Open to Investigators

[shiroganeheir]

[Naoto's mental voice is much weaker and more tired than usual when she takes to the network.]

So, everything's going to Yomi in a handbasket at the moment, and I'm not meaning the bar. I had an idea that whoever has retained either Sift or Assist from the Grid could come together to try to find this damn Name and get it back where it belongs.

There are two questions involved in this, however. First, who has retained either of those skills, and would be willing to meet up to help, and second, what paramaters should we use? Just Sifting for the Name would not be effective enough. We would need to make it much more specific.

If anyone has any ideas at all, please let me know, even if you don't have the necessary skills. I am around if anyone wishes to speak to me in person.

Comments

[tailforbrains]

... I guess I've still got Sift. I used it on one of those gambling games in liminal space. Can you even use it like this, though?

[shiroganeheir]

On the Grid, SHIRO used Sift to coordinate a virtual exploration of the prison, and I used Sift on the telephone in Liminal Space to find which phone numbers were usable. I cannot promise that it will specifically pinpoint the Name, but I believe it will help us to find more than we know right now.

[tailforbrains]

Well, those are all mechanical things. You can use it for actually, like. Not mechanical things? Cuz there's nothing here that's even remotely like the data we worked with in the Grid.

[shiroganeheir]

It has not been tried, but I do feel that it would work. It is not something I can really explain, but I feel that if I asked the correct things, I could find out about almost anything. However, that is emotion connected to something and not fact.

[tailforbrains]

Yeah, you're more optimistic than I am. But I guess it can't hurt anything to try. Worst that could happen is nothing, right?

So, uh. What should we ask? I guess "where is the name" or "who has the name" isn't specific enough? Maybe, um, a cross-section of the two might narrow it down? Like an AND search?

[Neeshka doesn't know a damn thing about computers, but she spent two months inside a program that did searches. She at least remembers that much.]

[wholeheaded]

I may be able to offer Assistance to whoever's doing... something, but I haven't tested it yet.

...and I think maybe you should find someone to take point on this, Naoto. You shouldn't burn yourself out if others are able to help.

[shiroganeheir]

That is a good idea.

Hm. The problem in theory is that if we're too specific, we might not have enough power to get the specific information. It took six miners on the Grid to Sift the prison we were working on, and even then, we did not know everything.

I am, admittedly at a loss on that part. If we do not ask the right question, we will have wasted an opportunity.

[Her mental voice is quiet for a moment, almost mumbling.]

Asking Sun questions was easier than this.

[shiroganeheir]

Thank you, Ambrose-san. I appreciate it.

I will be fine. I have not been able to sleep very well, and keeping busy is helping more than sitting around doing nothing at the moment.

[And it probably says something that Naoto is admitting to that.]

[tailforbrains]

So I guess you want some kind of balance between specific and general, huh? I don't know, the AND search could at least get you pointed in the right direction. I don't think you'd really need to know everything. It's not like you're sneaking into a house full of booby traps that you have to the layout of ahead of time in order to get anywhere, it's just one thing, and you can figure out the specific stuff when you get there.

[shiroganeheir]

That is very true. This is quite different than the Prison search. We do not need to know what is on our way there, just what is there in the first place.

[She falls silent for a bit, thinking.]

[creativefool]

Lost all my Miner tricks when I went green, sorry, can't give ya a hand on the Siftin' stuff up.

But... [Kanji's not going to sugar coat it-] ya sound like crap. You really think you're gonna be able t' focus well enough to do a good job of it? Come over 'n I'll fix ya up a Breeze, least I can do, but I don't wanna see you wreckin' yourself trying to get the job done.

[shiroganeheir]

Bah. Alright. Thank you anyway. I appreciate it.

[There's a mental frustrated sigh before she goes on.]

I am simply tired, Kanji. I will be fine. However, I will likely take you up on that drink sometime soon.

[creativefool]

Look after yourself, alright? Don't do anythin' dumb. [or dumber than usual, he doesn't add...] None of us do our best work when we're tired. Been there, done that.

[shiroganeheir]

I know. And really, I just need to sit down and think about this, but for whatever reason, it's just not coming.

I think I'm out of my depth with this sort of thing. I would rather have a complicated closed-room murder any day.

[wholeheaded]

All right, just... [ no, not his place to tell her what to do. ] Just be careful, and let me know if there's any way I can help.

[tailforbrains]

[Neeshka waits through a moment of pause before getting impatient, and probably bored, and replying:]

So I guess once you decide, let me know. As long as we can do it from somewhere those angels can't get at us, I guess I can help.

[creativefool]

At least there ya know you've got all the pieces to the mystery, huh.