[open to investigators]

[nicotinized]

So, uh, unrelated to all that grant stuff [ACADEMIA, he does not understand you] - this is the first place we've been in a while with any sort of tech, it might be worthwhile to grab more portable stuff - flashlights, two-way radios, stuff like that. And lots of batteries.

And is there anyone good at building stuff? I've got a favor to ask.

Comments

[shantiprayer]

You mean most of the places we go really don't have technology? [Strangely, she didn't seem that upset by the idea. Then after a brief pause she spoke up again.] Wait, wouldn't that be stealing?

[nicotinized]

Depends on your definition of 'technology'. Some are pretty modern - computers, space travel, stuff like that. A lot are simpler though - cars and simple appliances at best, much less cellphones.

And it would be - but if I can think of a way to compensate them for it, I'll do that instead.

[shantiprayer]

I see. I'd still consider cars and appliances to be technology though, just less dangerous.

Please don't take anything unless you can pay them for it, somehow! The people here seem to need most of what they have.

[nicotinized]

You think cars are less dangerous than cellphones? [He doesn't seem entirely serious, just a touch amused] But a lot of places don't even have basic communication tech outside couriers or paper mail.

And I'm not going to rob them blind - but payment may have to be in trade.

[shantiprayer]

Oh! No, I was thinking of the technology from back home. When I left, it looked a lot like this place. Only even the sky was ruined.

That's fine. Information and labor are probably more valuable here than money anyway. Just as long as we're not stealing from everyone.

[nicotinized]

That bad, huh? Home is pretty bad, too - all the cities are covered, because it's too harsh outside for anything to survive.

[shantiprayer]

It was the same in Karma City. The privileged few lived under a dome, and everyone else had to hide underground. The corrupted data from the black sun turned anyone exposed into stone.

[nicotinized]

We had plenty of poor, in New Babylon - they just got the worst parts. Underground, no city maintenance, lots of crime.

Outside is just... snow. Eternal winter because of how badly we fucked everything up.

[shantiprayer]

Eternal winter sounds better than the entire world being a lifeless desert. And our poor were systematically hunted and killed.

[She understandably sounded rather angry about that.]

[nicotinized]

[There's no words, just a feeling of utter disbelief - there were some in the city who'd probably advocate something like that, but it's still too horrific to believe]

Maybe someday, the planet will recover enough.

[shantiprayer]

It should now. The people responsible were taken care of, and before I was brought here we fixed the sky. ...I hope.

[She seemed to almost mentally shake herself out of that line of thought, returning to a stubborn optimism.]

But if we could fix my home, I'm sure there's hope for your's! It might take a while, but I'm sure a solution can be found if people work together.

[nicotinized]

Nature will run it's course eventually - it's more a question of whether or not we'll survive long enough as a species to see it happen.