adstring_npc | {Unified Universe Project}

[There’s a clicking noise, then a burst of static, before a moment of silence. A male voice speaks first, recognizable as Greg’s.] Did it work?

[A female speaks up.] Is it a plant? No. How should I know if it works? Mine got eaten by the Hungry Vine.

[A third voice speaks up, a new male.] He was asking in general, not you, Abbot. And yeah, I think it’s going. But not video. You’re the codemonkey, fix it.

[Greg snorts.] Fixing, fixing, bug boy. You go play with your beetles, I’ll get this… there.

[The video flickers on, showing Greg, Caroline Abbot, and another young man who resembles Greg slightly. ]

[Greg nods happily.] Guess what? We have blankets! [He holds up stiffer-looking greenish-white blankets.] We’re going to share! Abbot can explain!

[Caroline sighs.] They’re plant fiber. I modified the Hungry Vine to have stronger limbs, and—

[The other guy shakes his head.] She’ll talk for hours. Look. Plants became blankets. It’s not good weather for them, but you’ll have them. Anyone wants to pick them up, we already dropped off a load at [x,y]. Outreach and shit, since our PR department is fuc—

Matthew! [Greg’s voice is sharp.] There’s a lady present.

[Caroline blinks, staring at Greg.]

[Matthew snorts.] Fine. Since our PR department is sleeping around instead of making sweet, sweet love to all of y—

[Greg reaches over and shuts the sound of the PCD off. He and Matthew talk for a moment, while Caroline looks very awkward. She plays with a vine that’s crawling up her arm, smiling at it. The boys stop talking, and Greg rolls his eyes and turns the sound back on.]

[Matthew sighs.] The PR department isn’t doing its job. So we’re doing what we can. Better?

[Greg nods, then looks off to the side.] We’ve got to stop transmitting for now. Guard cycles. But we’ll answer questions in a few minutes. It should be safe.

[He smiles, and with a quick wave, he shuts off the PCD.]

[[ooc: There are twenty-five plant-fiber blankets at the location listed.]]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

What, you think she's going to be pissed off?

[Greg looks unimpressed.]

What else are the soldiers supposed to do? Tranq them and lock them up? Jail doesn't work. Come on. It's a strong reason not to mess with us, death. You don't know what's going to be lost.

We've had one lose his sanity. But he's in a nice padded room. I'm sure you can do that for your people if the same happens to them.

No, we cannot, sir. The Safezone is not stable. The Animus would change things on us and make any holding contraptions we have disappear.

You do not fear us without reason, sir. Some of us have powers humans can only dream of. Yet you are cruel to us, ready to sacifice our well-being, and maybe our lives, for the deeds of a few.

How can we honestly trust you and work with you in those circumstances ?

[Greg shakes his head. It's clear he's starting to get annoyed.]

So you're going to blame me for the deeds of a few? I've never been cruel, Ma'am. But we don't have other options. And we don't want them coming back after us. Maybe you should try to work on people out there.

How can we even work with you when you can't manage who you've got?

That was not directed at you personally, sir. I just want you understand that what seems obviou to you iny our own secluded compounds is just not possible out here.

Your scientists brought us here. The responsibility falls on them to keep us safe and bring us back, but they haven't done any of that that we could see. I appreciate your offer of help for what it is, genuinely, but trust will have to be earned both ways.

If some of you came out and saw what it truly is like out there, amybe you would understand why some of us grew desperate, so desperate than we could not stop them in spite of our efforts. What we have out there is not life. It is survival.

I do not wish to assign blame. It is not my place, nor do I have enough facts to judge by. I just would like you to understand where we are comng from and why this will be looked at with suspicion.

We can't find our own way home. We're still working on it. Do you think we're sitting around doing nothing? All of us want to get back.

And come out there? Really? I'd be killed! I watch the network, ma'am. I'm not about to leave the compound.

[Greg gives an exasperated sigh.]

They're blankets. Take them or don't. Suspect or don't. They're there.

Do not misunderstand me, sir.

I know that you are taking risks doing that, and I appreciate your kindness in extending help to us. It is the people in charge that I mistrust.

{Unified Universe Project}

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