Week 3: early

[insidegalra]

As far as I can investigate into such things, the Orthorhombric Lattice is the originating point for all of this. Thetan is furious enough to disregard the risks.

For me, the greater good outweighs the risks. Doing a Sift on the fractals will give us more information and we are going to need all the information we can to fix this in a way that doesn't cause further harm. Even with significant psychic protection, there is probably still risk.

Given the risk, please take time to consider if it's worth it to you before volunteering. Who knows Sift or is willing to learn it in order to figure out what these fractals do? There are other useful skills from that world as well, so if you know them, or are willing to teach them before we begin, please speak up.

Once we have gathered a group and coordinated, I propose that the Sift itself happens on Aratta. The signals and even just the INVLEP software does influence choices, but to a greater extent in the dream.

If you know of other methods for getting information from the fractals, I would like to hear those as well.

Comments

[truerevelation]

...Risks. You talkin' about the 'accidentally Conducting your brain' sort, or the 'frying it from tryin' to stuff too much info in there' sort? Or anything else?

[insidegalra]

Both.

[Most people would not sound so calm about risks of that magnitude, but Thace does.]

We believe Conducting to be the higher risk, however, especially if we coordinate as a sizable group for the task.

[truerevelation]

...Yeah. I getcha. Parallel processin' would spread out the strain of the Sift but if Conductor ... uh, influence gets in there...

[insidegalra]

There is very little we can do, unless there are protections for the mind that I haven't encountered. Which is entirely possible; I missed the jaunts where we went to the Grid.

[truerevelation]

...Grid didn't cover anythin' like that, no.

[He pauses, then. Awkwardly, slowly...]

I guess the Cryptos did kinda fix someone from being virus'd up the first time we went, there was a patch to stop 'em all being infected, and I know some Automata got ...recoded the second. My guy actually ... went through somethin' like what would probably help the Conductors. But it was a hack job. And kinda on a different scale.

[insidegalra]

Could that experience be used to provide a rough framework, or hypothesis to build something on? Even if the same process wouldn't work here, there is something to be learned from it.

[truerevelation]

...damn. Dunno how many of the original Cryptos who were doin' the thing are still around or ... would be able to explain. Same outta the Automata who got patched: far as I can recall, my guy had his contagious code screwed with before I even got into his head, and the others I remember I ain't seen Investigating.
But there were the Trojans gettin' fixed...

[helborn]

... I'll do it. I'm not a computer person but I have decent pattern recognition. And I'm already on the Conductor network anyway - I might be immune if this is a risk we're wary of.

[insidegalra]

Thank you, Casper. I look forward to working beside you.

Sift will be necessary, but I think I learned it well enough from Kanji to be able to teach it.

[helborn]

I can learn whatever skill we need. Probably. I... I want to help more.

[He hasn't helped enough, it's never enough -]

[insidegalra]

You've helped so much, but I understand.

Now, did you visit the Grid?

[helborn]

Uh.

[He has to think a moment.]

No, that was going on when I was in Finland and turning into a dog.

[insidegalra]

I was there as well, but discovering that some Earth plants have interesting effects on Galra.

Sift is about taking information and finding patterns in it. Now that I have some experience in a Synthetic's mind, it is very much like the more advanced memory work, which takes memories as they're stored and puts them together in more meaningful ways.

[helborn]

I think I can manage that. It's just like filing papers, but advanced.

[bite_the_hand]

I don't know Sift but I do know Assist. I'm willing to teach it but you'll need to know Interface first, I didn't keep that one.

I don't care what the risks are. You can't change anything by trying to stay safe all the time.

[insidegalra]

I learned Sift from Kanji. It wasn't the focus of the lesson, but I believe I can use Advanced Mnemonics to revisit the lesson and retain Interface.

Assist increases the effectiveness of skills like Sift. We'll need that, if you're willing to help.

[bite_the_hand]

Then I can teach you Assist if you want, but you can't Assist your own Sift. You can only do one or the other.

Of course I'm willing! I wouldn't have spoken up if I wasn't.

[eldritchwheelies]

I booted up Red twice and have a Control Panel I can use to track our progress, and █ ██ ██████ ██████.

...she's a Fist of the North Star fan. Good to know.

Anyway, teach me how to Sift and I'll help Sift... if you'll have me; it's possible that having already-Conductive members will increase the conductivity risk.

[insidegalra]

I'll teach it to you. I'm willing to take the risk, but others who are Sifting might not. I will ask when we're assembled.

[youandyoualone]

I would be willing to learn, even if I needs must be Interfaced to do it.

[And given how much Anafiel hates Interface, that's saying something.]

[insidegalra]

Interface was involved in my learning of the skill. I could try to teach it without an interface, of course.

[Thace isn't sure it will work, but he's willing to try.]

[youandyoualone]

No. I can endure it for such a needful cause. Do not worry.

[insidegalra]

I will make it as quick as I can, then. Thank you.

[youandyoualone]

You are quite welcome.

[insidegalra]

When and where do you wish to do it?