a reason why no one's gone ahead with it? Or is it a lack of tech?

[firstroar]

It's a move that has the potential to have dramatic impact. Something I wouldn't pursue alone.

Something the rest of us need to know of.

[selfequipped]

And if it goes the wrong way, we could potentially be stuck here.

[firstroar]

Or any number of unknown repercussions. Others more knowledgeable about the ill effects of tampering with time have much to say about it. [a hesitation.] But even so, sitting idle...

[selfequipped]

I don't do idle. And it's better to take risks than do nothing. Calculated risks, but risks all the same.

[firstroar]

I may need your help, then.

[selfequipped]

Just ask. [There's no hesitation.] I'm willing to offer my services wherever they're needed.