SLOBFERN (Translated from Slobese)
Kinda thought I was numb to being disturbed anymore. It felt like it was him or me, the way he was getting in my head, but I don't even know if we technically did a good thing taking this guy out.
Kinda thought I was numb to being disturbed anymore. It felt like it was him or me, the way he was getting in my head, but I don't even know if we technically did a good thing taking this guy out.
QUEEN MAYA CELIA
Sometimes the enemy of your enemy is just another big bastard, Fern. Staphie, you run any data yet?
Sometimes the enemy of your enemy is just another big bastard, Fern. Staphie, you run any data yet?
CO-QUEEN DOCTOR STAPHANIE CELIA
I've had our team analyze Harold's behavior and speech during our altercation, contrasted it with what he appears to have written and filled some critical gaps in with what we can translate from Buzzer chatter - thank you, whatever you are.
To the best of our knowledge, Harold is a piece of the Old Flesh rejected as unsuitable by the rest of the Parliament, perhaps separated completely from the perceptual network they seemingly share. He seems to have a fixation on an entity wholly unknown to us, but which he regards as a maternal figure, an impression we feel as well when we observe his renditions of this being.
Harold's consciousness was imperceptible to Jay, and his entire presence likely imperceptible to Crash, but the three seem to have fed into one another's erratic behavior.
I've had our team analyze Harold's behavior and speech during our altercation, contrasted it with what he appears to have written and filled some critical gaps in with what we can translate from Buzzer chatter - thank you, whatever you are.
To the best of our knowledge, Harold is a piece of the Old Flesh rejected as unsuitable by the rest of the Parliament, perhaps separated completely from the perceptual network they seemingly share. He seems to have a fixation on an entity wholly unknown to us, but which he regards as a maternal figure, an impression we feel as well when we observe his renditions of this being.
Harold's consciousness was imperceptible to Jay, and his entire presence likely imperceptible to Crash, but the three seem to have fed into one another's erratic behavior.
MAGDOLENE:
Reckon it ain't no accident them mixed-up critters got dumped on each other; another mean little petri dish they were messin' with. I've been thinkin' this here maze ain't as random as it might seem like.
Reckon it ain't no accident them mixed-up critters got dumped on each other; another mean little petri dish they were messin' with. I've been thinkin' this here maze ain't as random as it might seem like.
CO-QUEEN DOCTOR STAPHANIE CELIA
I was thinking the same thing. The plank maze exhibits a degree of chaos, certainly, it's the "gunk trapped in the drain" as other realities deteriorate, but the Parliament has such easy access to it as an interzonal back door, we've likely underestimated the influence they have on precisely what gets caught here. It's certainly how they dispose of some Hospital staff, as you know all too well, but for all we know everything encountered in the planks could have been curated deliberately by the Old Flesh for their experimentation.
I was thinking the same thing. The plank maze exhibits a degree of chaos, certainly, it's the "gunk trapped in the drain" as other realities deteriorate, but the Parliament has such easy access to it as an interzonal back door, we've likely underestimated the influence they have on precisely what gets caught here. It's certainly how they dispose of some Hospital staff, as you know all too well, but for all we know everything encountered in the planks could have been curated deliberately by the Old Flesh for their experimentation.
QUERY
The same conclusions I've drawn, I'm afraid, and all but confirmed by the disparity between my recent memory and Fern's. I believe the most logical explanation is that they did not merely attempt to eliminate me, but may have at some point isolated me from the Hospital and tampered with my systems. I think that they abandoned the operation once they determined Crash to be the most corruptible of us, leaving me to degrade in the Maze.
There is no telling how much of my knowledge and perception is truly trustworthy. I cannot in good conscience actually offer my assistance to Magdolene as was our plan.
The same conclusions I've drawn, I'm afraid, and all but confirmed by the disparity between my recent memory and Fern's. I believe the most logical explanation is that they did not merely attempt to eliminate me, but may have at some point isolated me from the Hospital and tampered with my systems. I think that they abandoned the operation once they determined Crash to be the most corruptible of us, leaving me to degrade in the Maze.
There is no telling how much of my knowledge and perception is truly trustworthy. I cannot in good conscience actually offer my assistance to Magdolene as was our plan.
SLOBFERN (Translated from Slobese)
Hold on, how do you know it wasn't just me? I could feel myself losing control of this thing I'm in the closer it got to Harold, like it really really thought he had the best idea it ever heard. Whatever you actually told us, it could have just been filtered through whatever he was doing to the Slob's senses.
Hold on, how do you know it wasn't just me? I could feel myself losing control of this thing I'm in the closer it got to Harold, like it really really thought he had the best idea it ever heard. Whatever you actually told us, it could have just been filtered through whatever he was doing to the Slob's senses.
CO-QUEEN DOCTOR STAPHANIE CELIA
We heard Query telling us to head to Jay's room too, but Fern has a point. We can only perceive outer space through the vessel's perceptual systems. Also, we've been eating it for generations.
We heard Query telling us to head to Jay's room too, but Fern has a point. We can only perceive outer space through the vessel's perceptual systems. Also, we've been eating it for generations.
MAGDOLENE:
Let's be real y'all, we don't know how "compromised" any of us might be, but we ain't all too discombobulated to recanize that somethin's wrong, are we? I'd rather have the help of someone who might be makin' mistakes than worry about whether I'm the one makin' mistakes all on my lonesome.
I'm sure we can get somewhere, Query. We can just keep an eye on each other fer any weirdness, and seein' as my position in the Hospital technically outranks yours, that's my final say.
Let's be real y'all, we don't know how "compromised" any of us might be, but we ain't all too discombobulated to recanize that somethin's wrong, are we? I'd rather have the help of someone who might be makin' mistakes than worry about whether I'm the one makin' mistakes all on my lonesome.
I'm sure we can get somewhere, Query. We can just keep an eye on each other fer any weirdness, and seein' as my position in the Hospital technically outranks yours, that's my final say.
QUERY
I literally can't argue, then. But thank you, I "appreciate it" insofar as a programmed entity can do so. I'm to understand you have been investigating the whereabouts of our other missing peers.
I literally can't argue, then. But thank you, I "appreciate it" insofar as a programmed entity can do so. I'm to understand you have been investigating the whereabouts of our other missing peers.
MAGDOLENE:
Sure have! I've scrounged up a few doo-dads n' tidbits the gals here might find mighty interestin,' actually, and I'd like to compare yer analysis with my own before we go any further, if Fern n' company will just pardon us fer a sublayer...
Sure have! I've scrounged up a few doo-dads n' tidbits the gals here might find mighty interestin,' actually, and I'd like to compare yer analysis with my own before we go any further, if Fern n' company will just pardon us fer a sublayer...
