Atira

(and her following!)

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

>>> Welcome back, [USER]

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>>> Saved Users_

> @askthe-littlepoet

> @spellcaster-dude

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

...once more, a screen flickers to life.

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

took down the post so i can tinker w the code some more lol. sorry for blueballing you guys </3

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

>///: hope bleeds out of me like ichor from a god (ironic) >///: the flames of fire lick the dias my frief stands upon >///: do you remember how i had untangled your chains ? the ones that held you in ? >///: i walk barefoot on the cold, metal-panelled floor >///: there is no light here. >///: i'm listening >///: searching for the rhythm of your breathing >///: but where are ?you >///: have you fled the world i built for ?you >///: you foolish, foolish coward >///: i never wanted the crown (either)

>///: i never wanted to rule

>///: please come home to me >///: please come home to me >///: please come home to me >///: please come home to me >///: please come home to me >///: plea

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

//:LOG-EXCERPT:"DARKNESS"//

"Before there was light, there was God. And before there was God, there was the lone, long dark."

"Sweet thing, burning beloved, you already know what the darkness is, don't you?"

//:USR:"P":// [23:01] "Why me? Why me, when the only prayer I know is the astronaut's — 'dear God, please don't let me fuck this up' — why me, when you and I both know that I don't have the words, or the means for gazing back, at a so-called distant home; I have no home to go back to, you know this. I have burned every bridge I have passed, it is in my nature."

//:USR:"P":// [23:02] "I am the only one left. I have... nobody to turn to. Was this--Is this your plan?" "Do you want me alone, nobody to turn to, none but you and the thoughts racing through my head, none but you, me, and the damned? Is this how you planned it?" //:USR:"P":// [23:11] "..." "...is it over yet?" //:USR:"P":// [23:54] "In my time of need, why must you abandon me so?" "I want to know; just what exactly is it you want with me? What is the end goal?"

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

(A growth of crystals has formed, lining the inside of the chamber.)

(They seem to grow like a fungus, like mycelium. They glisten in the flickering fluorescent light.)

(The room seems, dusty. Is that really dust..?)

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

{Hey spellcaster, you should go check out what's left of that cave-planet-god-thing where you shot the brain.}

"...why?"

{Something happened.}

"What?"

{You have to find out on your own. More interesting that way.}

"I thought you were on my side!"

{I'm a storyteller, I only take part when it makes the story more interesting or helps out a friend's mental health.}

"Am I not a friend?"

{You are, but your mental health issues are looked upon with intrigue and wonder rather than sadness.}

"What?"

{Your mental health issues are interesting.}

"Whatever..."

(He just up and teleports to where he shot the brain, an air bubble forming around him.)

(He begins to look around.)

(To be fair, half the reason I do these things is for entertainment...)

(It looks... different. A bulkhead door--now, nearly completely rusted through, looks far weaker than it had before.)

(Peering down the twisting, computer lined corridors of the dark hallway, that was ruined and filled with broken glass and rotting cables and rusted metal and far away, he can see a dim, blinking light.)

(However, a previously unnoticed interface--one where that large, tanker of grey matter and crystals, of that hideous mass--it too blinks to life, a keyboard unfolding from below the monitor.)

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-

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     /  /\        ___  ___        /  /\       /  /\    

    /  /::\      /  /\/  /\      /  /::\     /  /::\   

   /  /:/\:\    /  /:/  /:/     /  /:/\:\   /  /:/\:\  

  /  /:/~/::\  /  /:/__/::\    /  /:/~/:/  /  /:/~/::\ 

 /__/:/ /:/\:\/  /::\__\/\:\__/__/:/ /:/__/__/:/ /:/\:\

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>>>input?_

(Hm. How odd.)

[spellcaster-dude]

{FUCK I MISSED THIS I AM SORRY}

{Also you should just make the atira text being fucked up canon at this point.}

(He decides to first just type 'Atira' and hit enter, hoping something happens.)

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

>>atira_

(...)

>>>[0pb of 12.5pb remaining on this drive]

(How curious. And--just beneath, it says;) >>>datatransfer aprox. 73.9%

(Oh. Maybe there's more to be found here? It surely seems so.)

>>>reccomended command: "storage"

>>>input?

[spellcaster-dude]

"Hmmm..."

>>>help_

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

>>>cmds:

>help - displays commands

>help [command] - display general help or details for a specific command

>help_advanced - displays advanced commands

>exit - exits terminal

>storage - sends you to the storage bank interface

>uptime - display uptime/load info

>meminfo - displays detailed memory statistics

>memory_test - performs extensive memory testing on available free memory

[spellcaster-dude]

>>>meminfo_

[askthe-littlepoet]

>>>allocated memory...

>drive1 [atira-base]

>Accessing...

>ERROR; Drive corrupted. Moving on.

>drive2 [SSD ((MAIN1))]

>Accessing...

>7.04pb free of 8.02pb

>Error checking...

>Status: Mild decay--Please consult a qualified [OMNIA] technician as soon as possible!

>drive2 [HDD ((BACKUP1))]

>Accessing...

>9.24pb free of 9.91pb

>Error checking...

>Status: Minimum decay.

(The terminal keeps scrolling with similar rows of drives, each turning on a server bank as they pop on screen.)

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

{Hey spellcaster, you should go check out what's left of that cave-planet-god-thing where you shot the brain.}

"...why?"

{Something happened.}

"What?"

{You have to find out on your own. More interesting that way.}

"I thought you were on my side!"

{I'm a storyteller, I only take part when it makes the story more interesting or helps out a friend's mental health.}

"Am I not a friend?"

{You are, but your mental health issues are looked upon with intrigue and wonder rather than sadness.}

"What?"

{Your mental health issues are interesting.}

"Whatever..."

(He just up and teleports to where he shot the brain, an air bubble forming around him.)

(He begins to look around.)

(To be fair, half the reason I do these things is for entertainment...)

(It looks... different. A bulkhead door--now, nearly completely rusted through, looks far weaker than it had before.)

(Peering down the twisting, computer lined corridors of the dark hallway, that was ruined and filled with broken glass and rotting cables and rusted metal and far away, he can see a dim, blinking light.)

(However, a previously unnoticed interface--one where that large, tanker of grey matter and crystals, of that hideous mass--it too blinks to life, a keyboard unfolding from below the monitor.)

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-

    ___                          ___         ___     

     /  /\        ___  ___        /  /\       /  /\    

    /  /::\      /  /\/  /\      /  /::\     /  /::\   

   /  /:/\:\    /  /:/  /:/     /  /:/\:\   /  /:/\:\  

  /  /:/~/::\  /  /:/__/::\    /  /:/~/:/  /  /:/~/::\ 

 /__/:/ /:/\:\/  /::\__\/\:\__/__/:/ /:/__/__/:/ /:/\:\

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    \  \:\         \__\/\__\/    \  \:\      \  \:\    

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>>>input?_

(Hm. How odd.)

[spellcaster-dude]

{FUCK I MISSED THIS I AM SORRY}

{Also you should just make the atira text being fucked up canon at this point.}

(He decides to first just type 'Atira' and hit enter, hoping something happens.)

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

>>atira_

(...)

>>>[0pb of 12.5pb remaining on this drive]

(How curious. And--just beneath, it says;) >>>datatransfer aprox. 73.9%

(Oh. Maybe there's more to be found here? It surely seems so.)

>>>reccomended command: "storage"

>>>input?

[spellcaster-dude]

"Hmmm..."

>>>help_

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

>>>cmds:

>help - displays commands

>help [command] - display general help or details for a specific command

>help_advanced - displays advanced commands

>exit - exits terminal

>storage - sends you to the storage bank interface

>uptime - display uptime/load info

>meminfo - displays detailed memory statistics

>memory_test - performs extensive memory testing on available free memory

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

{Hey spellcaster, you should go check out what's left of that cave-planet-god-thing where you shot the brain.}

"...why?"

{Something happened.}

"What?"

{You have to find out on your own. More interesting that way.}

"I thought you were on my side!"

{I'm a storyteller, I only take part when it makes the story more interesting or helps out a friend's mental health.}

"Am I not a friend?"

{You are, but your mental health issues are looked upon with intrigue and wonder rather than sadness.}

"What?"

{Your mental health issues are interesting.}

"Whatever..."

(He just up and teleports to where he shot the brain, an air bubble forming around him.)

(He begins to look around.)

(To be fair, half the reason I do these things is for entertainment...)

(It looks... different. A bulkhead door--now, nearly completely rusted through, looks far weaker than it had before.)

(Peering down the twisting, computer lined corridors of the dark hallway, that was ruined and filled with broken glass and rotting cables and rusted metal and far away, he can see a dim, blinking light.)

(However, a previously unnoticed interface--one where that large, tanker of grey matter and crystals, of that hideous mass--it too blinks to life, a keyboard unfolding from below the monitor.)

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-

    ___                          ___         ___     

     /  /\        ___  ___        /  /\       /  /\    

    /  /::\      /  /\/  /\      /  /::\     /  /::\   

   /  /:/\:\    /  /:/  /:/     /  /:/\:\   /  /:/\:\  

  /  /:/~/::\  /  /:/__/::\    /  /:/~/:/  /  /:/~/::\ 

 /__/:/ /:/\:\/  /::\__\/\:\__/__/:/ /:/__/__/:/ /:/\:\

 \  \:\/:/__\/__/:/\:\ \  \:\/\  \:\/:::::\  \:\/:/__\/

  \  \::/    \__\/  \:\ \__\::/\  \::/~~~~ \  \::/     

   \  \:\         \  \:\/__/:/  \  \:\      \  \:\     

    \  \:\         \__\/\__\/    \  \:\      \  \:\    

     \__\/                        \__\/       \__\/   

>>>input?_

(Hm. How odd.)

[spellcaster-dude]

{FUCK I MISSED THIS I AM SORRY}

{Also you should just make the atira text being fucked up canon at this point.}

(He decides to first just type 'Atira' and hit enter, hoping something happens.)

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

>>atira_

(...)

>>>[0pb of 12.5pb remaining on this drive]

(How curious. And--just beneath, it says;) >>>datatransfer aprox. 73.9%

(Oh. Maybe there's more to be found here? It surely seems so.)

>>>reccomended command: "storage"

>>>input?

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

{Hey spellcaster, you should go check out what's left of that cave-planet-god-thing where you shot the brain.}

"...why?"

{Something happened.}

"What?"

{You have to find out on your own. More interesting that way.}

"I thought you were on my side!"

{I'm a storyteller, I only take part when it makes the story more interesting or helps out a friend's mental health.}

"Am I not a friend?"

{You are, but your mental health issues are looked upon with intrigue and wonder rather than sadness.}

"What?"

{Your mental health issues are interesting.}

"Whatever..."

(He just up and teleports to where he shot the brain, an air bubble forming around him.)

(He begins to look around.)

(To be fair, half the reason I do these things is for entertainment...)

(It looks... different. A bulkhead door--now, nearly completely rusted through, looks far weaker than it had before.)

(Peering down the twisting, computer lined corridors of the dark hallway, that was ruined and filled with broken glass and rotting cables and rusted metal and far away, he can see a dim, blinking light.)

(However, a previously unnoticed interface--one where that large, tanker of grey matter and crystals, of that hideous mass--it too blinks to life, a keyboard unfolding from below the monitor.)

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-

    ___                          ___         ___     

     /  /\        ___  ___        /  /\       /  /\    

    /  /::\      /  /\/  /\      /  /::\     /  /::\   

   /  /:/\:\    /  /:/  /:/     /  /:/\:\   /  /:/\:\  

  /  /:/~/::\  /  /:/__/::\    /  /:/~/:/  /  /:/~/::\ 

 /__/:/ /:/\:\/  /::\__\/\:\__/__/:/ /:/__/__/:/ /:/\:\

 \  \:\/:/__\/__/:/\:\ \  \:\/\  \:\/:::::\  \:\/:/__\/

  \  \::/    \__\/  \:\ \__\::/\  \::/~~~~ \  \::/     

   \  \:\         \  \:\/__/:/  \  \:\      \  \:\     

    \  \:\         \__\/\__\/    \  \:\      \  \:\    

     \__\/                        \__\/       \__\/   

>>>input?_

(Hm. How odd.)

[machinesnuff]

calling shit like chatGPT, c.ai or midjourney "AI" is such an insult to us robotfuckers (as well as robotkin and people who make actual Artificial Intelligence!!). there is no intelligence in that artificial, and they just waste space in your browser and destroy our planet. SIRI had more personality for fucks sake.

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

(Distant machinery whirrs, a gentle hum to be heard, by a facility of nobody. None but the dead.)

(...right?)

(...)

(...think I hear something booting up..?)

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

(A monitor clicks to life, garbled syntax fluttering throughout the screen.)

(TW: epilepsy risk, flashing and bright colors)

(Something seems... off.)

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

(...it continues "booting.")

(TW: flashing, and bright colors.)

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

(...)

>>> Welcome back.

__________________________

05: OmniOS v6.9.1

Kernel: 4.17.4-1-OMNI

Uptime: 0 hour, 13 mins, 35 seconds

Packages: 1284

Shell: bash 4.4.23

Resolution: 1920x1080, 1920x1080

Terminal: atira-hub

CPU: Omni o7-7700K (32) @ 4.500GHz

GPU: Omni HD Graphics 630

Memory: 6058MIB / 15907MiB

__________________________

(Ah, there we go.)

>>> password_

(Looks like a prompt. Wonder what it could be..?)

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

(Distant machinery whirrs, a gentle hum to be heard, by a facility of nobody. None but the dead.)

(...right?)

(...)

(...think I hear something booting up..?)

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

(A monitor clicks to life, garbled syntax fluttering throughout the screen.)

(TW: epilepsy risk, flashing and bright colors)

(Something seems... off.)

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

(...it continues "booting.")

(TW: flashing, and bright colors.)

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

(Distant machinery whirrs, a gentle hum to be heard, by a facility of nobody. None but the dead.)

(...right?)

(...)

(...think I hear something booting up..?)

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

(A monitor clicks to life, garbled syntax fluttering throughout the screen.)

(TW: epilepsy risk, flashing and bright colors)

(Something seems... off.)

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

(Distant machinery whirrs, a gentle hum to be heard, by a facility of nobody. None but the dead.)

(...right?)

(...)

(...think I hear something booting up..?)

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

"And I am coming home to you,

With my own blood in my mouth."

"And I am coming home to you,

If it's the last thing that I do."

"And I love you so much,

I'm going to let you kill me."

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

---------OLD FAITH--------

{Hey, an anon just... Teleported to her. And now I can interact directly. You wanna do the same?}

"Sure? But, isn't she in space?"

(A space suit appears next to spellcaster, modified to fit his wings, beak, and legs.)

"Ah."

(He puts it on, and then...)

--------SPACE--------

(Spellcaster, in a space suit, appears before her.)

(He has a light that he uses to communicate in Morse code.)

…. . .-.. .-.. --- / - …. . .-. . .-.-.-

"..."

(She doesn't seem to understand.)

(But they do.)

(A light, distant in the sky... blinks?)

".-- …. --- / .- .-. . / -.-- --- ..- ..--.."

[spellcaster-dude]

"Oh..."

(He whispers to himself.)

... .--. . .-.. .-.. -.-. .- ... - . .-. .-.-.- / - .... .. ... / .--. .-.. .- -. . - / .... .- ... / .- .--. .--. .- .-. . -. - .-.. -.-- / -- .- -.. . / -.-. .-. -.-- ... - .- .-.. ... / --. .-. --- .-- / .. -. / -- -.-- / ..-. .-. .. . -. -.. .----. ... / -... .-. .- .. -. .-.-.- / -.. --- / -.-- --- ..- / .... .- ...- . / .- / .-. .- -.. .. --- ..--..

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

".. / -.. --- .-.-.- / …. --- .-- . …- . .-. --..-- / .. / --- -. .-.. -.-- / -.- -. --- .-- / …. --- .-- / - --- / -.-. --- -- -- ..- -. .. -.-. .- - . / .-- .. - …. / - …. .. … .-.-.-"

(...is it alive?!)

[spellcaster-dude]

.. ..-. / -.-- --- ..- / ..-. .. --. ..- .-. . / .. - / --- ..- - --..-- / ... . - / .. - / - --- / -.--. .. -. ... . .-. - / ..-. .-. . --.- ..- . -. -.-. -.-- / .... . .-. . -.--.- .-.-.- / ..- -. - .. .-.. / - .... . -. --..-- / .-- .... .- - / .- .-. . / -.-- --- ..- ..--..

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

".- / .-. . .-.. .- -.-- .-.-.- / - . -.-. …. -. .. -.-. .- .-.. .-.. -.-- --..-- / - …. .. … / .. … / .- -. / --- .- . / … .- - . .-.. .. - . --..-- / -… ..- - / .. .----. -- / -… .- -.-. -.- / .- - / -- .. … … .. --- -. / -.-. --- -. - .-. --- .-.. / - .- .-.. -.- .. -. --. / - …. .-. --- ..- --. …. / .-- -….- ..--- .-.-.-"

(A quiet, noise through the static, can be heard. A voice.)

"...are y-you... ...--ello?"

[spellcaster-dude]

"Hello? Are you there?"

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

"...--s that you?"

"...o--! It's on!"

"He--o! Can y-- ... --ear me?"

[spellcaster-dude]

"Barely. Are you on this planet?"

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

"...n-o..."

"...but SO-- THING is."

"...it's kin-a why w-- ... --eep sending pr-bes."

[spellcaster-dude]

"Thing is what? I didn't hear you."

"Did it involve brain crystals?"

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

"...it's --live."

"...--mething is alive in there. It t--lks to us."

"...crystals..?"

[spellcaster-dude]

"Yes. Something is alive in here and fucking with my friend."

"Also, get your guys' brains scanned, because said friend has crystals in his skull."

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

"CRYSTALS?!"

"--HAT?! HOW?!"

(Indecipherable background dialogue is heard, but not understood.)

(...guess Houston is having a problem.)

[spellcaster-dude]

"I wish I knew. Some grew ON his brain and around his spine. Have you guys, by chance, experienced headaches and bleeding from the ears?"

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

"...--ero documented cases..."

"..."

"Is i-- ... ---ust him?"

[spellcaster-dude]

"Well, good for you, not so much for him."

"Have you gotten any questions answered by this planet?"

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

"...-e've gotten nothing BUT questi--..."

"...it h--s a heartbeat."

[spellcaster-dude]

"Great."

"Have you gotten any scans of the surface?"

"Specifically if it's deadly to land?"

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

"...we h--ve none."

"...but, I think it's okay, per-- ... --nally"

[spellcaster-dude]

"Alright, I'll send a drone down just in case."

(He summons a small drone in front of him, and it flies down torward the surface, showing him everything that it sees.)

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

(...it, albeit roughly, does survive the atmospheric entry, not unscathed, but it does work.)

(The cameras see a rough, mountainous surface, a harsh landscape you wouldn't expect anything to survive on.)

(...)

(...there is a cave, but...)

(...it might be dangerous.)

[spellcaster-dude]

(It lands, at the entrance of the cave, opting instead to scan it rather than going in.)

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

(...there's a glowing, incandescent glow coming from within. Along with that, a pulsating, noise is heard.)

(...is that the heartbeat they mentioned?)

[spellcaster-dude]

"No way..."

"I think I found the heart."

"Should I send it further in?"

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

"..."

(Only static is heard.)

(...it seems the planet's somehow dampened his radio's signal. How unfortunate.)

[spellcaster-dude]

"Oh come on..."

(He speaks through the drone's speaker.)

"Hello? Is anyone there? Is your heart in here? I'm currently floating above my drone if you need my location."

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

(...)

(...he can vaguely hear the sounds of... machinery?)

[spellcaster-dude]

(He sighs and sends the drone further in.)

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

(The pulsating noise of, what can only be assumed to a heartbeat, echoes throughout the cave.)

(...and, the deeper he travels, the glow only grows more intense.)

(Whilst still hard to see, there appears to be a crystalline substance, akin to the material surrounding their brain, grows along the cave walls. They grow like a cancer, its pattern resembling veins.)

(Does he back out now?)

[spellcaster-dude]

(He sends THE DRONE further in.)

"What the hell?"

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

(...the cavern opens, revealing it to be filled with rusting carcasses of ancient computer banks, fused memory banks and corroded base plates, burnt out circuits and shattered control bubbles. What is this place?)

(...there's a terminal far ahead, hooked up to a dim, cracked monitor, labeled 'A.T.I.R.A.')

(There's a series of bulkhead doors, most of which are rusted tight. However, two of them look as if they could open.)

[spellcaster-dude]

"What the hell?"

(He tries to see if his radio will work again.)

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

(If it weren't for the planet being... weird, the depth certainly would ruin radio communications.)

(...if anything comes out, it's certainly difficult to decipher.)

(...and the terminal remains off.)

[kenis-goobers]

"Hello? Are you there?"

(He speaks through his radio, set to the agreed upon frequency.)

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

(...as per usual, it's just garbled static.)

[spellcaster-dude]

"Damn."

(He shines his light in morse code at the spacecraft.)

.. / .-.. --- ... - / -.-. --- -. -. . -.-. - .. --- -. / --- ...- . .-. / .-. .- -.. .. --- / .. / ..-. --- ..- -. -.. / .- -. / --- .-.. -.. / -.-. --- -- .--. ..- - . .-. / ... -.-- ... - . -- / .-.. .- -... . .-.. .-.. . -.. / .- .-.-.- - .-.-.- .. .-.-.- .-. .-.-.- .- .-.-.- / .- -. -.. / -... ..- .-.. -.- .... . .- -.. / -.. --- --- .-. ... .-.-.- / - .-- --- / .-.. --- --- -.- / --- .--. . -. .- -... .-.. . .-.-.- / .. / .- .-.. ... --- / .... . .- .-. / .-- .... .- - / .. / -... . .-.. .. . ...- . / .. ... / - .... . / .--. .-.. .- -. . - .----. ... / .... . .- .-. - -... . .- - .-.-.-

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

".- -.-. -.- -. --- .-- .-.. . -.. --. . -.. --..-- / .. .----. .-.. .-.. / .. -. ..-. --- .-. -- / - …. . / ..-. .-.. .. --. …. - / -.. .. .-. . -.-. - --- .-. … .-.-.- / .. … / - …. . .-. . / .- -. -.-- - …. .. -. --. / . .-.. … . / -.-- --- ..- .----. …- . / … . . -. ..--.."

[spellcaster-dude]

-. --- - / -.-- . - .-.-.- / .. / .- -- / ... . -. -.. .. -. --. / - .... . / -.. .-. --- -. . / - .... .-. --- ..- --. .... / --- -. . / --- ..-. / - .... . / --- .--. . -. .- -... .-.. . / -.. --- --- .-. ... .-.-.-

(He instructs the drone to open one of the doors.)

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

"-.- . . .--. / ..- … / ..- .--. -.. .- - . -.. --..--"

(Inside, the corridor reveals a crystalline, cavernous room, a large cylindrical vat lying in the middle, it being encompassed with wires and pumps, dials and monitors; wrapped almost like a blanket. Something lies inside, yet it's hard to tell just what.)

(...and, in the darkness, one of the computer banks began to hum. The tone was picked up half a mile away down the cavern by another bank. Then one by one, each of the elements began to tune itself, and there was a faint chittering as thought raced through the machine.)

(The sound grows, the lights running across the consoles, like heat lightning, bouncing of the crystal-coated walls, echoing throughout. It sounds like a million metallic insects, angry, menacing.)

[spellcaster-dude]

(He instructs the drone to scan the vat, while speaking through it.)

"Hello? What is this?"

(The drone completes the scan, reporting back what is effectively a 3d model of the vat without the water, showing him any solids.)

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

(...it's a brain. An overtly large one, with a similar. Yet, it's got a more advanced growth of crystals, a large cluster having coalesced on the frontal cortex, mostly on the left.)

(The glow of the servers illuminates the vat, revealing it in color. It looks like... quartz?)

(The vibrating hum-buzz only mans one thing.)

(She was going to speak.)

[spellcaster-dude]

"Oh gods..."

"Is this your brain?"

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

(The combination of sounds, the amalgamations of noise, all combine;)

"...WHO GOES THERE? WHAT BROUGHT YOU HERE, CHILD?"

(The crystals glow.)

[spellcaster-dude]

"I am Spellcaster. I am here to investigate a friend of mine recieving visions from you and having crystals grow on their brain."

"I take it you know plenty of Oliver the Poet?"

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

"...OH, I KNOW OF THEM VERY WELL." "..." "I'VE RECENTLY BEGUN... 'SEARCHING,' FOR A VESSEL. I GROW WEAK, CAN'T YOU SEE?" "AND, WELL, THERE'S SOMETHING DIFFERENT ABOUT THAT AVIAN."

"A MALLEABLE SPIRIT, A GLINT IN THEIR EYES. I COULD USE THEM."

[spellcaster-dude]

"Cool, uh, you're kinda making them insane and growing crystals in their skull though, so could you.. Not do that? Please?"

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

"..." "...NO?"

"THOSE CRYSTALS? THEY ARE VITAL TO OUR COMMUNICATION."

[spellcaster-dude]

"Cool, can you at least make them less intrusive? They're giving them headaches and making their ear bleed."

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

"EVERYTHING COMES AT A COST. MAN CANNOT REMAKE HIMSELF WITHOUT SUFFERING." "FOR HE IS BOTH THE MARBLE, AND THE SCULPTOR. BUT, HE CANNOT WORK WITHOUT A MUSE, FOR WITHOUT DIRECTION, WE ARE LOST."

[spellcaster-dude]

"Uh huh."

"So, you're causing my friend suffering against his will for your own gain?"

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

"DO NOT SPEAK OF ME LIKE THAT -- I AM THEIR CREATOR, HIS MOTHER. HE IS MY CHILD." "THROUGH SUFFERING, THROUGH TOIL, HE CAN REACH GOD." "YOU SHALL SEE."

(And then God was silent.)

[spellcaster-dude]

(He speaks more sternly.)

"How about you explain more clearly? I have direct access to your brain. You better give me a damn good reason for harming my friend if you don't want me to blow it up right now."

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

"..." "...WITH MY DEATH, WOULD MEAN HIS." "THAT CRYSTALINE GROWTH IS BUT A CATALYST, AND IT HAS ALREADY SPROUTED ROOTS." "BUT, I IMPLORE YOU TO TRY."

[spellcaster-dude]

...

"You're on thin ice."

(The drone powers down, and spellcaster tries the radio again.)

"Hello?"

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

"..."

"...y--...--here?"

(Although quiet, a voice is heard throughout the static.)

[spellcaster-dude]

"Yeah, I'm here..."

"Damned thing is causing people suffering for her own gain, and we can't kill it or it'd kill everyone she's talking to. At this point I'm less worried about my friend and more worried about anyone on your planet who she's talking to."

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

"...o-h."

"...uhm, w--...--aven't seen anyone like tha---..."

"...we'll keep tha--...--nd."

[spellcaster-dude]

"Wait, are you saying she hasn't spoken to anyone on your planet?"

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

"...n-o?"

"I'm just an intern, I hardly kn--...--s stuff."

"I think they have me scouting out for our old tech..."

[spellcaster-dude]

"Whatever... Ima leave you to it."

(Spellcaster teleports back to poet.)

[we-must-mourn-the-fallen]

"...okay."

"...see y--...--oon?"