[IC Contact -- Snowblind]

[bookofnope]

[There is a click noise. It sounds as though it might be judging you.]

Comments

day 47, morning, id: fastoon

[clockblock]

[Before getting down to his business for the day, Alister takes the photos he promised and sends them off to Beckett.

* attachments: 10 photos, labeled "photo#". Clear, sweeping shots of the park (1) and the mass graves that Alister has unearthed from various angles in the best light possible. He's made sure the corpses themselves are as well-documented as he can manage.]

day 51; @guardian; image;

[phaseshifter]

[ In Beckett's inbox, there is an image. An image lovingly created in the tablet's drawing program. An image that is a complete mess comprised of overly-loopy cursive text handwritten on a background of different coloured lines and swirls.

Yeah.

The text reads as follows:

Still kicking, friend? \OuO/
Did you know that most robots and AIs are completely unable to read non-uniform text placed onto a sufficiently garbled image?
It's a major weakness of all but the most advanced ones! I believe people from Earth used to use that sort of thing to stop automated programs from signing up to their ECHOnet sites and such.
Isn't that interesting?? ♥

WOW, WHAT AN INNOCENT MESSAGE. ]

[bookofnope]

[Oh, how interesting. It takes him a little while to get the hang of how to do things, but within an hour, a swirly text image - colourful, although strangely dominated by sheds of red - happens to appear in Angel's own inbox. WHAT COULD IT BE.


Much improved, thank you.
I was not aware of this fact. Isn't history fascinating?
You say "all but the most advanced", though. How would you rank Norfinbury technology in terms of advancement as you know it?
Also, what on earth does \OuO/ mean?


See, he's not Old, he can totally manage digital technology!!]

[phaseshifter]

[ Well, that's the question, isn't it. The tech thing. Not the emote thing.

Shush.

 
Honestly it is a little hard to tell how advanced the tech here is supposed to be, since most of it has been gutted?? The AI (it is SO an ai) doesn't seem to be very smart but I have been wondering if that's just one of the reasons she doesn't talk to us. She's trying to hide her own level of advancement? Knowledge is power etc etc
I'm not sure how we'd find out for sure whether or not she can read these beyond saying something very provocative very publically, and I'm not sure that's a good idea now we know network bans are definitely a thing. :S
(And \OuO/ is a happy smiling face with its arms raised, gosh. look) ]

[bookofnope]

[How bad is it that the first thing he thinks is "is Angel actually wearing shorts IRL how is she not frozen to death."

Shush indeed.


I can tell you that it is more advanced than what I'm used to, but perhaps not by much, knowing how fast such developments have been moving. But knowledge is certainly power, and I see the logic of this theory. Much likelier than assuming that an AI in charge of such an operation can be so limited in other capacities.
Can anything we say be provocative? Your last ban was for an action, not for speaking out. We could ask around if anyone has ever seen consequences for speaking on the network, but that might require answering questions.
And I think I see it. That is almost cute. Is the real you wearing longer trousers?


Oh god you made him ask.]

[phaseshifter]

[ Beckett. Beckett pls.


Hmmmmmmmm. Σ(-᷅_-᷄๑) This is all pretty frustrating. But I suppose that's the point! Keeping us too wrapped up in uncertainty to properly rebel. Huff.
I suppose something like openly and publically offering tuition in computing languages for the express purposes of hacking might be considered seditious enough to be banworthy? Since that would directly call on the same fear that got me banned (ര௰ര) Maybe worth pondering!!
and I'm not wearing trousers at all, geez. They are leggings!! Made out of insulatory space material so don't fuss like Biff did :P I also have shoes now even if wearing them still feels really weird @_@


Seriously, why would anyone wear shoes by choice? SPACE SOCKS 4LYFE ]

[bookofnope]

[FIRST YOU BREAK INTO HIS HEART, THEN YOU MOCK HIM. DAMN YOU ANGEL.

(Would that one be scratching its head?)
Mind you, rebelling would require means and a clear target. Even if we had the latter, there is still the issue that the only tools we have to interact with our theoretical captor are those that she herself has created and provided.
That is a possibility. It would also be interesting to see what would happen to anyone who wanted to take you up on the offer. But it could also be taking a substantial risk, in case the encryption fails.
And I am most certainly not fussing. Simply curious. For all I knew, your shorts had some miraculous heating technology.


Yes he is totally in this for the self-heating space shorts not at all her wellbeing RIGHT.]

[phaseshifter]

Yes!! See, you're getting it ~OwO~
And you're right about the other stuff too. Shoot. I guess it can't hurt to keep it in mind for the future, though?
Kind of like the eff eye ell eee ess I have all coded up and ready for the moment I can get executables up and running on my tablet. ( ˘ω˘ )ｼ Preparation is always key if you want to outmanoeuver people who hold power over you, right??
And I actually seem to remember the Torgue manufacturers making self-heating shorts at one point :\a Except they tended to explode and the CEO claimed that was a feature and not a bug so they stopped selling pretty fast.

[bookofnope]

I thought I was, but now you've thrown me off again. Waving its arms? What is the mouth doing? What are those even for, actually?
I'm not a great expert on modern technology, but I do say I know a thing or two about power games. On that front, I strongly advise against keeping anything incriminating on the tablet, "executable" (whatever that means) or not. And I may have another idea for testing out this new method of communication, except it would take very specific supplies - mostly a lot of paint.
I can, in fact, see why exploding shorts might be considered a feature in some circles. Please don't judge, people get very jaded about their amusements after the first few centuries.

[phaseshifter]

 

 

 

 

Okay I understand that there is a lot more to address than your last point but now my brain is kind of stuck on why the heck anybody would honestly think that exploding shorts (or anything from Torgue's short-lived range of pants) would be a worthy purchase ఠ_ఠ

[bookofnope]

Are you absolutely sure that you want me to answer this particular question? You have one chance to change your mind. Then it will be too late.

[phaseshifter]

Dude.

Ew.

[bookofnope]

Isn't it nice when questions answer themselves?
Now, do you have any idea where we could get some paint? Spray-paint would be ideal, but any kind that can be used on concrete, metal or glass should be fine. But in a lot of colours, that's rather important.

[phaseshifter]

You're such a butt!!! XP
But no. I can ask around? and keep an eye out while I'm travelling, of course
Oh, maybe the school?? I suppose that's more likely to have finger paint than spray paint but perhaps there'll be something of use?
I haven't been there yet so I don't know for sure!!

[bookofnope]

I consider myself a sharer of fascinating historical facts.
I've done a rather thorough search of the school in the last few days - nothing useful. It will have to be something to add to the list, I suppose, along with a change of clothes, a few good books, and something reasonable to eat.

[His writing may be particularly loopy around the eat bit. PAY NO ATTENTION.]

[phaseshifter]

[ DENIED ]

Oh, are you hungry?? Do you know where the convenience store is? I'm heading there with dad tomorrow! (σﾟ∀ﾟ)σ and apparently they have better food there than the crappy cruddy rations. What kind of food do you like? I can watch out for it and let you know if it's there!! OuO

[bookofnope]

[Sadly, no answer will be forthcoming, because damned if he's telling Angel of all people that THE FOOD HE LIKES IS BLOOD CAN YOU GET HIM ALL THE BLOOD SERIOUSLY JUST BLOOD EVERYWHERE]

private; audio @LELRIC

[armoured]

[He hasn't really spoken to Beckett much since he arrived, but he has heard several worrying things through the grapevine. The conversation he had with Zell a couple of nights ago has pushed the last straw, and so he's sending a message just after lockdown.]

Beckett, it's Alphonse, I don't know if you remember me but we need to talk.

[bookofnope]

[Though they haven't spoken much, Beckett has a good memory for names; moreso for people tagged in his mind as perhaps more than they seem. His answer is dry but cordial.]

I do remember - the alchemist. How can I help you?

[armoured]

[He hesitates a moment, but he'll try and keep Zell's name out of it.]

A friend came to me and said you were encouraging people to break open their tablets, and-- I have to tell you that isn't a good idea.

[bookofnope]

[As it happens, Beckett doesn't even think about Zell. The conversation was public, after all. And he has been rather waiting for the first person to decide he was a dangerous influence or what-have-you - it happens to him a lot.]

Isn't it? I was under the impression that we are searching for information. I'm happy to volunteer my own tablet for breaking open, if someone thinks they know how.

[armoured]

The tablets are our only reliable communication between one another at the moment, breaking one could prove more dangerous than the information is worth. What would happen if you needed help or got hurt, you wouldn't be able to call anyone.

[He sounds half sternly lecturing and half eagerly explaining, because he does understand the lure of information.]

We might be able to break one open in the future if we find another way of communicating, or if we get a safe base camp established, but I don't think it's worth risking anyone's safety for the possibility just yet.

[bookofnope]

They are very useful unbroken, but replacements for lost ones has so far seemed rather easy. Besides, people here do tend to gravitate towards group travel - it's possible to take precautions.

[He concedes that much of an explanation, because he isn't looking for an argument, and unlife has taught him that just because someone sounds eight years old, that doesn't mean they have nothing useful to say. But in the end he points out the obvious:]

It's a risk I'm prepared to face. Perhaps others are too. I expect them to make their own judgements.

[armoured]

I guess as long as precautions are taken, like making sure you're with a group, it might not be such a bad idea. But this-- friend, he said he wasn't keen on it and you were being insistent.

[That's the bit he disapproves of. Zell had made it sound like Beckett was trying to bully him into something potentially dangerous.]

[bookofnope]

[Now it clicks, although Beckett sounds more sardonically amused than annoyed when he answers.]

Would this be the friend who said he was certain that he can take a tablet apart and put it back together, then backed out of it even when I offered my own?

[Remember how bad you are at lying, Al. He certainly does.]