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葛葉ライドウ (Kuzunoha Raidou XIV) ([personal profile] capital_asset) wrote in [community profile] synopsychic2020-10-05 11:34 am
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[week 4] Nightmares and nightmares

I have some updates.

One: Using Insight tells me that the Orthopractic Councils on the Hecatite homeworld who approved the Aratta project do not actually understand it, which is... unsurprising. It does raise the question of how much of it they'd approve of if they did understand it, but I don't have the answer to that.

Second, I have two prophetic nightmares to report. The first was of Aratta Skyhook, with metal screaming and thrumming as its orbit decayed and gravity and momentum began to rip it apart. Outside the station a hulking ship encrusted with irregular domes and spires exchanged plasma fire with almond-shaped ceramic vessels - Gorgon crafts - and pointed cylindrical craft with flanged engines, which I believe are slightly outdated human vessels. I'm not sure who I was supposed to be in the dream, but I was definitely on Aratta itself, and I remember saying to myself, "We're winning," while being simultaneously full of dread at the thought of that victory.

The second nightmare featured Grant alone in a forest of dark trees, which were murmuring and creaking and shifting ever closer to him. As they reached for him, he pulled back, repeating a mantra to himself:

"I can do this on my own. I can do this on my own. I can do this on my own."

At that point, he tripped over a tree-route; before the woods closed around him, I caught a glimpse of a starless, flickering indigo-neon sky, which I'm almost certain was in Questing Country.

My Questing Sense, incidentally, is pointing me towards Backstage.

Another thing: there is a common thread to the increasingly strong human and Gorgon nightmares, and that is classic xenophobia, to the point where some of these nightmares will turn on each other. Fear and hatred of Hecatites, however, is conspicuous by its absence, which makes sense if the Gorgons and humans on Aratta are unconsciously absorbing Hecatite propaganda.

As for Aratta itself, unrest has been growing. I don't know how many of you have been there this week for the protests or heard about the Adiaphoron being subjected to a Praxic Audit - in essence, an exam where affirmative proof must be presented that their way of life is not harmful to the social good. But as an update to that, all of the Synthetics who were there for the protest - all 2,119 of them - have been "asked" to report for maintenance diagnostics and "antivirus upgrades." Further, the Conditioned Diaphoron has been informed that they are also to be subjected to a Praxic Audit, which... honestly isn't a surprise either, given how things have been going, but is ominous nonetheless.
lightnovelexperiences: (fuck this!)

[personal profile] lightnovelexperiences 2020-10-05 03:39 pm (UTC)(link)
Of course the Orthos wouldn't approve if they knew what was really going on. Titan didn't approve. Everyone who got infected, once they knew what was going on, were horrified to be a part of the experiment to the point of self-loathing. Leah included.

I trust that there are enough righteous people who practice what they preach that getting the Orthorhombics Audited is a really, really good idea.

Also: It occurs to me that "antivirus upgrades" like that are a shackle that can be broken.

Just say the word.
Edited 2020-10-05 15:40 (UTC)
lightnovelexperiences: ((shrugs into space))

[personal profile] lightnovelexperiences 2020-10-10 04:11 am (UTC)(link)
Point well taken. On both fronts.

The sooner our business is concluded, Wake-side and backstage, the better.
lightnovelexperiences: (dunno if we can do it)

[personal profile] lightnovelexperiences 2020-10-10 04:15 am (UTC)(link)
Are there forms of musical magic we've picked up other than Siren Song? We might need it.
breakaleginhalf: (shit no)

[personal profile] breakaleginhalf 2020-10-05 04:14 pm (UTC)(link)
Well that's... horrifying to hear.

I know it's a nightmare but I'm seriously hoping it's not literal. [Because it sounds like Grant's going to do something monumentally stupid.] Not that I can do much to stop him, since he can just boot me and do it anyway.
lightnovelexperiences: (awe)

[personal profile] lightnovelexperiences 2020-10-05 04:16 pm (UTC)(link)
He knows he doesn't have to do this alone, right?

He probably saved QC. And Leah's soul, as far as she's concerned. She owes him.
breakaleginhalf: (buuuuuuut i don't like you)

[personal profile] breakaleginhalf 2020-10-05 04:21 pm (UTC)(link)
[There's a faint, dry snort. His tone isn't cruel, just flatly amused.]

You of all people would know that knowing and believing are two wildly different things. Plus, y'know, the whole "he as a species is actively damaging to QC" part isn't helping stabilise him on that front.
lightnovelexperiences: (:c)

[personal profile] lightnovelexperiences 2020-10-05 04:25 pm (UTC)(link)
Hope, but no trust. I know.

...there's a way that the Diabolin don't have to damage Backstage anymore. I think. I believe. But he'd need to hear it from Leah.

And to trust her. So it's a longshot.
truerevelation: (.09)

[personal profile] truerevelation 2020-10-09 11:01 am (UTC)(link)
Yeah. This whole mess never smelled like it was comin' from the top strata to me. Spent enough time in someone shiny's head for that... but shit. Doublin' down on the protesters? As if these guys couldn't be any more assholes... They're just tryin' to show support and this...?
Ugh.
truerevelation: (*12)

[personal profile] truerevelation 2020-10-09 07:10 pm (UTC)(link)
Ugh, yeah. Like those sorts ever think that there's a good spot to stop diggin' when it comes to screwin' people over.
truerevelation: (*20)

[personal profile] truerevelation 2020-10-10 01:40 pm (UTC)(link)
Now I'm tryin' to work out what the Hecatite version of twirlin' an evil moustache and laughing is.
truerevelation: (.09)

[personal profile] truerevelation 2020-10-13 09:34 am (UTC)(link)
Tch, that sounds about right.